Rays downed by Michael Saunders' power surge in loss to Blue Jays

By foxsports
Published

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Drew Smyly gave up only two hits to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night, but both left the ballpark in a frustrating 6-1 loss for the Tampa Bay Rays.

"I thought I made a lot of good pitches, you know," Smyly said. "A couple pitches went for home runs. (We) couldn't score."

Michael Saunders hit two of Toronto's four home runs and Aaron Sanchez pitched seven shutout innings for the Blue Jays, who broke a three-game losing streak.

The Rays had nine hits, but only one in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position. They did not score until Brad Miller's eighth-inning home run off Drew Storen.

Manager Kevin Cash was ejected by home plate umpire Mark Ripperger in the fifth inning for arguing balls and strikes. It was the first ejection of the year for Cash and the fourth of his career.

"I just didn't agree with the strike zone too much," Cash said. "That's going to happen. Those guys out there are busting to try and get it right. We want it right. Sometimes we're not always going to agree."

Saunders, the Blue Jays' left-handed hitting left fielder, is hitting .368 (14 for 38) in nine games since moving into the leadoff spot. It was the first time he hit two home runs in a game against left-handers.

"Baseball is all about repetition and the more consistent at-bats you get, the easier it is to hit," Saunders said. "You see (Chris) Sale, one of the best, and (Jose) Quintana did a great job the other night, and then you see Smyly ... I guess maybe you can start feeling a little more comfortable."

Saunders homered off Smyly (1-3) in the third inning and added his fourth of the season off Dana Eveland in the eighth.

Sanchez (2-1) gave up six hits and two walks while striking out six to help the Blue Jays win after losing three straight to the Chicago White Sox.

Josh Donaldson hit his eighth homer off the catwalk at Tropicana Field in the sixth, giving the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead. Ryan Goins drove in the final run with his first homer in the ninth off Jhan Marinez, who was making his major league debut for the Rays.

The first two home runs were the only hits given up by Smyly, who struck out eight in six innings. He tied a franchise record with 41 strikeouts in April.

FAN FRIENDLY

The Blue Jays were striking out 9.4 times per game going into the weekend, enough for Donaldson to declare in a television interview that "some people need to evaluate their approach" to hitting. "There's no doubt we're striking out way too much," manager John Gibbons said.

BAD NUMBERS

The Blue Jays struck out eight times Friday night, bringing their season total to 225 in 24 games. ... Troy Tulowitzki is hitless in his last 18 at-bats against left-handers. ... Logan Morrison went 0 for 4 for the Rays, dropping his batting average to .100 (6 for 60). ... The Rays are 2 for 26 (.077) with runners in scoring position on their current homestand.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Blue Jays: C Russell Martin got a sore neck in the cold weather up north. "Doesn't feel great, but it's playable," Gibbons said ... RHP Bo Schultz (offseason hip surgery) threw a shutout inning in his first rehab start for Class A Dunedin.

UP NEXT

LHP J.A. Happ (3-0) will oppose Rays RHP Chris Archer (1-4), who lost to the Blue Jays on opening day despite striking out 12. It will be Archer's 17th start against Toronto. "The common denominator in every start is if I fill up the strike zone, I'm pretty successful," he said.