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Price fans 14, Jennings homers twice in Rays rout

Aug 29, 2011 - 1:13 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - David Price struck out a career-high 14 batters in seven shutout innings and his teammates hit three early home runs, leading the Rays to a 12-0 victory against the Blue Jays.

Desmond Jennings went 4-for-5, hit two homers -- his first career multi-home run game -- while Sean Rodriguez had a two-run shot for the Rays, who have won the first three of this four-game set.

Price (12-11) made the offensive output count by shutting down the Blue Jays. He gave up three hits, walked two, allowed one runner reach second base and continued his recent stretch of dominance.

"I felt pretty good. Me and (catcher John) Jaso were on the same page the whole game," Price said.

In his last four starts, the left-hander had given up three runs, 18 hits and nine walks in 31 innings.

Jays starter Brandon Morrow (9-9), on the other hand, allowed all three homers and five runs in the first two innings to put his team in a hole. He rebounded to pitch 5 1/3 innings, but took the loss as Toronto dropped its fourth consecutive game.

The game wasn't even a pitch old before the Rays grabbed the lead. Morrow's first pitch was a fastball that stayed up and in on Jennings, who turned on it and sent it over the left field wall.

It was a sign of things to come.

B.J. Upton walked with one away in the next inning, took second on a wild pitch, then stole third before scoring on John Jaso's double to left.

Rodriguez and Jennings followed by hitting back-to-back shots to left. Rodriguez sent an inside fastball into the seats, and Jennings made it 5-0 by hitting another high pitch out.

Ben Zobrist scored on an error in the seventh, but the game didn't become a rout until the ninth.

Facing Toronto reliever Wil Ledezma, Matt Joyce led off with a ground-rule double and scored on Jaso's triple to right. After Rodriguez walked, Jennings singled in a run.

An Evan Longoria sacrifice fly and Zobrist single brought in two more runs, and walks to Casey Kotchman and Upton preceded Joyce's two-RBI double.

Game Notes

Price's previous career high in strikeouts was 12, which he recorded on May 27 and June 28 this season...Jennings also stole a base...The Rays hold a 10-4 edge in the season series...Tampa Bay is a season-high 14 games over .500 (73-59).