The Tampa Bay Rays woes away from Tropicana Field continued Friday night, as the Toronto Blue Jays scored six times in the first two innings against Luis Patino en route to an 11-1 decision Friday at Sahlen Field.
Toronto took a 2-0 lead in the first, as Bo Bichette singled and scored two batters later when George Springer took a first-pitch fastball from Patino and sent it off the batters’ eye in center for his fourth home run of the year.
The Blue Jays piled on an inning later, as Cavan Biggio drew a leadoff walk from Patino, and when Randal Grichuk hit a comebacker to the Rays pitcher, he threw it into center field for an error. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. then doubled in Biggio to make the lead 3-0, and Reese McGuire added an RBI single to extend the advantage to a grand slam. Marcus Semien‘s fielder’s choice grounder plated Gurriel for a 5-0 lead, and after a passed ball, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. laced a single to put the lead at 6-0.
Meanwhile, the Rays bats were silent against Blue Jays starter Alek Manoah, who struck out seven in a row at one point, and did not allow a hit until Francisco Mejia‘s double in the top of the sixth inning.
Patino would work into the sixth inning, leaving with one out and Teoscar Hernandez and Biggio in scoring position after each had a base hit and advanced on a wild pitch. Reliever Jeffrey Springs would allow Hernandez to score on a wild pitch of his own for a 7-0 deficit with the run charged to Patino’s record.
Toronto would tack three more runs to Springs in the seventh, as Semien led off the frame with his 21st homer of the year, and after a Bichette single, Guerrero connected on his 27th home run of the season to push the Blue Jays into double digits.
Tampa Bay’s only run came in the eighth, as back-to-back doubles by Mejia and Brandon Lowe spoiled the shutout bid.
Toronto’s final run came in the eighth as Kevin Cash allowed Brett Phillips to pitch for the first time. The outfielder threw a 94 MPH fastball for his first pitch before switching to the eephus for the remainder of the inning, allowing a pair of walks and two hits, including an RBI single by Santiago Espinal.
The loss is Tampa Bay’s ninth consecutive on the road dropping them 4 1/2 games behind the Boston Red Sox in the American League East.
Shane McClanahan (3-2, 4.09 ERA) will look to end the streak Saturday afternoon, when he takes on Ross Stripling(3-4, 4.27 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 3:07.
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.
