Donaldson stays hot as Jays take series from Rays

Josh Donaldson’s bat is so hot right now, they should store it in a fire-resistant bag.

The Bringer of Rain smashed two home runs on Thursday afternoon, his 19th and 20th of the season, to lead the Blue Jays to a 5-3 triumph over the Tampa Bay Rays at the Rogers Centre. The Jays have now won three straight series for the first time since late May.

Both of Donaldson’s blasts were solo jobs. He was also on base in the bottom of the eighth when Justin Smoak hit a two-run bomb to right centre to break a 3-3 tie.

“He’s been unbelievable and I think it was just a matter of time until he came back from injury and got his timing back,” Smoak said of Donaldson. “The last two weeks has been really impressive and honestly, it’s something, in the last few years, that you just expect. So it’s good for him and good for us he’s on the tear he is.”

Smoak’s homer off Tampa reliever Tommy Hunter was his teamleading 33rd of the season and the shot ruined a solid outing by Rays starter Chris Archer, who went seven innings and gave up three runs on five hits and struck out 10.

The Jays went 7-3 on their recent homestand and are maintaining hope that somehow they’ll pass the seven teams that are ahead or tied with them in the American League wild card standings.

“Obviously, winning always helps, but at the same time we feel like we should have been doing this all year,” Smoak said. “It’s just a matter of a last month and half to keep going out and doing it and look up at the end of the year and see where we’re at.”

Pitcher Chris Rowley, making his second start as a Blue Jay, went five innings with only four hits and two runs, but five walks. He benefited from some solid defence including a nice over-the-shoulder catch by Smoak in the first.

Roberto Osuna pitched the ninth and picked up his 32nd save.

The Jays now embark on a sixgame road trip starting with three against the Chicago Cubs. Jays manager John Gibbons said it’s always nice starting a road trip after a win.

“There’s no doubt you always want to leave feeling good,” he said. “The lows in this business last longer than the highs — I know that for a fact.”