Blue Jays 3 - 2 Rays
Final
  for this game

Lind helps Blue Jays slip by Rays

May 5, 2011 - 2:31 AM

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St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Adam Lind went 4-for-4 with a two-run homer, leading the Toronto Blue Jays to a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

David Cooper also drove in a run for the Blue Jays, who snapped a three-game slide. They scored just eight runs during that losing streak, which included a 3-2 loss Tuesday in the opener of this three-game series.

While Toronto plated only three runs Wednesday, it got the win because of a strong start by Brandon Morrow (1-1). The right-hander gave up five hits and walked four in 6 1/3 innings, but limited the Rays to one run and struck out seven.

Frank Francisco allowed a run in the ninth before getting the final out and recording his first save of 2011.

Tampa Bay starter Jeff Niemann (1-4) was pulled after four innings because of back tightness. He gave up three runs on six hits and took the loss.

Matt Joyce hit a sacrifice fly for the Rays, who have dropped three of five.

Lind gave the Blue Jays the lead after Rajai Davis began the game with a single. Davis stole second, and after Niemann retired the next two batters, Lind timed a pitch that lingered in the zone and crushed it over the right field fence.

Edwin Encarnacion opened the fourth with a base hit and scored on Cooper's double to right, making it a 3-0 contest.

The Rays got on the board after Ben Zobrist doubled to begin the sixth. He advanced to third on a sac fly before eventually scoring on Joyce's fly out to center.

Jason Frasor entered for Morrow with two on in the seventh, and got Sam Fuld to ground into an inning-ending double play to maintain Toronto's lead. Marc Rzepczynski pitched a scoreless eighth for the Jays, but Francisco got in some trouble by walking two batters in the ninth.

Fuld smacked a two-out single through the right side to plate Casey Kotchman, bringing the Rays within a run and leaving runners on the corners. However, Zobrist grounded out to first to end the game.

Game Notes

Lind recorded his first four-hit game of season, and first since June 4, 2009, when he went 5-for-5 against the Angels...Rays center fielder B.J. Upton was ejected in the ninth after heatedly arguing a called third strike...Johnny Damon had two hits for Tampa Bay.






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