Tuesday, 4 a.m.
Maybe, just maybe, the Tampa Bay Rays knew what they were doing when they let relief pitcher Pete Fairbanks walk.
Fairbanks is off to a stumbling start with his new team, the Miami Marlins. He was 0-2 with an ERA of 10.00 as he recently headed to the injured list.
His primary replacement, Byron Baker, has quickly become one of the Rays' new heroes as he works out of the bullpen.
Baker earned his 11th save (13 opportunities) of the season Monday night, shutting the door on the last three Toronto hitters in an 8-5 victory over Toronto at the Rogers Centre. Baker has an ERA of 2.16.
Drew Rasmusen improved his record to 3-1, allowing just four hits in six innings. He did give up a three-run homer to Andres Gimenez in the second inning. Gimenez also hit a two-run shot off Ian Seymour in the seventh.
The Rays jumped to a 5-0 lead early and held on. Jonathan Aranda, who leads the American League in RBI, had a sacrifice fly in the first. Richie Palacios had a two run single. Taylor Walls tripled in Hunter Feduccia.
After Gimenez' first home run, Chandler Simpson stole a run in the fourth. He reached on an infield single, went to second on a balk, stole third and came home on a bad throw to third.
Aranda hit his eighth home run of the year in the fifth.
Aranda was hit by a pitch in the seventh and came hone on another hit by Palacious.
Simpson and Palacious each had three hits. Aranda had two Both Palacious and Aranda had three RBI.
The Rays and Jays play again tonight at 7:07 at the Rogers Centre. Shane McClanahan will start for the Rays againdst Patrick Corbin.