Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi struck out eight, Teoscar Hernandez and Santiago Espinal hit two-run homers and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 Thursday night.

Hernandez also had a double and single in the opener of a five-game series.

Isaac Paredes hit a home run for Tampa Bay.

Kikuchi (3-4) allowed one run, four hits and one walk in six innings.

Right-hander Matt Wisler pitched a runless first inning as Tampa Bay’s opener. Left-hander Ryan Yarbrough (0-4) took over in the second inning and allowed four runs, eight hits and one walk in 5 1/3 innings.

Alejandro Kirk led off the bottom of the second with an infield single to second and scored when Hernandez hit a drive to left for his eighth homer of the season.

Paredes hit his 11th home run of the season, a drive to left with two out in the fourth.

Yandy Diaz and Wander Franco opened the sixth with singles. Harold Ramirez grounded to third to start a 5-3 double play. Randy Arozarena grounded out to third.

Vidal Brujan singled against Trent Thornton with one out in the seventh, stole second and continued to third on a throwing error charged to catcher Gabriel Moreno. Thornton stopped the threat on a strikeout and a foul out.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. led off the bottom of the seventh with a bloop single to right and Espinal hit a blast to left for his sixth home run of the season. After Moreno walked and George Springer singled, Calvin Faucher replaced Yarbrough.

David Phelps pitched around a walk in the top of the eighth inning.

Adam Cimber pitched a perfect ninth with one strikeout to earn his fourth save of the season.

The Rays put left-hander Brooks Raley and right-hander Ryan Thompson on the restricted list because they did not meet Canadian COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Right-handers Javy Guerra and Phoenix Sanders were added as replacements.

The Rays placed left-hander Jeffrey Springs on the family medical emergency list and recalled Yarbrough from Triple-A Durham.

–Field Level Media