Bo Bichette went 5-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI and the Toronto Blue Jays ended the visiting Tampa Bay Rays’ 13-game winning streak with a 6-3 victory on Friday night.
The Rays had joined the 1982 Atlanta Braves and the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers as the only teams since 1900 to win their first 13 games of the season. The only major league team that had a longer season-opening winning streak was the 1884 St. Louis Maroons, who began 20-0.
George Springer hit a solo homer for Toronto. Josh Lowe and Christian Bethancourt hit solo shots for the Rays.
Toronto right-hander Jose Berrios (1-2) allowed one run on four hits and no walks in five innings. He struck out six before he was removed due to a left knee contusion that occurred on a comebacker that ended the fifth inning.
Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen (2-1) allowed five runs, eight hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings. He fanned four.
Springer led off the bottom of the first with his third homer of the season. The Blue Jays then loaded the bases with one out, but the threat ended with a double-play grounder.
Toronto added a run in the second when former Ray Kevin Kiermaier singled with two outs, Springer walked and Bichette doubled, his 500th career hit.
Tampa Bay’s Brandon Lowe led off the fourth with a single, stole second, took third on a groundout and scored on Luke Raley’s single.
Toronto loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth on singles by Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a walk by Daulton Varsho.
Chapman struck out before Rasmussen was replaced by Colin Poche, who walked pinch hitter Alejandro Kirk to force in a run. Santiago Espinal subsequently walked to give the Blue Jays a 4-1 lead.
Two more runs scored when second baseman Lowe dropped shortstop Wander Franco’s throw for an error on Danny Jansen’s grounder.
Trevor Richards replaced Berrios and allowed two hits in two-thirds of an inning before Zach Pop got the last out of the sixth.
Blue Jays reliever Yimi Garcia allowed one-out home runs to Josh Lowe (No. 3) and Bethancourt (No. 2) in the seventh.
Toronto’s Erik Swanson pitched around a leadoff walk in the eighth, and Jordan Romano tossed a perfect ninth for his fifth save of the season.
The Rays recalled right-hander Yonny Chirinos, who pitched 3 2/3 scoreless relief innings on Friday, and optioned right-hander Braden Bristo to Triple-A Durham.
–Field Level Media
