(Toronto) Christian Bethancourt’s three-run homer helped the Tampa Bay Rays thrash the Toronto Blue Jays 8-1 on Sunday.
Josh Lowe drove in three runs on a single and a double for the Rays (14-2), who already hold a four-game lead over the Blue Jays atop 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 shut out the Blue Jays (10-6) in the final innings of the match.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in the Torontonians’ lone run on a first-inning single. The Blue Jays failed to complete the sweep in this three-game series.
Alek Manoah (1-1) struggled for four innings and two shots 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 lacked control in his shots on the first pitch of the afternoon, hitting 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 recovered with two straight strikeouts, but Josh Lowe hit a two-run single to extend the lead to 3-0.
Guerrero replied for the Blue Jays late in the first round, hitting a fielder to right-center field to drive George Springer home.
Manoah didn’t allow a run for the next three innings, but the right-hander walked Taylor Walls, who then crossed the plate after a Josh Lowe double.
Bethancourt followed with his third homer of the season, making it 7-1 for the Rays. Manoah battled another batter before giving way to Pop.
The Blue Jays relief didn’t allow a run until the ninth inning, when Brujan hit a single to the left that gave Walls plenty of time to hit home plate.