Alek Manoah allowed one hit over seven shutout innings, Daniel Vogelbach had a home run among his three hits and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 5-2 Sunday afternoon.
The Blue Jays avoided being swept in the three-game series and ended Tampa Bay’s four-game winning streak.
In his first victory since Aug. 4, 2023, Manoah (1-1) allowed one walk and hit two batters while striking out seven. It was Manoah’s third start of the season and his second straight strong outing after returning from a sore shoulder.
Alejandro Kirk added a two-run double and two walks while George Springer had an RBI double, two walks and two runs as the Blue Jays opened a six-game homestand at 1-2. Vogelbach also had a double and a single and scored three runs.
Isaac Paredes hit a two-run home run for the Rays, who completed a 5-2 road trip. Tampa Bay has a 4-3 advantage in the season series with Toronto.
Rays starter Aaron Civale (2-4) allowed five runs (four earned), six hits and four walks with three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. He also hit one batter.
Vogelbach hit his first home run of the season on a blast to right center with one out in the second on a 1-0 sinker.
The Blue Jays added two runs in the fourth. Vogelbach and Springer hit consecutive two-out doubles. Springer scored when Paredes was charged with an error on Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s grounder to third. Toronto loaded the bases on a walk and a hit batter but Davis Schneider struck out.
Vogelbach opened the home sixth with a single, Springer walked and the runners advanced on Kiner-Falefa’s sacrifice bunt. Manuel Rodriguez replaced Civale, and Kirk lined his hanging slider to left over the head of Randy Arozarena for a two-run double.
Manoah struck out three of his final four batters. Trevor Richards took over and had a clean eighth inning with one strikeout.
The Rays’ Jonathan Aranda had a two-out infield single in the ninth against Zach Pop on a close play. Paredes followed with his ninth homer of the season, a shot to left. But Toronto’s Jordan Romano ended the game with a strikeout to earn his seventh save.
–Field Level Media
