Francisco Mejia hit a two-run homer and a solo shot, Isaac Paredes hit a three-run blast and the visiting Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 11-5 Saturday night to sweep a doubleheader.
Paredes had four RBIs for the Rays, who gained a split after four games of a five-game series. The Rays won the first game of the twin bill 6-2 Saturday afternoon.
Bradley Zimmer had a two-run homer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a solo shot for Toronto.
Toronto right-hander Thomas Hatch (0-1), called up from Triple-A Buffalo to make his first appearance in the majors this season, allowed 10 runs, 12 hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.
Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen, making his first start since June 10 because of a strained hamstring, allowed two runs (one earned), five hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision.
Yandy Diaz opened the first with a double, Wander Franco walked and Harold Ramirez was hit by a pitch. A run scored when Ji-Man Choi grounded into a double play to give Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead.
Paredes singled and Mejia homered with one out in the second, making it 3-0.
Alejandro Kirk and Teoscar Hernandez opened the bottom of the second with singles. Raimel Tapia bunted the runners to second and third and Matt Chapman hit a sacrifice fly.
Franco and Ramirez started the third with singles and Choi walked to load the bases for the Rays. A run scored when Randy Arozarena grounded into a double play. Paredes stroked an RBI double and Taylor Walls hit an RBI single to make it 6-1.
Ramirez and Arozarena singled and Paredes hit his 13th homer of the season in the fifth. Mejia followed one out later with his fifth homer of the season, making it 10-1.
Tapia led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk, took third on Santiago Espinal’s ground-rule double and scored on a passed ball that walked Cavan Biggio.
Diaz walked to start the sixth and scored on Ramirez’s double against Matt Gage.
Guerrero hit his 19th homer this season to begin the bottom of the sixth against Dusten Knight.
Espinal doubled and Zimmer hit his second homer of the season in the seventh.
Ralph Garza Jr. (2-2) worked around a walk and a single in the bottom of the eighth and overcame a ninth-inning single, going the final two innings to earn the win.
–Field Level Media
