Final
Bartlett and Zobrist lead Rays past Toronto 9-3
Apr 25, 2010 - 2:15 AM ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.(AP) -- The Tampa Bay Rays have turned their steady focus into an early lead in the AL East.Jason Bartlett and Ben Zobrist drove in two runs apiece during a seven-run eighth inning, John Jaso hit his first major league homer and the Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 9-3 on Saturday night.
"We have one gear right now and I love it ... full out," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said.
B.J. Upton tied it at 3 on an RBI single in the eighth off Scott Downs (0-2). Pinch-hitter Reid Brignac drew a bases-loaded walk from Casey Janssen, who also hit Jaso with a pitch as the Rays took a 5-3 lead. Bartlett and Zobrist added two-run singles to make it 9-3.
"That's going to happen once in a while," Toronto manager Cito Gaston said. "We just have to bounce back (Sunday) and hope that we get into the eighth with a lead again and see what happens."
Tampa Bay (13-5) is off to the best start in franchise history. The Rays, who have a half-game lead over the New York Yankees, have come from behind to win seven times.
Jaso, a late insertion into the lineup, gave the Rays a 2-1 lead in the fifth with a two-run shot against Ricky Romero. He got the start after catcher Dioner Navarro was scratched due to soreness in his lower right leg.
"It was the first one. Hopefully there's some more to follow," Jaso said.
Adam Lind and Lyle Overbay homered for the Blue Jays, who had their six-game road winning streak snapped. Toronto hasn't won seven in a row away from home since August 1996.
Dan Wheeler (1-0) struck out Alex Gonzalez with two on and two outs in the eighth.
The Blue Jays went up 3-2 on Lind's two-run homer in the sixth off Jeff Niemann. Overbay, who entered hitting .127, put Toronto ahead 1-0 in the fifth with his first homer this season.
Niemann gave up three runs, five hits and one walk while striking out eight in 6 2-3 innings. The right-hander retired his first eight batters before Travis Snider reached on an infield single.
Romero went seven innings, allowing two runs and six hits. The left-hander woke up Saturday with a sore throat and felt dizzy at times during the game due to a cold.
"At that point, you just pitch with your heart and leave it all out there," Romero said.
Toronto loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, but failed to score when Randy Choate struck out Fred Lewis. Tampa Bay put a runner on third with none out in the seventh, but Romero worked out of the jam.
"Each person has his job, and basically that's mine, to get those tough left-handers out," Choate said. "We have a lot of good hitters. We're pretty hot right now, hitting the ball and scoring runs. If we hold them down long enough, eventually I think we can win most of the games."
Jaso was recalled from Triple-A Durham on April 13 to be the backup catcher when Kelly Shoppach went on the disabled list with a right knee injury.
The announced crowd for the contest, which included a postgame concert by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Fogerty, was 23,870.
NOTES: Rays DH Pat Burrell was out of the lineup because of a stiff upper back. Maddon said Burrell should play on Sunday. ... Overbay stole second in the seventh for his 13th career stolen base. He has played in 1,002 major league games. ... Cuban SS prospect Adeiny Hechavarria was hitless in three at-bats as the DH in his first game with Toronto's extended spring training team. The 21-year-old agreed to a $10 million, four-year contract with the Blue Jays this month.
