Taylor Walls hit a tiebreaking two-run single in a three-run 10th inning and the visiting Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, 7-5 on Saturday afternoon.
The Blue Jays (89-72) could have clinched a playoff spot with a win.
The Rays (98-63) already clinched the first American League wild-card spot before the three-game series with the Blue Jays. The teams have split the first two games.
Daulton Varsho hit a solo home run and notched three RBIs for the Blue Jays.
Harold Ramirez hit a two-run home run and had three hits for the Rays.
Toronto starter Hyun Jin Ryu allowed two runs on seven hits in three innings.
The Rays used right-hander Shawn Armstrong as an opener. He allowed two walks in one inning.
The Rays scored once in the first inning on a double by Randy Arozarena and singles by Ramirez and Isaac Paredes.
Tampa Bay scored another run in the third on singles by Ramirez and Paredes and a double by Josh Lowe.
Varsho led off the bottom of the third with his 20th homer of the season, a blast to right against Cooper Criswell.
Toronto took a 4-2 lead in the fourth against Criswell. Alejandro Kirk singled and Kevin Kiermaier walked. Whit Merrifield then reached on a one-out error by shortstop Walls to load the bases. Varsho hit a two-run single and George Springer followed with an RBI single.
Trevor Richards walked Arozarena to open the fifth and Ramirez followed with his 12th homer on a drive to left-center to tie the game.
Rays closer Pete Fairbanks pitched around a walk and a single with a double-play grounder in the bottom of the eighth.
Chris Devenski (6-4) pitched around a two-out double in the bottom of the ninth.
The Rays scored three in the 10th. With the automatic runner at second, Jordan Hicks (3-9) walked Lowe intentionally with one out. He walked pinch hitter Raimel Tapia to load the bases. Walls followed with his two-out, two-run single. Another run scored on Junior Caminero’s infield single.
Bo Bichette hit an RBI double against Devenski in the home 10th.
–Field Level Media
