Tampa Bay Rays vs Toronto Blue Jays Box Score on Aug 16, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Aug 16, 2017

TORONTO -- Steve Pearce homered, and Marcus Stroman pitched into the seventh inning Wednesday night as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2.

Stroman (11-6) allowed six hits, three walks and two runs in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out seven.

Toronto lost shortstop Ryan Goins to injury in the sixth inning.

The Blue Jays (58-62) have won two of the first three games of the four-game series. The Rays (60-62) will try for the split Thursday afternoon.

Roberto Osuna pitched around a leadoff single in the ninth for his 31st save of the season.

Rays starter Jake Faria (5-4) allowed six hits, two walks and three runs in 5 1/3 innings. He hit a batter and struck out three.

Pearce, who homered in the fourth, led off the bottom of the sixth with a double that deflected off the glove of left fielder Corey Dickerson. He moved to third on Kevin Pillar's groundout to shortstop, and Dan Jennings replaced Faria.

Goins grounded an RBI single up the middle to give Toronto 3-1 lead.

One batter later, Goins was out trying to advance to second on a ball in the dirt, and he left the game after Rays shortstop Daniel Robertson stepped on his left wrist.

Stroman exited in the seventh after loading the bases on a one-out walk to Mallex Smith, a single by Jesus Sucre and a walk to Brad Miller.

Aaron Loup replaced Stroman and walked Steven Souza Jr. to force in a run and cut the lead to 3-2.

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons was ejected for arguing the calls as he brought in Dominic Leone to replace Loup. Leone ended the inning by putting a called third strike past Evan Longoria and inducing a popup to second from Logan Morrison.

Toronto's Ryan Tepera pitched a perfect top of the eighth.

Jose Bautista lined an RBI double to right-center field in the third inning to give Toronto a 1-0 lead. Raffy Lopez, who had walked with one out, scored the run. After Bautista's hit, Faria hit Josh Donaldson with a pitch before retiring Justin Smoak on a popup to third and striking out Kendrys Morales.

Pearce led off the bottom of the fourth with a first-pitch homer to right to make the score 2-0.

Tampa Bay got a run back in the fifth. Smith led off with a double, took third on groundout to second by Sucre and scored on a groundout to second by Miller.

NOTES: Blue Jays manager John Gibbons was ejected for the fifth time this season. ... Toronto C Miguel Montero (right groin strain) was activated from the 10-day disabled list, and RHP Dominic Leone was activated from the bereavement list. LHP J.P. Howell and C Mike Ohlman were designated for assignment to make room for them on the roster. ... Tampa Bay RF Steven Souza Jr. did not start to give him a break from the artificial turf at the Rogers Centre. He entered as a pinch hitter and went 0-for-1 with a walk. ... Blue Jays RHP Chris Rowley (1-0, 1.69 ERA) will make his second career major league start Thursday afternoon in the series finale when he faces Rays RHP Chris Archer (8-7, 3.84).