TORONTO -- With a late power surge, the Tampa Bay Rays wiped away the memory of a tough loss.
Logan Morrison hit a two-run homer, Evan Longoria and Corey Dickerson added solo shots and the Rays connected three times in the eighth inning to beat the struggling Toronto Blue Jays 7-4 on Friday night.
"To be a good team you've got to find ways to win close games on the road," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "Today we did that."
The Rays took a one-run lead in the 11th inning at Baltimore on Wednesday, only for the Orioles to rally for a 5-4 win in the bottom half.
Taking care of Toronto helped the Rays put that behind.
"We needed that one," Longoria said.
Five of Tampa Bay's past six wins have been come-from-behind victories.
Derek Norris added a solo homer in the ninth. He had two hits and two RBI.
Kevin Pillar homered and reached base five times for the Blue Jays, who lost their third straight. Toronto's 6-17 start is the worst in franchise history.
"Losing is always tough, especially the close ones," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.
Pillar's leadoff drive off Austin Pruitt (3-0) in the seventh gave Toronto a 3-1 lead.
Dickerson homered off Marcus Stroman in the eighth and Longoria's shot against Jason Grilli (1-3) tied the score, giving Toronto its big-league high eighth blown save.
Brad Miller walked, Steven Souza struck out and Dominic Leone came on to face Morrison, who homered into the center field party deck. The drive would have traveled 428 feet unimpeded, according to MLB's Statcast.
"It's not every day you come here and see a ball land up in the restaurant," Cash said. "That was pretty impressive."
Dickerson's homer was his sixth, matching Longoria (2013) for the Rays record in April.
Stroman struck out a season-high 10 in 7 1/3 innings, but it wasn't enough.
"It's just frustrating," Stroman said. "We kill ourselves to be at our best when we're out there so when things don't go our way, it's tough. We're doing everything in our power to turn this around"
Pruitt pitched three innings, and Chase Whitley got two outs for his first big league save.
Tampa Bay's Blake Snell allowed two runs and six hits in five innings -- he has failed to pitch into the sixth inning in four consecutive starts.
Pillar scored three runs and came within a triple of the cycle. He singled in the first, walked in the third, doubled in the fifth, homered in the seventh and doubled in the ninth, the second four-hit game of his career.
PASS THE SALT
Toronto designated C Jarrod Saltalamacchia for assignment and optioned RHP Casey Lawrence to Triple-A Buffalo. The Blue Jays selected the contract of C Luke Maile and recalled LHP Matt Dermody. Saltalamacchia hit .040 (1 for 25) in 10 games, setting a Blue Jays record by striking out in 10 consecutive at-bats from April 13-22. He did not throw out any of the nine runners trying to steal against him.
OPEN AND SHUT
The Blue Jays have lost the opening game of all four home series this season, dropping games against Milwaukee, Baltimore and Boston before Friday.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: OF Colby Rasmus (hip surgery) was held out of his rehab game at Double-A Montgomery because of an illness. He is expected to play Saturday and Sunday and could rejoin the Rays on Monday.
Blue Jays: RHP Aaron Sanchez remains on pace to come off the DL and start Sunday's series finale after throwing a side session Friday. ... 3B Josh Donaldson (right calf) and SS Troy Tulowitzki (right hamstring) will travel to Toronto's spring training facility following this three-game series to continue their rehab.
UP NEXT
Rays: RHP Matt Andriese (1-0, 3.86) is 0-0 with a 4.05 ERA in two starts at Rogers Centre. Andriese did not finish the fourth inning in either of those games.
Blue Jays: LHP Francisco Liriano (1-2, 4.58) allowed five runs in one-third of an inning in his season-opening start at Tampa Bay. In three starts since, he has a 2.08 ERA.
---
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball





Final
Series: Game 1 of 3

Rays 7

(12-12, 3-8 away)

Blue Jays 4

(6-17, 2-8 home)




