Pro Sports

Rays hold on for 6-5 win over Blue Jays

Posted August 22, 2017 7:00 am

By DICK SCANLON

Tampa Bay Rays' Chris Archer follows through on a pitch to the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) The Associated Press

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Lucas Duda and Corey Dickerson homered in the first two innings and Chris Archer struck out 10 for the Tampa Bay Rays in a 6-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.

Alex Colome got his major league-leading 37th save after giving up hits to Kendrys Morales and Steve Pearce that left the potential game-tying run on third base in the ninth. The Blue Jays have lost four straight.

Duda's 23rd home run (sixth with Tampa Bay) came off rookie Chris Rowley in the first inning after Norichika Aoki had led off the game with a homer off Archer.

Dickerson hit his 23rd homer in the second, starting a three-run inning off Rowley that put the Rays ahead 4-1.

Aoki drove in another run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth after a double by Ezequiel Carrera and an RBI single by Ryan Goins.

Carrera had entered the game in the third inning after the ejection of Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar by home plate umpire Chad Fairchild.

Josh Donaldson's 21st home run came off Rays reliever Tommy Hunter in the eighth. It was Donaldson's 11th homer in 20 games.

Miguel Montero made it 6-5 with a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

Archer gave up three runs (one earned) an four hits while striking out 10 in six innings.

Rowley gave up four runs and five hits in 3 1/3 innings in his third major league start for the Blue Jays.

Archer (9-7) and Rowley (1-1) faced each other for the second time in five days. Neither got a decision in the Blue Jays' 5-3 win on Thursday.

NO SINGLES OR DOUBLES

After his first three major league starts, left-handers are hitting only .185 against the right-handed Rowley. However, the five hits include three triples and two home runs.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Blue Jays: C Russell Martin (left oblique) missed his 10th game and is not close to returning, according to manager John Gibbons.

Rays: Of the RHPs on the disabled list, Alex Cobb (turf toe) will start Thursday's game; Jake Faria (abdominal strain) will resume throwing on Thursday; Matt Andriese (hip stress reaction) will make a rehab start Wednesday for Triple-A Durham.

UP NEXT

RHP Marcus Stroman (11-6) will try to end Toronto's four-game losing streak Wednesday night against RHP Auston Pruitt (6-4).

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer delivers to the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) The Associated Press

Tampa Bay Rays' Wilson Ramos connects for an RBI single off Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Matt Dermody during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Rays' Evan Longoria scored. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) The Associated Press

Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Steve Pearce makes a diving catch on a fly out by Tampa Bay Rays' Logan Morrison during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) The Associated Press

Tampa Bay Rays' Lucas Duda, left, shakes hands with third base coach Charlie Montoyo after Duda hit a home run off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Chris Rowley during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) The Associated Press

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