Kevin Pillar was 2-4 at the plate and scored the game winning run with some heads up base running on a wild pitch as the Blue Jays avoided a sweep with a 2-1 victory over the Rays
Game Highlights:- The Blue Jays took the lead as Aledmys Diaz hit an infield single that scored Anthony Alford
- Marco Estrada pitching line: 6IP 4H 0R 4BB 3K 96 pitches (55 for strikes)
- Chris Archer pitching line: 7IP 4H 1R (earned) 0BB 6K 97 pitches (64 for strikes)
- The Rays tied it in the bottom of the 8th on a Carlos Gomez solo HR
- The Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the 9th on a wild pitch by Rays closer Alex Colome that Kevin Pillar scored on
- Roberto Osuna notched his 9th save of the season
- Final score: Blue Jays 2 Rays 1
- Troy Tulowitzki must be wincing somewhere watching Aledmys Diaz injure his ankle stepping on first base wrong. Diaz went down running hard to first base. He stepped on the corner of the bag wrong and twisted his right ankle. Tulo missed the remainder of the season with a broken ankle after being injured on a similar play last July 29. He's still not back after coming into spring training with bone spurs in his heels that required surgery. Thankfully X-rays taken at the stadium were negative. Given the history with Tulowitzki, expect the Blue Jays to take every precaution with Diaz. I fully expect him to be placed on the 10 day DL.
- This one was a pitcher's duel. Rays starter scattered 5 hits over 7 innings. Estrada had one of his better outings. He kept the Rays off the scoreboard. However, he was throwing too many pitches per inning. It took him almost 40 pitches to get through the first 2 innings. At least he didn't give up a HR, which has been a problem for him this season.
- Mallex Smith made several base running mistakes, otherwise the Rays might have won this game. Smith held up at third base in the 3rd inning on a single that he could have scored on. Kevin Pillar made a nice throw on the play so it would have been close. He tried to steal home in the same inning but Estrada made an accurate throw to Luke Maile, who easily tagged him out. In the 5th inning, Smith jogged into 3rd base assuming the ball would be caught. Again had he been running hard he could have scored.
- Ryan Tepera had a rough 8th inning giving up the game tying HR and a walk and single in the inning. It ruined Estrada's chance of a win.
- The Blue Jays escaped Tampa Bay with a win in the final game of the series against a pitcher who always seems to give them trouble. It also keeps the Rays under .500.
- Up next, after an off-day tomorrow the Blue Jays begin a three game series against the Seattle Mariners. Last season, the Blue Jays won 6 of the 7 games against the Mariners, including a 4 game sweep in Toronto. Marcus Stroman gets the start in game 1 against Canadian southpaw James Paxton, who is coming off a 16K outing.
