Travis helps Jays soar past Rays
TORONTO — Devon Travis got word of just how big his night was from all-star teammate Troy Tulowitzki.
Travis had a career-high four hits as the Blue Jays busted out of their offensive slump to score a 7-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.
Travis had a triple and three singles the last of which was a bases loaded go-ahead single in the seventh inning that pushed Toronto in front 5-4. The 25-yearold is batting .371 (33-89) over the last 22 games and entrenching himself in the leadoff spot for the Jays.
“I think he’s just coming into his own,” Jays manager John Gibbons said.
“He has it all,” R.A. Dickey, the Jays starter on Monday night, added. “He’s got good baseball acumen. He’s a tough out. He’s a great teammate. We’re really blessed to have him as part of this organization.”
Travis was excited to learn of the career-high four hits in a game from Tulowitzki, his performance atop the Jays lineup ultimately sparking a club that scored only 17 runs on a recent seven-game road trip (4-3).
The seven runs scored Monday night at Rogers Centre were the most by the club this month and helped end a two-game slide.
The Jays entered the night a game back of Baltimore for first place in the American League East.
Perhaps the only Jay to hit consistently in recent weeks, Travis led off the bottom of the first with a triple to right, the ball scooting past right fielder Mikie Mahtook. Travis thought Mahtook, playing shallow, might catch it initially.
“And then it fell and I was off to the races,” Travis said of his first career triple.
A Bautista sacrifice fly scored Travis and was followed by Edwin Encarnacion’s 31st home run of the season off Rays starter Jake Odorizzi.
It was the 299th career homer for Encarnacion, who matched the Orioles’ Mark Trumbo for the Major League lead. Encarnacion is looking to become the 12th active player in baseball with at least 300 home runs and 11th ever born in the Dominican Republic.
Encarnacion’s home run was also the Jays’ 17th straight solo shot, the longest such streak in team history.
Coming off one of his finer starts of the season (seven innings, one earned run), Dickey endured another rough start at home. He worked himself into and then out of trouble early.
After Logan Forsythe reached on an infield single to start the game, Dickey walked Evan Longoria, struck out Brad Miller on a full count and then put Mahtook on with another walk to load the bases. Another strikeout, this time on Nick Franklin swinging, closed the nervous opening inning.
Dickey threw 34 pitches in the frame, only 18 of them for strikes.