Blue Jays rebound for win vs. Tampa

ST. Petersburg, FL A . • So close.

mark buehrle needs two innings to reach 200 for the 15th consecutive season.

And the blue Jays, in a tight battle with the royals to post the league’s best record, need to keep their foot on the accelerator in their final two regular-season games to guarantee home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

buehrle worked 6.2 innings and earned his 15th win in the Jays’ 8-4 victory over the rays. It was his final scheduled start of the season, but manager John Gibbons has said he might let buehrle start Sunday’s season finale in a bid to squeeze out the innings he needs to hit 200 again.

The blue Jays’ regulars rested for two straight games — both losses — after they clinched the division title, but they were back to business as usual against the rays. They rallied from a 4-1 deficit with four in the sixth and three in the seventh. russ martin hit a two-run homer, his 23rd, and edwin encarnacion hit a solo shot, his 38th.

The Jays entered Friday’s action in a dead heat with the royals for the best record in the American League with three games to play. If the teams finish with identical records, Toronto would get home-field advantage because they won the season series over Kc, 4-3.

The sixth-inning rally featured a two-run triple by ryan Goins and an RBI double by Kevin Pillar. Just as encouraging for the Jays was a sharp single to left by Troy Tulowitzki, who was playing in his first game since he suffered a fractured left shoulder blade on Sept. 12.

Tulowitzki tuned up for his return with seven plate appearances in a simulated game Friday afternoon. Afterward, he declared himself ready. He looked solid at shortstop and, besides his single, he doubled to right field in the ninth.

buehrle struck out Nick Franklin to start the seventh before Luke maile hit a shot into the right-centre field gap. Kevin Pillar, with one of his very best catches in a sensational defensive season, left his feet and flagged it down while running at full speed.

That was it for buehrle, who entered the game having thrown 191.1 innings. Gibbons gave him a pat on the back and buehrle turned and patted Gibbons on the shoulder as he left the mound. He acknowledged his family and a loud contingent of Jays fans, who gave him a standing ovation.