scheduled tribe. Petersburg, Fla. – Vander Franco drove in three runs and the Tampa Bay Rays shutout the Toronto Blue Jays 10-5 on Thursday night in Game 1 of a four-game series between the division rivals.
Jonathan Aranda homered and Randy Azorena had three hits and two RBIs for the Rays, who are coming off a three-game series in which they were swept by the Houston Astros.
“Baseball is weird. I saw a result tonight that was a little different,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. The players did a good job forgetting what happened, they were ready to come to work and improve and they found a way to win. ,
The Rays (83–67) came within a game of the Blue Jays (84–66) and ranked first among American-drafted teams. The Seattle Mariners (82-67) are in third, four games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles.
Whit Merrifield had two long drives for the Toronto guys, as did Teoscar Hernandez. Jose Berrios (11-6) allowed six runs and seven hits in two innings of work.
Blue Jays interim manager John Schneider said of Berrios, “It was a little weird to be leading in the count but not getting batters out.”
A run by Manuel Margot and productive hits by Franco and Arozarena gave the Rays a 6–3 lead in the second inning.
Franco hit a three-run double for the Rays in the fourth inning.
“I think we made the right adjustments tonight (Thursday),” Franco said. We played very well and we hope to continue with the same energy. ,
Rays manager Kevin Cash decided to replace fly-half JT Chargois with Ryan Yarbrough to start the second inning.
Hernandez served as the leadoff hitter, his seventh in 34 appearances against Yarbrough. One out later, Merrifield slapped a solo to tie the game at 3–3.
Merrifield also hit a long two-run ball in the ninth inning.
Yarbrough eventually left the game in the third inning due to discomfort in the right side of his body.
Garrett Clevinger replaced Yarbrough and shut the Blue Jays for two innings before Shawn Armstrong, Brooks Raleigh and Colin Poche allowed nothing for three innings.
Aranda hit a three-run first inning on Berrios’ second pitch. Arozarena hit a one-run double and after moving to third base, he scored on a wild pitch.
Bo Bechette scored a one-run double for the Blue Jays in the first inning. He has now scored 24 points in 21 games in September.
espinal on the edge
In other news, the Blue Jays placed infielder Santiago Spinal on the 10-day disabled list on Thursday with an abdominal sprain.
Montrealer Otto López has been recalled and will be active for tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Espinal left Wednesday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies in the seventh inning after feeling unwell. The 27-year-old is batting. Has seven home runs, 51 home runs and 51 runs scored this season.
Cavan Biggio, who replaced Espinal on Wednesday, started the game at second base and moved up to ninth on Thursday.
Lopez, 23, has played 96 games at the AAA level with Buffalo this season. He has .283/.365/.394 averages, three homers, 36 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.