scheduled tribe. Petersburg, Fla. The Tampa Bay Rays’ two-year reign as All-American East Division champions has come to an end.
George Springer hit two long balls and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Rays 7-1 on Sunday to split the four-game series.
The New York Yankees held a comfortable lead atop the East Division, and a loss to the Rays knocked them out of title contention.
The Blue Jays (86–67) extended their lead over the Rays (84–69) to two games for first place among American-drafted teams with only nine games remaining. The Seattle Mariners are two and a half games behind.
“I think we’re where we need to be,” said Blue Jays interim manager John Schneider. I think we will be in a good position if we make it to the playoffs. ,
The Blue Jays return home for six games against the Yankees and Boston Red Sox before playing a three-game series against the Orioles in Baltimore.
The Rays would conclude their campaign with a nine-game road trip against the Cleveland Guardians, the Central Division champions, the Houston Astros, the Western Division champions, and the Red Sox.
“We’re in control of our own destiny,” Rays infielder Taylor Walls said. This defeat has hurt us a bit today, but we have enough matches in front of us that if we play well enough, we are confident that we will get to where we want to be. ,
Alejandro Kirk and Teoscar Hernandez also did the job for the Torontonians, who each scored 20 runs in the series two losses. They then went on to win the final two games to limit the Rays to just two points.
“We showed we can fight and we don’t give up,” Springer insisted. We lost against a very good team that is playing well, but to be able to share the honor is a big deal. ,
Ross Stripling (9-4) allowed one run and six hits in five innings of work. Zach Popp, Adam Cimber, Trevor Richards and Yusei Kikuchi combined to hold the Rays to just one hit over four innings on the mound.
Rays star pitcher Shane McClanahan (12-7), who left his last start with a sore neck in the fifth inning, allowed four runs and six hits over five innings.
McClanahan said he was healthy but struggled with his shot control. It was his third start since spending 15 days on the injured list with a left shoulder problem.
“I felt good. I didn’t have the stuff today, McClanahan observed. I have to do better. It’s troubling. »
The southpaw is 2-4 with a 4.26 ERA in nine innings since the All-Star break.
Springer hit a two-run homer in the third inning and added a slugging solo in the fifth, giving the Blue Jays a 4–1 lead. He finished the game with three hits.
Kirk hit a solo long ball in the second inning, and Hernandez hit a two-run homer off Garrett Clevinger in the eighth inning to make it 6–1.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in the last run for the Blue Jays in the ninth inning.
Randy Arrozarena hit a sacrifice fly in the third set to allow the Rays to record their only point of the matchup.
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