Rays 9, Blue Jays 7 (F/12): Mejia makes it eight straight wins

The Rays are on the road to begin a four-game series in Dunedin against the Toronto Blue Jays. Tyler Glasnow is on the mound for the Rays against Anthony Kay and the Jays.

The night did not start out well for Glasnow after he allowed a leadoff double to Marcus Semien. Semien moved to third during Bo Bichette’s at bat, drawing a walk in the process to put two on for Vlad Guerrero Jr. Vlad Jr scored the first run of the game with a single before Teoscar Hernandez followed that up with an RBI single to score Bichette, making it 2-0 Blue Jays.

Glasnow would escape the jam in the first without allowing any more runs, only to instead allow another run in the following inning. Jonathan Davis hit a two-out single and would score on a Marcus Semien RBI triple, extending the lead to 3-0 for the Blue Jays.

In the top of the third, the Rays were able to get on the board after Brandon Lowe hit a two-run home run over the right field wall, cutting Toronto’s lead down to one. Lowe’s homer went 375 feet and left his bat at 111 mph.

Glasnow allowed Vlad Jr to extend Toronto’s lead to 4-2 via a solo home run on a hanging slider.

Brandon Lowe was determined to get the Rays back in this game, as he hit his second home run of the night, a solo shot this time, to bring the Rays within one. Once again leaving his bat at 111 mph, Lowe’s home run went 409 feet to make it 4-3.

Toronto hit their second home run of the night in the bottom of the fifth off the bat of Marcus Semien, who found himself a single away from the cycle after plating the fifth Blue Jays run of the night. Glasnow’s day was done after allowing a two-out single, ending his worst outing on the season.

Glasnow threw 93 pitches over 4.2 innings, walking one and striking out two. He allowed five earned runs on nine hits, two of them being home runs. Jeffrey Springs relieved him and stranded the runner with a strikeout.

Charlie Montoyo picked A.J. Cole to pitch the top of the sixth, and pinch-hitter Ji-Man Choi stepped up to the plate with a runner on and one out. What does Choi usually do against pitchers named Cole? Hit home runs off of them, like he just did to tie this game up. Choi’s home run left his bat at 100 mph and went 407 feet.

Jeffrey Springs was replaced by Andrew Kittredge with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, and Kittredge got out of the inning in addition to working a clean bottom of the seventh. Pete Fairbanks was brought in for the bottom of the eighth and struck out two in a hitless inning.

The offense was quiet in the top of the ninth, bringing this tied game to the bottom of the ninth with Ryan Thompson on to preserve the tie. Preserve the tie he did, sending the game into the top of the 10th.

Pinch-runner Brett Phillips started the inning on second base, replacing Austin Meadows. Joel Payamps was brought in to pitch for the Blue Jays. Yandy Diaz grounded out to third for the inning’s first out, leaving Phillips at second. Brandon Lowe was intentionally walked, bringing Manuel Margot up. Margot popped out for the second out. Wendle grounded out to end the inning.

Ryan Thompson stayed in the game for the bottom of the 10th. Bo Bichette moved the runner up to third with a groundout to start the inning and Vlad Jr was intentionally walked after the first out. Teoscar Hernandez struck out for the second out. Ryan Thompson sent this game into the 11th, popping out Grichuk.

Joey Wendle started the inning on second base with Francisco Mejia set to lead off. Mejia walked to put two on with no outs. Ji-Man Choi struck out for the inning’s first out. Kiermaier flew out to move Wendle up to third. Arozarena was intentionally walked, bringing Brett Phillips up. Phillips struck out to end the inning.

Collin McHugh was brought in for the bottom of the 11th, intentionally walking Rowdy Tellez to put two on. Santiago Espinal struck out trying to bunt the lead runner over for Toronto’s first out. McHugh walked McGuire on a third strike that wasn’t called to load the bases. Cavan Biggio grounded into a fielder’s choice with the throw going home, and that ended Thompson’s outing.

Diego Castillo was brought in to face Marcus Semien and he struck him out to send this game into the 12th inning. Brett Phillips started the top of the 12th on second base, while Jeremy Beasley took the mound for the Blue Jays.

Yandy Diaz grounded out to second but moved Phillips up to third for the inning’s first out. Brandon Lowe was intentionally walked for the second time in extras. Manuel Margot struck out, swinging and missing on a fastball down the middle for the inning’s second out. Joey Wendle was intentionally walked to load the bases for Francisco Mejia. GRAND. SLAM.

106 mph. 410 feet. 9-5 Rays.

Bo Bichette led off the inning for the Blue Jays with Castillo still on the mound. Bichette grounded out, bringing Vlad Jr up. Vlad Jr homered to make it 9-7, but Castillo bounced back and struck out Teoscar Hernandez for the second out. Grichuk grounded out to end this game, Rays 9, Blue Jays 7.

The Rays took tonight’s game in extras to open the four-game series, extending their winning streak to eight games. The offense was able to, after two failed attempts, finally break through in extra innings. Shane McClanahan will start the second game of the series for the Rays against Robbie Ray, first pitch is scheduled for 7:37 pm in Dunedin.