Game 1: The Rays took out their frustrations from their recent 4 games with Columbus by putting 7 on the board through the first 4 innings, then held on to take a 7-4 win over Toronto at Publix Park. Danny Ayala stayed hot with his 5th homer in 6 games (#11), Daniel Malone added a 2-run shot (#7) and Quincy Siegle went deep with a man on for his 2nd of the year. Danny Romero cruised through the first 5 but ran out of gas in the 6th, finishing 5.1 8 3 2 1 7 to improve to 5-2, 3.24, and Ken Burgess got a 5-out save with 3 whiffs, his 2nd of the season.
Game 2: Due to several players in need of rest the Rays went with a makeshift lineup today but still prevailed 6-4 over the Blue Jays. Ben Hill had a huge day, belting a 2-run homer in the 1st (#9) and adding a 2-run double in the 4th. And Ray Cervantes, getting a rare chance to start, launched his first MLB homer with a man on in the 5th. Nate Thompson was solid and durable today, going a season-high 8 innings in an 8 9 3 2 3 5 outing and is now 4-0, 3.09. Ken Neil got his first Rays save opportunity and converted it, but not without giving up another homer (the 3rd he's allowed in 3 outings). Neil now has 9 saves overall.
Game 3: The Rays and Tim Gates had a 5-3 lead after 6 but another bullpen meltdown saw the Jays come away with a 9-8 win after all was said and done. Gates, who went 5 9 3 3 1 3, was gone when the madness began in the top of the 7th. Damani Cotton pitched well in the 6th getting Gates out of a jam but gave up a leadoff single and gave way to Joe Trader, who allowed Cotton's man to score and put two more on, and then Vinny Willard imploded, giving up a 2-run single to put the Jays in front and then a 3-run homer to make it 9-5 Toronto. Danny Ayala continued on his HR binge with a 3-run shot with two out in the 9th (#12) to make it close but no cigar. Earlier Jim Gebers had a 2-run homer (#4) and Ben Hill was 4-5 with an RBI.
Team record: 25-8. Next up: 4 at home vs Kansas City.
Unsurprisingly, Ayala was named Player of the Week in the AL:
