10-5 Victory: Blue Jays Crush Rays, Sparking Wild-Card Push
-
By Doug Hirdle
- —
- Proof-checked
Summary:
- The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 10-5, putting an end to a hard stretch against the AL East leaders.
- Alejandro Kirk nearly hit for the cycle and has been batting .393 over his last 29 games.
- Toronto has won 14 of its last 21 games as it continues its wild-card push.
The Toronto Blue Jays delivered one of their most convincing offensive performances of the season on Tuesday, August 18, overpowering the American League-leading Tampa Bay Rays 10-5 in the opening baseball game of a three-game series.
They Turned the Pressure Against the Rays
Toronto had struggled badly against Tampa Bay earlier this season, losing eight of their first 10 meetings. This time, however, the Blue Jays turned the Rays’ own high-pressure style against them, combining aggressive baserunning, timely hitting, strong defense and three home runs.
The victory was Toronto’s 14th in its last 21 games, improving the Blue Jays to 62-65 and giving their wild-card hopes another boost.
Alejandro Kirk was at the centre of the offensive explosion. The catcher fell a triple short of hitting for the cycle, while driving in multiple runs and connecting for a two-run homer in the third inning.
Kirk has been one of Toronto’s most productive hitters recently, batting .393/.455/.589 over his last 29 games.
George Springer produced three hits, while newcomer Kazuma Okamoto kept his impressive rookie season going with a solo home run in the fifth inning, for his 25th homer of the season.
The player moved past Eric Hinske for the Blue Jays’ franchise record for home runs by a rookie.
Josh Smith also added a two-run homer in the seventh as Toronto reached double-digit runs for the first time since July 8.
Good Effort from Offense
The offensive support made life easier for starter Jose Soriano, who held Tampa Bay to three runs over 5.2 innings while allowing nine hits. Crucially, Toronto’s defence produced two bases-loaded double plays, helping Soriano escape difficult situations.
The first came in the third inning off the bat of Jonathan Aranda, while the second was created by Liam Hicks in the fifth. Kazuma Okamoto also made an important defensive play at first base to help complete the second double play.
Tampa Bay starter Nick Martinez struggled, giving up six runs and failing to get through the fourth inning. The Rays’ bullpen was also dealing with fatigue following a weekend series against the Baltimore Orioles.
The performance offered Toronto a glimpse of the offence the club expected to produce entering the season. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Springer, Kirk and Okamoto were supposed to provide the foundation, but injuries and inconsistent production have prevented the lineup from reaching its full potential.
With recent additions such as Brett Bateman, Smith, Charles McAdoo and Daz Cameron also contributing, Toronto may finally be finding the balance between aggressive small-ball offence and the power needed to compete with the American League‘s best teams.
Doug Hirdle
Author
betting.ca
