Junior Caminero hit a grand slam in a five-run ninth inning and the visiting Tampa Bay Rays held on to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 11-9 on Tuesday night.
Daulton Varsho’s second homer of the game, a three-run blast against Edwin Uceta (3-1), with two outs in the eighth had thrust Toronto into a 7-6 lead. Varsho also hit a solo homer in the fourth.
Caminero’s first career grand slam came against Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman (3-2), who also allowed a walk and three singles, including Chandler Simpson’s game-tying hit.
Jonathan Aranda hit a two-run homer for the Rays, and former Blue Jay Danny Jansen added a solo shot in the opener of a three-game series.
Tampa Bay’s Pete Fairbanks allowed RBI doubles to Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the home ninth, then issued a two-out walk. Mason Montgomery came on and retired Varsho on a flyout to left to earn his first save.
Toronto had a four-game winning streak halted despite a two-run homer by Bichette and a solo shot by Ernie Clement.
Toronto right-hander Jose Berrios hit Jansen with a pitch to open the third. Simpson doubled into the right-field corner and both scored when Brandon Lowe lined a single to right. Aranda then hammered a 1-2 changeup into the bleachers in right center.
Tyler Heineman bounced a one-out double past third base in the third inning for Toronto’s first hit, then Bichette hit a 1-2 slider for a homer that bounced off the railing just above and behind the left-field wall.
Varsho launched a fastball over the right-field wall in the home fourth.
Rays starter Shane Baz allowed three runs on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.
Mason Fluharty replaced Berrios with one out in the sixth after a single and a walk. Kameron Misner scored from second when first baseman Guerrero dropped the ball during a rundown after Taylor Walls was picked off first. Berrios allowed five runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.
The Rays will be without Yandy Diaz for this series because of a passport issue.
–Field Level Media
