Final/10
Blue Jays clip Rays in 10 innings
Sep 5, 2014 - 6:12 AM St. Petersburg, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Colby Rasmus hit a pinch-hit, solo home run in the top of the 10th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 1-0, to sweep a three-game series.After dominant pitching performances by Toronto's Mark Buehrle and Jake Odorizzi of the Rays, the game went to extra innings in a scoreless draw. Right-hander John Mayberry Jr, who was set to make his Blue Jays debut after coming over in a trade from Philadelphia earlier this week, was announced as a pinch-hitter to start the 10th against lefty reliever Jake McGee. When the Rays went to the bullpen and brought in Steven Geltz (0-1), Rasmus replaced Mayberry at the plate.
With the count full, Rasmus crushed a fastball well over the wall in right field to put Toronto in front.
"It was great," Rasmus said. "He threw me a good one there."
Casey Janssen pitched around a one-out walk to secure his 21st save.
Buehrle went eight innings, allowing five hits and a walk while striking out four. His counterpart Odorizzi yielded just three hits with three strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings.
"I just think you're seeing a young man understanding what he has and how to utilize it," Rays manager Joe Maddon said of Odorizzi.
Rasmus' homer helped Toronto complete its first three-game sweep at Tropicana Field in franchise history.
Neither team really threatened until the bottom of the ninth inning, when Ben Zobrist led off with a single to right against Brett Cecil. Zobrist advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third when Wil Myers ripped a single to left.
Cecil (2-3) got Brandon Guyer to chase a breaking ball, striking out the Rays left fielder for the first out in the inning. He then intentionally walked Evan Longoria to load the bases and fanned Logan Forsythe on another breaking ball out of the zone. Sean Rodriguez met the same fate as Guyer and Forsythe, failing to put the ball in play.
Game Notes
The Blue Jays have won five straight games ... Buehrle is unbeaten in five starts against the Rays this season ... Forsythe went 0-for-4, falling to 2- for-31 in his last 13 games.
- TORONTO: 1
TAMPA BAY: 0
Final/10
Sep 4 10:02 PM - Pinch-Hitter Colby Rasmus lead-off Home Run (17) to right. Dioner Navarro due up.
Blue Jays 1, Rays 0 Top 10, 0 OutsSep 4 9:44 PM - Jose Reyes pops out to shallow right field to Logan Forsythe.
Sep 4 7:13 PM - TORONTO: 0
TAMPA BAY: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Sep 4 7:11 PM
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