It seems like it’s been more than just three weeks since the Tampa Bay Rays won a game on the road, but that ten-game losing streak away from Tropicana Field is now behind them, as Austin Meadows hit three doubles and drove in a pair, and Wander Franco homered to help the Rays defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 Sunday at Sahlen Field.
Toronto umped out early against Rays starter Ryan Yarbrough to a 1-0 lead thanks to Randal Grichuk‘s solo home run, his 15th of the season.
But the left-hander would double down, and keep the Blue Jays from adding on to their lead through the first five innings of the game.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay had multiple opprtunities to get on the scoreboard early against Jays starter Robbie Ray. In the second, a walk by Yandy Diaz and a double by Meadows started the frame, but Ray struck out Mike Zunino, Francisco Mejia and Taylor Walls in succession to wiggle off the hook. Franco also led off the fourth with a double, bur Ray got fly ball outs from Diaz, Meadows, and Zunino to keep the game at 1-0.
The Rays tied the game in the sixth, when Franco connected off Ray for his second home run of the year.
Diaz followed with a double to right, and Meadows lined a pitch over TTeoscar Hernanez’s head for a two-base hit of his own, plating Diaz with the go-ahead run.
Yarbrough (5-3) would be credited with the win, but Collin McHugh contributed three scoreless innings of relief, striking out six in the process.
Diaz and Meadows teamed up again in the ninth to provide an insurance run off Rafael Dolis. The Rays first baseman reached on an infield single, and wound up at third due to a Bo Bichette error. Meadows then delivered his third double of the contest to make it 3-1.
Dolis struck out Zunino, but then hit Mejia with a pitch on a 3-2 count and gave up a double to Walls to make ot 4-1. Tayler Saucedo then relieved Dolis, and allowed Mejia to score on a sacrifice fly by Mike Brosseau, setting the score.
Diego Castillo worked a scoreless ninth, stranding Bichette at third base to finish out the game.
The Rays will return to St. Petersburg to begin a three-game series with the Cleveland Indians beginning Monday. Rich Hill (6-3, 3.70 ERA) will get the start, taking on Logan Allen (1-5, 8.38 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:10.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
