Rays always tough on Jays
* Carl Crawford, above, David Price and Evan Longoria enjoyed success when the Tampa Bay Rays came calling to the Rogers Centre. .... 2014 Canadians in the Minors … Canadians in College 2015 Canadian draft list Letters of Intent
By Bob Elliott The Tampa Bay Rays visited the Rogers Centre Friday night for their 140th visit.
The Rays/Devil Rays have a record of 64-75 (a .460 winning mark) at the Rogers Centre/SkyDome.
What is different about this series is that is the first September since 2007 when Tampa Bay came into Toronto for a September series behind the Blue Jays.
Five memorable visits by the Rays
1. June 2, 2010 Rays 7, Jays 3 Lefty David Price makes his second start at the Rogers Centre pitching eight innings and allowing two unearned runs, recording three strikeouts. He allowed a double and a single to Lyle Overbay, two singles to John Buck and Fred Lewis, a doubles to Vernon Wells, plus singles to Jose Bautista, and Aaron Hill. He made his first start the year before (three innings, six runs as Alex Rios, Bautista and Hill each homered.
This start was a sign of things to come for Price is 15-2 with a 2.47 ERA in 20 career starts against the Jays, walking 32 and striking out 119 in 138 2/3 innings before being dealt at the July 31 trade deadline to the Detroit Tigers.
2. Sept. 7, 2008 Jays 1, Rays 0 Rod Barajas hit a fly ball in the second inning to score Adam Lind for the only run of the year as Jays former No. 1 pick David Purcey pitched eight innings and Jesse Carlson gained the save. Purcey won three more games as a starter.
The next time the Jays saw the Rays it was on the TV as the Rays were in the World Series playing the Philadelphia Phillies.
3. June 29, 2009 Rays 4, Jays 1 Carl Crawford hit a two-run homer off Roy Halladay in the third inning. Now a Los Angeles Dodger, Crawford has 131 homers but he owned the Jays: hitting 19 off Jays pitchers led by Josh Towers five and followed by Halladay three. The other Jays arms he took deep: Cory Lidle, Pat Hentgen, Adam Peterson, Ted Lilly, Tomo Ohka, Dustin McGowan, Brian Wolfe, Jesse Litsch, Scott Richmond, Brett Cecil and Scott Downs.
Crawford hit .305 in 154 games against the Jays with 28 doubles, 11 triples and 19 homers. He stole 53 bases and had an .806 OPS.
4. July 29, 2008 Rays 3, Jays 0 Evan Longoria hit a two-run triple off Halladay in the eighth. It was rookie Longoria’s fifth game at the Rogers Centre and the first of his 28 RBIs in Toronto.
5. May 19, 1998 Blue Jays 3, Devil Rays 1 Woody Williams allowed one hit (Wade Boggs) in eight innings as Randy Myers picked up the save. Alex Gonzalez and Jose Canseco homered off Dennis Springer, who pitched a complete game as Springer’s record fell to 1-7.
It was the expansion Devil Rays first visit to the SkyDome.