Justin Smoak hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th to cap off an epic 7 run inning for a come from behind 9-8 victory over the Rays
Game Highlights
- The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the 2nd as Rowdy Tellez hit a 2 run HR to right-center also scoring Randal Grichuk
- Ryne Stanek pitching line: 1IP 3H 2R (both earned) 0BB 1K 17 pitches (13 for strikes)
- The Rays got one back in the top of the 4th as Tommy Phan tripled, scoring Matt Duffy
- A batter later, Joey Wendle doubled home Pham, tying the game at 2
- Sam Gaviglio pitching line: 5IP 4H 2R (both earned) 1BB 2K 67 pitches (42 for strikes)
- The Rays took the lead in the top of the 6th as Willy Adames singled, scoring Ji-Man Choi
- The Rays added a run in the top of the 7th as Pham singled home Mallex Smith
- A batter later, Wendle singled scoring Duffy
- Three batters later, CJ Cron singled home Pham, Wendle and Kevin Kiermaier
- The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 9th as as Tellez doubled home Dwight Smith Jr.
- Three batters later, Danny Jansen crushed a three-run homer to left, also scoring Tellez and Jonathan Davis
- Two batters later, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. tied it with a HR into the Blue Jays bullpen; also scoring Teoscar Hernandez
- A batter later, Justin Smoak hit a walk-off HR to right
- Final score: Blue Jays 9 Rays 8
- Sam Gavigio pitched a decent game, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk over five innings tonight. He had an excellent first 2 innings, retiring the first 6 batters on just 11 pitches. The 4th inning was a rough one for him and where the Rays got their runs. At this point, I would bring Gaviglio back, but only let him pitch at the Roger's Center. Or I would get MLB's permission to wear home uniforms on road games when it's his turn because Sammy G has been far better at home than on the road
- The bullpen did not have a good game. Joe Biagini and Mark Leiter Jr. (who is not nearly as good as his father or uncle) combined to give up five runs on five hits and a pair of walks in the top of the 7th. Jose Fernandez also gave up a run in his third of an inning
- Luckily the Blue Jays were in the mood for an epic comeback in the ninth, scoring 7 runs on 6 hits and a hit batter. This might have been the best game the Blue Jays played all year. The loss drove another nail into the Rays coffin.
- Anthony Alford pinch hit for Billy McKinney in the bottom of the 8th and struck out. He did not have a play the 9th
- Dwight Smith Jr. came in as a defensive replacement in the 9th. He did not have a play defensively. He doubled and scored the Blue Jays 3rd run.
- Rowdy Tellez had a huge day at the plate with a 2 for 4 effort, 3RBI and a pair of runs scored. Defensively, he was involved in 10 plays.
- Danny Jansen had an up and down day today. Four base runners stole bases off him today and he gave up a key wild pitch in the Rays big 7th inning. However, he sort of made up for the defensive woes in the 9th when he crushed a three run HR to get the Blue Jays within 2
- Reese McGuire struck out batting for Aledmys Diaz in the 9th.
- Richard Urena played second base today and was 1-4 with a single in the 8th. He was involved in five plays defensively, four of them outs
- Jonathan Davis took over defensively in CF in the top of the 8th.. He was involved in two outs defensively. He was hit by a pitch in his only at-bat and scored the Blue Jays 5th run of the game
- Jose Fernandez pitch a third of a inning and allowed one run on one hit and walked a batter
- David Paulino pitched a perfect 9th and struck out one batter
- Mark Leiter Jr. was lit up for four runs on three hits and a walk in a third of an inning.
- Up next, the Blue Jays go for their second straight win as Sean Reid-Foley gets his second to last start of the season facing a Rays opener (Stanek again?)
