(Toronto) Christian Bethancourt’s three-run home run helped the Tampa Bay Rays defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-1 on Sunday.
Josh Lowe drove three runs on a single and a double for the Rays (14-2), who already hold a four-game lead over the Blue Jays at the top of the American East Division. Vidal Brujan added a run on a ninth-inning single.
Shane McClanahan (4-0) got off to a quality start, allowing just one run in six innings of work for the Rays.
Colin Poche, Garrett Cleavinger and Jason Adam combined their efforts to eliminate the Blue Jays (10-6) in the game’s final innings.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in the Torontonians’ only race in a single inning. The Blue Jays failed to complete the sweep in this three-game series.
Alek Manoah (1-1) struggled through four innings and two pitches on the mound, allowing seven runs, nine hits and four walks.
Zach Pop, Tim Mayza, Trevor Richards and Anthony Bass came in relief and only Bass allowed a point.
Manoah lost control of his shots on the first pitch of the afternoon, hitting the Rays’ first batter, Yandy Diaz. He then walked Brandon Lowe, a single to Harold Ramirez and a walk to Wander Franco to allow the visitors to open the scoring.
The Blue Jays starter rallied with two straight outs, but Josh Lowe hit two run singles to extend the lead to 3–0.
Guerrero responded for the Blue Jays late in the first round, hitting a fielder at right center to drive home George Springer.
Manoah didn’t allow a run over the next three innings, but the right-hander passed Taylor Walls, who crossed the plate after a Josh Lowe double.
Bethancourt followed with his third home run of the season, making it 7-1 for the Rays. Manoah fought off another batter before giving way to Pop.
The Blue Jays’ relief did not allow a run until the ninth inning, when Brujan hit a single to left that gave Walls plenty of time to hit home plate.
