MASTERFUL ARCHER
Rays pitcher stymies Jays
TORONTO Tampa Bay starter Chris Archer turned in a dominant performance and Tim Beckham hit a two-run homer as the Rays defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 on Thursday night at Rogers Centre.
Archer struck out 11 and allowed just two hits over seven shutout innings to help Tampa Bay (6-4) win for the fifth time in six games. Kevin Kiermaier had two hits and scored twice for the Rays.
Closer Brad Boxberger gave up a run in the ninth inning before picking up his fourth save. Blue Jays starter Aaron Sanchez was uneven over 5 1/3 innings as Toronto (5-5) fell back to the .500 mark.
Toronto shortstop Jose Reyes left the game after his first at-bat due to soreness in his left side. He was replaced by Ryan Goins, who was called up from triple-A Buffalo earlier in the day.
The Rays loaded the bases in the third inning, when second baseman Devon Travis was trying to turn a double play when David DeJesus plowed into him with a hard slide.
A run scored on the play but Sanchez (0-2) escaped the jam when Asdrubal Cabrera struck out and Steven Souza Jr., was caught stealing.
The Rays made it a two-run game in the fifth. Kiermaier reached on a ground-rule double and scored when DeJesus hit a flare to left field.
Evan Longoria led off the sixth with a double. Aaron Loup relieved Sanchez and promptly gave up a two-run homer to Beckham.
Right-hander Steve Geltz relieved Archer in the eighth inning and loaded the bases without recording an out. Travis reached on a single, Goins walked and Josh Donaldson appeared to be grazed on the hand by a pitch.
The Rays challenged the Donaldson call but it was confirmed after a review. Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash stormed out of the dugout to voice his displeasure and was ejected.
Reliever Kevin Jepsen entered the game and did well to limit the damage to one run.
He got sluggers Jose Bautista and Encarnacion to fly out, the latter going deep enough to bring Travis home from third. Pinch-hitter Dioner Navarro grounded out meekly to end the inning.
Sanchez, meanwhile, was wild at times but avoided major trouble. He gave up five hits, three earned runs, three walks and had four strikeouts.
Notes: The Jays will continue their homestand with a threegame series against the Atlanta Braves beginning Friday night.