Rays Do The Amazing, Come Back Four Times To Beat The Blue Jays 7-6 In Extras

The Rays (58-52) pushed the Blue Jays (56-55) one more game further back from third place, beating Toronto in a 12 inning late-game slugfest. Wade Davis, for the second straight start, hit trouble early, loading the bases with no outs in the top of the first. The Blue Jays barely took advantage, though, and left the inning with a 2-0 lead. Davis then hit a groove, pitching three consecutive 1-2-3 innings.

In the bottom of third inning, Justin Ruggiano and Desmond Jennings singled, then Evan Longoria belted a towering homer to left field, giving the Rays their first lead, 3-2. The Jose Bautista became displeased with human affairs in the eighth inning and thusly popped his 33rd homer of the season off Davis.

J.P. Howell closed the inning for Davis without any damage, but then, in the top of the 10th, Joel Peralta walked J.P. Arencibia and Yunel Escobar. Peralta picked off Arencibia's pinch hitter, Rajai Davis, but then left in favor of Jake McGee, who allowed a devastating, one-run double to Colby Rasmus.

In the bottom of the tenth, with the Blue Jays now leading 4-3, Desmond Jennings kindly redirected Jon Rauch's fastball to the left field seats, again tying the game at 4-4.

Juan Cruz then joined the game in the top of the 11th, but two singles and a rare Jose Molina triple later, the Rays were losing 6-4. Jon Rauch started the bottom of the 11th, but promptly allowed B.J. Upton to double and Casey Kotchman to single. Matt Joyce grounded out, scoring Upton and bringing the game to 6-5.

Shawn Camp emerged from the Jays 'pen and induced a fly out from the ever-struggling Elliot Johnson. Then, pinch hitting for Kelly Shoppach, Robinson Chirinos singled up the middle and tied the game 6-6.

After Brandon Gomes pitched a quiet 12th inning, B.J. Upton hit a key, one-out triple. Camp intentionally walked contact-maven Casey Kotchman and left-handed Matt Joyce and then struck out Elliot Johnson. Then, with one out remaining, Robinson Chirinos grounded a 2-1 pitch just beyond the reach of Yunel Escobar and a mob of Rays met him at first base.

Rays win, 7-6.

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Rays Vs. Blue Jays: Small Ball, Long Ball Propel Rays To 9-1 Win

After an uninspiring performance on Tuesday night, the Rays entered Wednesday night’s game against the Blue Jays with their backs against the wall. A loss would have slid them into fourth place for the first time since the first month of the season — a realistic scenario considering the Rays have been in a funk the last couple weeks.

But the threat of fourth place seemed enough to kick the Rays into high gear. They rolled through the the Jays last night, scoring eight runs by the third inning and cruising to a 9-1 win.

The way the Rays scored their nine runs was a bit out of the box. While Ben Zobrist, Casey Kotchman, and Robinson Chirinos all went deep off Blue Jays starter Carlos Villanueva, the Rays scored three runs off Villanueva through bunting. In the second inning, the Rays got runners on first and third with one out, and then proceeded to bunt three times in a row. Both Desmond Jennings and Robinson Chirinos bunted for base hits, driving in a run each, and Sean Rodriguez bunted and reached on a throwing error.

While Rays’ starter James Shields labored through the first few innings of the game, he settled down and ended up lasting 7.1 innings. Even though he didn’t have his best stuff and couldn’t fool the Blue Jays too often, Shields only allowed three hits, three walks, and one run (off a homerun). He struck out six batters.

Game Notes:

- Robinson Chirinos’ homerun in the third inning was his first career major league homerun. Chirinos reached base everytime he came to the plate last night, going 2-2 with two walks and four RBIs.

- Matt Joyce had a rough day on Tuesday, but he bounced back last night and went 3-4 with a double.

Missed Opportunities Cost The Rays; Blue Jays Win 3-1

The Rays (56-52) loaded the bases in the bottom of the second inning with no outs, but came away with nothing. Toronto Blue Jays stud Rickey Romero struck out Matt Joyce and Kelly Shoppach and then induced a jam-ending ground ball from Sean Rodriguez.

Romero (W, 9-9) had a combined 6 innings where he faced the minimum three batters. Altogether, Romero finished 8 innings, striking out 7, walking 4, and hitting Casey Kotchman in the second. The only blemish on Romero's tab came in the sixth inning when Desmond Jennings belted his second homer of the year into the right field bleachers.

The Blue Jays struck first against David Price (L, 9-10) when Jose Bautista ended his two week home run drought, popping a solo shot to left center. The Blue Jays then pushed their advantage to 2-0 when Yunel Escobar homered in the sixth. Jennings narrowed the gap to 2-1 in the bottom half, but the Blue Jays added yet another run after Edwin Encarnacion walked and then Rajai Davis doubled him home.

In the end, Price went 6 and 2/3 innings in a decent-but-not-brilliant outing. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays took to stealing bases as Rajai Davis and Chris Snider combined for three steals. Kelly Shoppach was able to catch Davis at third once -- and frankly, he caught him at second once also, but umpire Cory Blaser called Davis safe -- but altogether it was yet another poor showing for a Rays catcher.

The Rays begin game two of the long home stand tomorrow at 7:10 pm E.T.

Toronto Blue Jays At Tampa Bay Rays: Price Starts The Home Stand