
Wednesday, 4 a.m.
Is it over yet? Are the comebacks finally complete?
Cut and bleeding, the Tampa Bay Rays held onto win a up-and-down battle against the Toronto Blue Jays, 11-9. One game may not have had as many highlights as the Rays’ fall-from-ahead, come-from-behind victory.
The Rays won, ultimately, because of a grand slam by Junior Caminero in the top of the ninth inning. The Blue Jays, who had trailed 4-0 and 6-3, came close to one more comeback I the ninth, scoring two runs and getting two more runners on base before Mason Montgomery closed it out for his first career save.
Tampa Bay survived it all — including two home runs by Daulton Varsho, a shaky ninth by Pete Fairbanks, six runs from the bullpen and four home runs allowed.
On this night, however, the Rays had plenty of offense. It started in the third, when the Rays scored four times. Brandon Lowe singled in two runs and Jonathan Aranda drove in two more with his sixth home run.
The Jays came back with homers by Bo Bichette and Varsho.
The Rays scored in the sixth when Kameron Misner scored on an error. Danny Jansen, who played in Toronto last year, homered in the 7th.
The Jays weren’t done, however. Ernie Clement homered in the seventh, and Varsho hit his second homer on the first pitch he saw from Edwin Uceta.
The Jays were three outs from winning then, but Travis Jankowski walked. He moved to third on a single by Jansen. Rookie Chandler Simpson singled up the middle to tie the game at 7.
After Lowe singled to load the bases, Caminero jumped on the fifth pitch he saw and drove it into the left field bleachers for his eighth home run.
The Jays added two more in the bottom of the ninth, but Montgomery came on to retire Varsho to win the game.
The Rays and Jays play again today at 7:07 p.m. Ryan Pepiot will start for the Rays against Chris Bassitt.