- Rays 9, Blue Jays 3 - FINAL
TORONTO ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
F Lewis lf 4 0 0 0 0 2 4 .208
A Hill 2b 4 1 1 0 0 1 0 .188
A Lind dh 4 1 2 2 0 1 0 .290
V Wells cf 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 .324
L Overbay 1b 3 1 2 1 1 0 0 .152
A Gonzalez ss 4 0 0 0 0 2 3 .276
J Bautis
Apr 24 9:08 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY BEN ZOBRIST SCORED JASON BARTLETT AND JOHN JASO
SITUATION: 7 RUNS IN, B ZOBRIST ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TORONTO 3
TAMPA BAY 9 BOTTOM,8TH
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: E LONGORIA (.318, 2-FOR-2, 2 BB)
Blue Jays 3, Rays 9 Bot 8, 0 OutsApr 24 8:58 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - PITCHING CHANGE
TOR: JEREMY ACCARDO (0-1, 9.00) IN THE 8TH
SITUATION: 5 RUNS IN, J BARTLETT ON SECOND, J JASO ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TORONTO 3, TAMPA BAY 7
DUE UP FOR TAMPABAY: B ZOBRIST (.261, 1-FOR-3)
Blue Jays 3, Rays 7 Bot 8, 0 OutsApr 24 8:53 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY JASON BARTLETT SCORED WILLY AYBAR
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, J BARTLETT ON FIRST, J JASO ON SECOND, R
BRIGNAC ON THIRD, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TORONTO 3
TAMPA BAY 6 BOTTOM,8TH
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: C CRAWFORD (.324, 1-FOR-4)
Blue Jays 3, Rays 6 Bot 8, 0 OutsApr 24 8:50 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
HIT BY PITCH BY JOHN JASO SCORED B.J. UPTON
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, J JASO ON FIRST, R BRIGNAC ON SECOND, W
AYBAR ON THIRD, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TORONTO 3
TAMPA BAY 5 BOTTOM,8TH
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: J BARTLETT (.240, 1-FOR-4)
Blue Jays 3, Rays 5 Bot 8, 0 OutsApr 24 8:49 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
BASES LOADED WALK TO REID BRIGNAC SCORED CARLOS PENA
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, R BRIGNAC ON FIRST, W AYBAR ON SECOND, B
UPTON ON THIRD, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TORONTO 3
TAMPA BAY 4 BOTTOM,8TH
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: J JASO (.364, 1-FOR-2, BB, HR, 2 RBI)
Blue Jays 3, Rays 4 Bot 8, 0 OutsApr 24 8:45 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY B.J. UPTON SCORED EVAN LONGORIA
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B UPTON ON FIRST, C PENA ON SECOND, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TORONTO 3
TAMPA BAY 3 BOTTOM,8TH
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: W AYBAR (.182, 0-FOR-3)
Blue Jays 3, Rays 3 Bot 8, 0 OutsApr 24 8:38 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY ADAM LIND (4) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 2 OUT
IN THE 6TH OFF JEFF NIEMANN SCORED AARON HILL.
CURRENT SCORE: TORONTO 3, TAMPA BAY 2
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: V WELLS (.333, 0-FOR-2)
Blue Jays 3, Rays 2 Top 6, 0 OutsApr 24 7:37 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY JOHN JASO (1) TO RIGHT WITH 0 OUT IN THE
5TH OFF RICKY ROMERO SCORED GABE KAPLER.
CURRENT SCORE: TORONTO 1, TAMPA BAY 2
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: J BARTLETT (.233, 0-FOR-2)
Blue Jays 1, Rays 2 Bot 5, 0 OutsApr 24 7:19 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY LYLE OVERBAY (1) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH 0 OUT
IN THE 5TH OFF JEFF NIEMANN.
CURRENT SCORE: TORONTO 1, TAMPA BAY 0
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: A GONZALEZ (.288, 0-FOR-1)
Blue Jays 1, Rays 0 Top 5, 0 OutsApr 24 7:11 PM
Related News
- Merry Christmas Dec 25
- Happy Birthday Rickey Henderson Dec 25
- Hall of Fame Poll: David Wright Dec 24
- Hall of Fame Poll: Billy Wagner Dec 23
- Off Topic: What is the worst Christmas song? Dec 23
- Today in Blue Jays History: Brandon Morrow Trade Dec 22
- Off-Topic: Favourite Christmas Song Dec 21
- Happy Birthday Tom Henke Dec 21
- Today in Blue Jays History: Olerud traded for Person Dec 20
- On Losing Tyler Glasnow Dec 20
- Tuesday Bantering: Jays Bits Dec 19
- What can we learn from Tyler Glasnow’s contract extension with the Dodgers? Dec 19