The Toronto Blue Jays (85-67) defeated the Tampa Bay Rays (84-68) 3-1 on Saturday night at Tropicana Field. The win gives the Blue Jays a one game lead in the AL Wild Card race over the Tampa Bay Rays, with the series finale coming up on Sunday.
This game was a pitching duel for much of the game, with Blue Jays righthander Alek Manoah (15-7, 2.31) pitching seven shutout innings to lead the Blue Jays. Drew Rasmussen (10-7, 2.85) matched him step for step for the Rays, pitching six innings of shutout baseball. Moments after he was pulled in the seventh, Whit Merrifield hit a three-run home run off Brooks Raley that would prove to be the difference.
Harold Ramirez gave the Rays their only run with a RBI single in the eighth inning. That would be as close as the Rays would get, because Jordan Romano got the final four outs of the game for his 35th save of the season.
The Rays will once again be looking to win the series against the Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled 1:10 PM at Tropicana Field - Neil Solondz begins pregame coverage with This Week In Rays Baseball at 11:30 AM on AM-620 WDAE.
PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES