The Toronto Blue Jays’ bats failed to come through yet again as they fell in a one-run game to drop their series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Yariel Rodriguez (1-6, 4.29) took the ball for the Blue Jays as Taj Bradley (6-11, 4.39) did for the Rays.
Rodriguez threw 4 innings, allowing three runs over four hits, walking three and striking out three as he took his seventh loss of the year. Bradley allowed one run on six hits in 5 innings of work, walking two and striking out four to win his seventh decision of the year.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also set a new milestone with Saturday’s game, as he set a new season-high for hits with 191. He will look to become the sixth Blue Jay in franchise history to reach 200 hits in the regular season.
The Rays got on the board first, scoring in the bottom of the 2nd thanks to an RBI single from Ben Rortvedt.
An inning later in the 3rd, Jonathan Aranda continued his tear against the Blue Jays as he hit a two-run homer to extend the Tampa lead to 3-0.
The Blue Jays got on the scoresheet in the top of the 5th. Spencer Horwitz legged out an RBI infield single to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Later, in the 7th inning, Alejandro Kirk drove in a run with his first career triple to cut the Tampa Bay lead to 3-2.
The score would remain 3-2 as the Blue Jays dropped their final road series of the year to the Rays.
The Blue Jays have not announced a starter for the series finale in Tampa but the Toronto starters have been pushed back a day. A bullpen day will be in full effect for the Blue Jays while Shane Baz (3-3, 3.21) will get the start for the Rays on Sunday afternoon.
