Jays score 7 in 1st, Sanchez works 6 for win, Tellez tags RBI double on 1st pitch
Rowdy Tellez only saw one pitch in his debut and tagged it to right centre for a run-scoring double. Photo: The Legendary Fred Thornill, Canadiian Press.
Big first inning helps Jays avoid sweep with Tampa
Cam Black-Araujo
Canadian Baseball Network
The Tampa Bay Rays pitching staff held the Toronto Blue Jays in check through the first two games of their series at the Rogers Centre, allowing one run and one extra base hit.
The Jays quickly made up for their lackluster offensive performance by putting seven men across the plate in the first inning, chasing Rays starter Tyler Glasnow after recording just two outs on their way to a 10-3 victory. It was just the Jays' third victory in 12 games against their American League East foe this season.
Aledmys Diaz’s first extra-base hit in 10 games, a first-inning three-run home run, was the big blow in the first, alongside two base knocks in the frame from Devon Travis to open the door for Aaron Sanchez to secure his first major league win since June 3.
In his two previous starts since returning from the disabled list, Sanchez wasn’t able to reach the fifth inning in either start while allowing 11 earned runs. Sanchez bounced back going six innings allowing six hits, three walks and three earned runs while striking out eight.
In what was easily Sanchez’s best outing since returning, he was quick to point out the team’s offensive outburst in the first allowed him to relax from the get go.
“Let’s first off start by saying great first inning by our guys. It allowed me to go out there and kind of pitch my game,” said Sanchez. “A lot of my career I’ve been pitching in tight games so for me to be able to go out there and get a little bit of run support, kind of get locked in, I felt like that was huge for me to go out there and pitch the way I did.”
The Jays offence kept chugging along after that first inning, finishing with 16 hits. Lourdes Gurriel, Kendrys Morales and Travis led the way with three hits apiece followed by two hits each by Justin Smoak and Diaz.
With major league rosters expanding in September from 25 players, the Blue Jays have some fresh, young faces in the clubhouse including outfielder Jonathan Davis who made his debut Wednesday. Davis struck out in all three of his at-bats prior to Rowdy Tellez, another September call up making his debut, pinch hitting for him in the sixth and beginning his major league career with an RBI double. Tellez came back out of the tunnel following the game to find his agent in the crowd and give him a hug.
“I was trying not to cry,” Tellez told reporters when asked his thoughts as he arrived at second. “Pretty emotional moment for me. My dad (Greg) had his flight delayed so he wasn’t here for it. My agent was the only one here.”
Tellez lost his mother recently after a battle brain cancer at the young age of 53.
Kevin Kiermaier was one of the few bright spot for the Rays, sending two balls out of the yard and nearly a third before Randal Grichuk made a leaping grab at the wall to rob Kiermaier of extra bases as the two shared a chuckle on Grichuk’s way off the field.
As JA Happ continues to impress in a Yankee uniform, outfielder Billy McKinney who came over from New York in the deal, is quietly making his name known to Jays fans. McKinney hit his fourth blast in 15 games with the Jays and has also reached base in every one of those games.
The Jays are back in action Thursday when the AL Central leading Cleveland Indians are at the Rogers Centre for a four-game set. Josh Donaldson will not be in the lineup for the Indians as he continues a rehab assignment in the minors, but Edwin Encarnacion will be in uniform.