Game #34Toronto Blue Jays (18-16) @ Tampa Bay Rays (15-16) - game recap

Tampa Bay Rays CF Mallex Smith was 2-2 at the plate and scored 2 runs as the Rays defeated the Blue Jays 5-3 to take the series win

The Blue Jays were in a difficult position last night, playing their fourth game in three nights in three different cities. The bats were cold last night, scoring 2 runs on 4 hits. Could the Blue Jays even the series at 1? Here is tonight's game recap

Game Highlights:

• The Rays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st on a fielding error by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on a ground ball hit by Wilson Ramos that allow Matt Duffy to score
• Ramos doubled the Rays lead in the bottom of the 3rd on a single that scored CJ Cron
• Teoscar Hernandez got one back on a lead-off solo HR in the top of the 4th
• Denard Span singled home Mallex Smith in the bottom half of the inning to extend the Rays lead to 2
• The next batter Duffy hit a sac fly that Span scored on
• Aaron Sanchez pitching line: 3.2IP 5H 4R (2 earned) 4BB 3K 85 pitches (42 for strikes) 
•  Jake Faria pitching line: 5.1P 3H 1R (earned) 1BB 4K 73 pitches (46 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays got one back as Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered leading off the 8th
• Three batters later, Hernandez singled home Aledmys Diaz
• Cron gave the Rays an insurance run in the bottom of the 8th on a sac fly that scored Smith
• Rays closer Alex Colome came in and shut the Blue Jays down for the second straight day, getting 5 straight batters out
• Final score: Rays 5 Blue Jays 3

My Take:

• Key play in the bottom of the 4th: Mallex Smith hit a grounder that led to a close play at first base. The safe call was upheld on replay and Smith eventually came around to score. 
• Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had a difficult day in the field, committing 2 errors that led to 2 Rays runs. 
• Aaron Sanchez had a difficult start walking three of the first 4 batters he faced. The umpire was calling a tight strike zone today. Rusell Martin verbally and not so subtly expressed his frustration behind the plate, at one point talking to the dugout after Aaron Loup walked 2 straight batters
• Russell Martin had a rough 8th inning, committing an error on a sac bunt by Johnny Field and throwing the ball into center when Field stole second
• Toronto put together a rally in the 8th inning with a HR, double and single. Credit Rays manager Kevin Cash who made two key pitching changes when Josh Donaldson was up, leading to an inning ending DP in the 6th and a groundout that was only prevented from being a DP because of the defensive alignment of the Rays in the 8th 
• Today, the defense let Toronto down. Also, the strike zone was called very tight today. John Gibbons was eventually ejected after the 8th inning.
• Up next, the Blue Jays will look to salvage the series facing Blue Jay killer Chris Archer. Marco Estrada takes the mound for the Blue Jays. Also a Blue Jays win will keep the Rays win/loss record under .500.