The Tampa Bay Rays have been fighting for their playoff lives for weeks now, and they helped their cause by sweeping the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, winning 3-0. Jeremy Hellickson earned the win, pitching 5⅔ scoreless innings and striking out six, and Fernando Rodney locked down his 44th save of the year. Chad Jenkins took the loss for the Jays.
B.J. Upton put the Rays on the board in the first inning with his 26th home run of the year. Evan Longoria added the final two runs in the eighth inning when he doubled home Desmond Jennings and Ben Zobrist. That was it for the offense though, as both teams' pitching staffs were able to scatter seven hits over nine innings.
Despite winnings five straight games, Tampa is still 3 1/2 games behind the Athletics for the final wildcard berth. The team will have Monday off before playing two games in Boston against the Red Sox on Tuesday and Wednesday.
For more on the Rays, head over to DRays Bay. For more info on the Blue Jays, check outBluebird Banter. For more information all the wildcard races, read up over at Baseball Nation.
