Article Author:
Canadian Press
John Chidley- Hill
Toronto — Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 Toronto Blue Jays In the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday when both Isaac Paredes and Wander Franco hit a solo home run when defeated.
Randia Rosarena, Renepinto and Yandy Diaz each had an RBI single when Tampa Bay (41-36) hit four RBIs.
Shane McClanahan (9-3) dialed into the raise, hitting 10, and abandoning one run with three hits in seven innings. Javy Guerra and Phoenix Sanders conclude things for Tampa.
One Vladimir Guerrero Jr. single started scoring Toronto (44-34), who won the first two of the rare five-game series. Matt Chapman added Laitlan when he grounded for the ninth time.
The Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman hit three hits in two scoreless innings and abandoned four hits before being hit by a comebacker. He was excluded from the game due to a bruise on his right ankle.
Casey Lawrence (0-1), recalled from the doubleheader Triple A, threw the relief of 5 2/3 innings and allowed 6 runs. Max Castillo came after him.
Thomas Hatch (0-1) was scheduled to start for the Blue Jays in the second game of the day. Drew Rasmussen (5-3) headed for Tampa Bay.
Toronto jumped to an early lead in the first inning and Guerrero hit a single in the right fielder. Bichette sprinted home from second base, slipped into the plate head first and led 1-0.
Gausman was injured twice and collapsed when Franco's sharply struck ball bounced off the grass to the pitcher's right ankle. He tried to protect the ball, but apparently in pain lay face down on the field as catcher Gabriel Moreno finished the inning on first base.
Gausman had to be helped off the field by a trainer and was subsequently replaced by Lawrence. The Blue Jays said the x-ray of Gausman's ankle was negative.
Paredes arrived in Lawrence for the third time and hit a home run on the Blue Jays bullpen with a left fielder, drawing 1-1.
Arosalena gave Rays the first lead in the game when the single bounced off the grass to Lawrence's inner knee before Rays caromed towards Bichette as a shortstop. It gave Franco enough time to go home and make it 2-1.
After throwing some warm-up pitches, Lawrence stayed in the game.
After three batters, Focus hit a single to the right, leading Ramirez and Arosalena 4-1.
Franco piled up in the sixth inning and hit the first pitch seen by Lawrence to the far left. Toronto outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. could only stare at the ball to foul, but kept the fair to gain a 5-1 advantage.
Diaz tackled the eighth raise run, driving Taylor Walls to the center with a single.
Chapman rushed into the ninth double play, giving Teoscar Hernandez enough time to go home for the final run of the game.
Additional Help — Lawrence was recalled from Triple A as the 27th man in both doubleheader games. Spare players are allowed doubleheaders by Major League Baseball.
Pirates Trade — The Blue Jays announced that they had completed a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates with left-handed pitcher Anthony Banda during the first doubleheader game. Toronto sent Pittsburgh cash in return. RightyJulianMerryweather has been moved to the 60-day injured list.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 2, 2022.
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