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Loney returns to help Rays down Blue Jays

Apr 25, 2015 - 6:16 AM St. Petersburg, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - James Loney, Rene Rivera and Tim Beckham clubbed two-run homers, and the Tampa Bay Rays pounded the Toronto Blue Jays, 12-3, in the opener of a three-game series at Tropicana Field.

Loney, activated from the 15-day disabled list Friday, hit his first home run of the year, a shot to right in the fourth inning. Rivera went deep later in the frame and the Rays poured it on by scoring five times in the fifth for their third consecutive win.

Drew Smyly, who hadn't pitched this season due to tendinitis in his pitching shoulder, gave up four hits and a pair of runs over 4 2/3 innings. Smyly, the first lefty starter used by the Rays in 2015, had five strikeouts and was removed after making 79 pitches.

"It felt great to be out there," Smyly said. "My pitches were pretty good. It was a great first game."

Jose Dominguez (1-1) tossed the following 1 1/3 frames for his first career win.

R.A. Dickey (0-2) was shelled for nine hits and eight runs -- seven earned -- over 4 2/3 frames. The knuckleball specialist has lost both of his decisions this year to the Rays.

Devon Travis and Justin Smoak went deep for Toronto, which was coming off a three-game sweep of the Orioles.

The Blue Jays, who started a 10-game road trip, were without slugger Jose Bautista for a third straight game because of a sore right shoulder. The Blue Jays, though, may have Bautista back in the lineup at designated hitter this weekend with a return to right field next week.

Travis homered tight to the line in left with one out in the fifth, and three straight singles by Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion and Danny Valencia produced a 2-0 edge.

Loney, who was sidelined by a mild right oblique strain, lined a homer to right with Evan Longoria aboard in the bottom portion of the fourth. Rivera went deep to center, two batters after Logan Forsythe legged out an infield hit for a 4-2 Rays lead.

Tampa Bay blew it open in the fifth when a big error in the outfield contributed to Toronto's downfall. Asdrubal Cabrera's triple to left-center plated Brandon Guyer. Longoria then lifted a sacrifice fly. Loney and Desmond Jennings were aboard with hits, and then another run came home when Forsythe beat out a potential double-play ball.

Jeff Francis replaced Dickey and the Blue Jays should have been out of the inning when Kevin Kiermaier sent a fly ball to left-center. Left fielder Steve Tolleson and center fielder Dalton Pompey had a small collision. The ball caromed off Tolleson's glove and rolled toward the wall, which allowed Kiermaier to race around the bases for a 9-2 cushion.

Kiermaier had an RBI single in the seventh when Beckham homered to left- center.

Smoak homered in the ninth off Matt Andriese, who threw the final three innings for his first career save.

Game Notes

The Rays opened roster spots for Smyly and Loney by optioning outfielder Mikie Mahtook and first baseman Allan Dykstra to Triple-A Durham ... The Rays are 4-1 against Toronto this year ... Entering the game, Smyly hadn't allowed a run in 11 2/3 career innings versus the Blue Jays.