No relief for Jays as Rays roar back

Bullpen stumbles late in game

The Blue Jays’ bullpen continues to serve up misery on a platter.

For the 10th time this season, the Jays lost a game after taking a lead — the most in the American League.

Leading 3-1 in the top of the eighth, Toronto starter Marcus Stroman gave up a leadoff home run to Corey Dickerson and was then replaced by Jason Grilli who was taken deep by Evan Longoria, tying the game 3-3.

Dominic Leone replaced Grilli and gave up a two-run homer to Logan Morrison. In the ninth, Leone gave up a lead-off home run to Derek Norris as the Rays stormed back to defeat the Blue Jays 7-4, Toronto’s third straight loss.

The Jays are now 11 games under .500 and the season is getting close to the point of no return. After the Norris’ dinger, the fans at the Rogers Centre rightly expressed their displeasure with a chorus of boos.

The loss came despite the best efforts of Stroman and centrefielder Kevin Pillar, who had a spectacular night at the plate. Pillar went 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, and a single.

He also walked and scored three times.

He rapped a bloop single to right field to lead off the first inning, extending his on-base streak to 16 straight games, 15 in which he’s picked up at least one hit. His career-high on-base streak is 18 games (Sept. 13- Oct. 4, 2015).

Stroman did not figure in the decision, but pitched well, going 7.1 innings, giving up five hits, two runs, with two walks while striking out 10.

Rays’ left-handed starter Blake Snell pitched five decent innings, giving up two runs on six hits, while walking three and strikeout out three.

Snell was fortunate the damage wasn’t worse as the Jays hit the ball hard all night, most of the time to Tampa fielders.

Following Norris’ homer in the ninth, Leone gave up a double to Dickerson and was replaced by the lefty J.P. Howell. Dickerson then scored on a wild pitch by Howell, making the score 7-3.

Jose Bautista scored Pillar from third on a sacrifice fly to centre in the bottom of the ninth, to account for the Jays’ final run.

Reliever Austin Pruitt got the win for Tampa, Grilli picked up the loss and Chase Whitley had the save.