*Photo from the Toronto Sun*
This game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays are teams in different directions. The Blue Jays seem to be catching fire as of late, winning games any way possible. The Rays are on a massive downswing and are losing games any way possible. George Springer homered, Santiago Espinal hit his first major league homer, and the Blue Jays defeated the Rays 6-3 on Saturday afternoon.
Blue Jays starter Ross Stripling said "The talent up and down our lineup is awesome. And then on the mound we’re doing our thing and keeping us in games. Through the halfway mark, I feel like we’ve got to be really confident with where we’re at. Going for the sweep against a really good team tomorrow in the Rays, if we can get that, it would be awesome. This has been a big series for us. I think we should be as confident as anybody out there."
Springer got the Blue Jays going in the second inning, with a solo homer giving Toronto a 1-0 lead early on. In the 6th, Vladimir Guerrero Jr scored on a fielders choice and error, Cavan Biggio cranked a two run single into left field, and Espinal hit his first big league homer to left field, giving Toronto a 6-1 lead after 6 innings of play.
Espinal said "It was amazing to see my teammates jumping and screaming. It was amazing. The coaches, too. As soon as I came into the dugout, it was just a special moment. I couldn’t hear anything because it was so loud. But thank God for that special moment, and thank God for the W."
The Rays got their run scoring started in the 4th inning, when Manuel Margot hit a solo homer to center field, which tied the game 1-1. They did not score again until the 9th inning, when Kevin Kiermaier singled into center field, scoring Yandy Diaz and Randy Arozarena to make it a 6-3 game.
It was Adam Cimber who got the win for the Blue Jays throwing 1 inning of shutout relief. Stripling got it started with 5 2/3 innings of work, allowing one run on two hits and 3 walks, striking out 5 hitters. Tim Mayza then came on and threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and Jordan Romano closed it out in the 9th, despite allowing two runs.
For the Rays, it was starter Shane McClanahan who got hit with the loss. McClanahan allowed 3 runs on 3 hits and two walks, recording 5 strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings pitched. Matt Wisler finished off the 6th for McClanahan, getting tagged for the other 3 runs in 2/3 innings pitched. After that, Pete Fairbanks and JP Feyereisen each threw shutout innings of relief.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said "At the end of the day, when good teams start to go sideways a little bit, I think that's a lot of what happens. Everything gets magnified. A couple breaks that were going your way a lot are no longer there for you. There's no finger pointing. It's all five being pointed at all of us right now. We're just not getting it done. But we will."
The Rays and Blue Jays wrap up their series this afternoon, with Ryan Yarbrough getting the start for the Rays, and Robbie Ray getting the ball for Toronto.
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