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Smyly shines as Rays blank Blue Jays

Aug 23, 2014 - 5:47 AM Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Evan Longoria homered and drove in three runs to back nine stellar innings from Drew Smyly and the Tampa Bay Rays blanked the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, 8-0, in the opener of a three-game series.

Smyly (8-10), who was acquired from Detroit as part of the trade that sent former Cy Young winner David Price to the Tigers, dazzled in his fourth start with his new club. The southpaw allowed just two hits and struck out four to earn his first career complete game.

"It feels great. After the sixth or seventh, I knew my pitch count was low," said Smyly. "I was just trying to throw strikes and let them get themselves out."

Wil Myers also homered and scored twice for the visitors, who have won their last two games following a four-game slide.

Marcus Stroman (7-5) went five-plus innings for the slumping Jays and was charged with six runs -- five earned -- on 10 hits.

"Overall, we played a lousy game," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "Smyly took it to us pretty good and kept us off balance all night."

Toronto fell to 5-13 in August.

Longoria's solo homer in the top of the second inning would be the only run support Smyly needed, but the Rays poured it on nonetheless.

Kevin Kiermaier doubled in a run with two outs in the fourth inning, and Matt Joyce doubled and scored on an error in the fifth.

Stroman looked to settle things down when he went back to the hill for the sixth, but three straight singles by Curt Casali, Kiermaier and Desmond Jennings chased him from the contest. Jennings' base knock to center plated the fourth run of the game.

Aaron Loup replaced Stroman and had similar luck, as Ben Zobrist greeted him with an RBI single to shallow right field. Two batters later, Longoria made it 7-0 with his double to left.

Myers hit his solo home run with one out in the top of the eighth to cap the scoring.

Smyly retired the last 19 batters he faced.

Game Notes

Tampa Bay outhit Toronto, 14-2 ... Kiermaier and Longoria had three hits apiece ... Smyly improved to 2-1 with the Rays ... Jose Reyes and Steve Tolleson each had a hit for the Jays.