Rays split Opening Weekend series with Blue Jays after 9-2 loss
ST PETERSBURG, FL - MARCH 31: Jose Caballero #7 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates after hitting a single during the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field on March 31, 2024 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Gett
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Justin Turner homered and drove in four runs as the Toronto Blue Jays gained a spit of a four-game series by beating the Tampa Bay Rays 9-2 on Sunday,
After winning the opener 8-1 on Thursday, the Blue Jays were outscored 13-3 in losing the next two games. Toronto is 20-35 in road games against Tampa Bay since the start of the 2018 season.
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"Everyone kind of doing their part a little bit whether it was working on a walk or getting a big hit, so that’s kind of that’s kind of what we’re shooting for," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said.
Randy Arozarena homered for the Rays. He also went deep in Saturday’s 5-1 win.
Tampa Bay pitchers walked eight.
"It just wasn't our day on the mound," Rays manager Kevin Cash said.
ST PETERSBURG, FL - MARCH 31: Randy Arozarena #56 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates with Jose Siri #22 after hitting a solo home run during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field on March 31, 2024 in St Petersburg, Florida.
Toronto ace Kevin Gausman, on a pitch count after not making his spring training debut until March 25 because of shoulder fatigue, allowed one run, two hits and struck out six in 4 ⅓ innings. The right-hander threw 48 of 69 pitches for strikes.
"The first big league game I’ve been in where I had a pitch count, so it’s a little weird to kind of know that but I thought we did a good job of getting where we got with the pitches that we had," Gausman said.
Guasman will increase his pitch total to 80-85 in his next start.
"He was great, about as efficient and effective as we could have hoped for," Schneider said.
Nate Pearson finished the fifth and Mitch White (1-0) followed with three hitless innings. Chad Green allowed Isaac Paredes' homer in the ninth, then complete a three-hitter before a crowd of just 14,875.
Toronto took a 4-1 lead on Turner’s two-run double off Tyler Alexander in the second. Turner had an RBI single during a two-run first against opener Shawn Armstrong (0-1).
"I felt really good today," Turner said. "I made some small adjustments in the last couple of days just trying to get comfortable again and shortened up my leg kick a little bit. Had a lot better timing, today."
Turner added a solo shot and Davis Schneider had a two-run drive to make it 7-1 in the fifth.
Alexander, who didn’t pitch after July 2 last season due to a left lat strain, gave up five runs and six hits over five innings.
Cavan Biggio hit an RBI single in a two-run seventh.