Jays rally late to top Rays
TORONTO -- Jose Bautista tied the score with a double, Russell Martin drove in the go-ahead run with a single and the Toronto Blue Jays used a three-run eighth inning to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 Sunday afternoon.
In taking the rubber match of the three-game set, the Blue Jays (8-17) won their first series of the season. They also won two consecutive games for the first time this season. The Rays (12-14) took the series opener Friday.
J.P. Howell (1-1) allowed a walk in one-third of an inning to pick up the win.
Roberto Osuna pitched around an error by shortstop Ryan Goins and an infield single in the ninth for his third save of the season.
Alex Colome (0-2) allowed three hits, an intentional walk and two runs in one-third of an inning to take the loss.
The Blue Jays lost starter Aaron Sanchez after one inning with what the club said was a split right middle finger. A blister on the same finger had put him on the disabled list.
He left the game after a 13-pitch inning in which he had a walk and a strikeout. The inning ended on Evan Longoria's double-play grounder.
It was the right-hander's first start since April 15. He was put on the disabled list with the blister and on April 18 had a procedure to remove part of the nail of the finger.
Ryan Tepera took his place in the second inning.
The bottom of the first had some drama of its own when Chris Archer's first pitch to Jose Bautista went behind the Toronto right fielder. Both teams were warned.
Archer did not factor in the decision, allowing four hits, two walks and one run in 7 1/3 innings. He struck out five.
Tepera was superb with five strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings in which he allowed only a leadoff single to Brad Miller in the fifth. Tepera struck out Rickie Weeks Jr. before being replaced by Aaron Loup, who walked Logan Morrison before inducing a double-play grounder from Derek Norris.
The Blue Jays mounted the first threat of the game when Bautista singled with one out and Kendrys Morales followed with a ground-rule double to right center. Archer struck out Justin Smoak and got an inning-ending grounder to second from Russell Martin.
Loup allowed two walks and had one strikeout in two innings. He was helped by two double-play grounders.
Dominic Leone took over with one out in the seventh and allowed one hit and had a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning.
Joe Smith took over for Toronto in the eighth and allowed a leadoff walk to Morrison followed by a single to Norris. Morrison advanced to third after tagging up on Shane Peterson's deep foul out to first. He scored on a sacrifice bunt to Smith by Daniel Robertson and Tampa Bay led 1-0.
Howell replaced Smith and walked Corey Dickerson before ending the inning on Kevin Kiermaier's fly to right.
Archer walked Darwin Barney to start the bottom of the eighth. Kevin Pillar's hard ground ball deflected off Longoria to Robertson at shortstop, who got the out at first as Barney took second.
Colome replaced Archer and gave up a double to Bautista off the left-field fence to tie the game. It was Bautista's 1,000th as a Blue Jay. Morales was intentionally walked. Smoak struck out and Martin hit a single down the right-field line to give the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead.
Pinch-hitter Ezequiel Carrera hit an infield single up the middle to put Toronto ahead 3-1.
NOTES: Tampa Bay RF Steven Souza Jr. (left-hand contusion) was not in the starting lineup Sunday. He left the game Saturday in the seventh inning after being hit on the hand by a pitch from RHP Joe Biagini. X-rays were negative and he is listed as day to day. ...Toronto LHP Matt Dermody was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo Sunday to make room on the 25-man roster for RHP Aaron Sanchez (right middle finger blister). ... Rays RHP Jake Odorizzi (strained right hamstring) will make his first start since April 15 Monday when he faces the Miami Marlins. Odorizzi (1-1, 4.15 ERA) will face Marlins LHP Wei-Yin Chen (2-1, 4.71 ERA) in the opener of a four-game series at Miami. ... Toronto RHP Marco Estrada (0-1, 2.70 ERA) will face New York RHP Luis Severino (2-1, 3.00 ERA) on Monday in the opener of a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.