Toronto Blue Jays vs Tampa Bay Rays Box Score on May 06, 2017

The Sports Xchange
May 6, 2017

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays got seven solid innings from Jake Odorizzi and a homer and three RBIs each from Logan Morrison and Colby Rasmus on the way to a 6-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday at Tropicana Field.

The Rays (16-16) bounced back from an 8-4 loss in Friday's series opener, with Odorizzi (2-1) leading the way by holding the Blue Jays to one run on three hits.

Marco Estrada (1-2) allowed six hits for Toronto (10-20) and two of them were two-run home runs as the Blue Jays lost for the third time in four games.

The Rays got plenty of production from Morrison -- a two-run home run (his seventh) in the third inning after Evan Longoria had singled and an RBI double in the sixth after Longoria had doubled. Rasmus, who missed the first month of the season with a groin injury, followed with his first hit with Tampa Bay, ripping a two-run home run to right field for a 5-1 lead.

Toronto took a 1-0 lead in the first on a home run by Ezequiel Carrera -- it was officially ruled an inside-the-park home run, though replays showed it bouncing back into play and neither Rays outfielder chased after the loose ball.

From there, Odorizzi was in control, allowing only two other hits -- a single by Kendrys Morales in the fourth and a double by Morales in the seventh -- in his seven innings. Odorizzi got a pair of strikeouts in the seventh to strand Morales in scoring position.

Toronto continues to struggle without contributions from some of its top bats -- Jose Bautista went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, dropping his season average to .182. Four of the Rays' six hits came from Longoria and Morrison. Those two walked to lead off the eighth, and Longoria scored on an RBI fielder's choice from Rasmus.

The two teams close out the series Sunday, with RHP Alex Cobb (2-2, 3.86 ERA) on the mound for the Rays against Toronto RHP Joe Biagini (0-1, 3.38 ERA).

NOTES: Toronto on Friday activated RHP Neil Ramirez after claiming him off waivers from the San Francisco Giants. Ramirez has a high strikeout rate this season -- 18 against four walks in 10 1/3 innings -- but also had an 8.71 ERA. ... The Rays reinstated RHP Erasmo Ramirez from the paternity list -- he pitched a scoreless eighth inning, thanks to a Logan Morrison unassisted double play -- and to make room, designated LHP Justin Marks for assignment. Marks, called up Friday, allowed one run in 1 1/3 innings Friday night in his only appearance with the Rays.