7:07PM,EDT,April 28,2017
Rogers Centre, Toronto,Ontario 

123456789 R H E
TB 010000042 7 10 1
TOR 000020101 4 11 2
W: A. Pruitt (3-0)
L: J. Grilli (1-3)
S: C. Whitley (1)




View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-PitchInning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Tampa Bay - Top of 1stSCORE
Marcus Stroman pitching for TorontoTBTOR
Dickerson grounded out to pitcher.00
Kiermaier reached on infield single to second.00
Longoria fouled out to first.00
Miller grounded out to first.00
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Toronto - Bottom of 1stSCORE
Blake Snell pitching for Tampa BayTBTOR
Pillar singled to right.00
Barney lined out to right.00
Bautista flied out to center.00
Morales struck out swinging.00
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Tampa Bay - Top of 2ndSCORE
Marcus Stroman pitching for TorontoTBTOR
Souza Jr. struck out swinging.00
Morrison struck out looking.00
Beckham walked.00
Peterson singled to center, Beckham to third.00
Norris singled to shallow left, Beckham scored, Peterson to second.10
Dickerson struck out swinging.10
1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors
Toronto - Bottom of 2ndSCORE
Blake Snell pitching for Tampa BayTBTOR
Smoak grounded out to second.10
Pearce struck out swinging.10
Travis walked.10
Maile walked, Travis to second.10
Goins struck out swinging.10
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Tampa Bay - Top of 3rdSCORE
Marcus Stroman pitching for TorontoTBTOR
Kiermaier grounded out to second.10
Longoria struck out looking.10
Miller walked.10
Souza Jr. singled to center, Miller to second.10
Morrison struck out swinging.10
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Toronto - Bottom of 3rdSCORE
Blake Snell pitching for Tampa BayTBTOR
Pillar walked.10
Barney singled to right, Pillar to second.10
Bautista flied out to right.10
Morales lined out to center.10
Smoak grounded out to shortstop.10
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Tampa Bay - Top of 4thSCORE
Marcus Stroman pitching for TorontoTBTOR
Beckham struck out swinging.10
Peterson struck out looking.10
Norris struck out swinging.10
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Toronto - Bottom of 4thSCORE
Blake Snell pitching for Tampa BayTBTOR
Pearce singled to center.10
Travis lined out to right.10
Maile flied out to left.10
Goins grounded out to second.10
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Tampa Bay - Top of 5thSCORE
Marcus Stroman pitching for TorontoTBTOR
Dickerson grounded out to second.10
Longoria grounded into double play, third to second to first, Kiermaier out at second.10
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Toronto - Bottom of 5thSCORE
Blake Snell pitching for Tampa BayTBTOR
Pillar doubled to deep left.10
Barney singled to right, Pillar scored.11
Bautista singled to right, Barney to third.11
Morales grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Barney scored, Bautista out at second.12
Smoak grounded out to second.12
2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors
Tampa Bay - Top of 6thSCORE
Marcus Stroman pitching for TorontoTBTOR
Miller struck out looking.12
Souza Jr. grounded out to shortstop.12
Morrison grounded out to first.12
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Errors
Toronto - Bottom of 6thSCORE
Austin Pruitt pitching for Tampa BayTBTOR
Pruitt relieved Snell.12
Carrera hit for Pearce.12
Carrera grounded out to third.12
Travis doubled to deep right.12
Maile grounded out to shortstop.12
Goins lined out to left.12
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Tampa Bay - Top of 7thSCORE
Marcus Stroman pitching for TorontoTBTOR
Carrera in left field.12
Beckham grounded out to third.12
Peterson flied out to left.12
Norris flied out to center.12
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Toronto - Bottom of 7thSCORE
Austin Pruitt pitching for Tampa BayTBTOR
Pillar homered to left (350 feet).13
Barney grounded out to third.13
Bautista flied out to center.13
Morales struck out swinging.13
1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Tampa Bay - Top of 8thSCORE
Marcus Stroman pitching for TorontoTBTOR
Dickerson homered to left center (420 feet).23
Kiermaier struck out swinging.23
Grilli relieved Stroman.23
Longoria homered to center (420 feet).33
Miller walked.33
Souza Jr. struck out looking.33
Leone relieved Grilli.33
Morrison homered to right center (434 feet), Miller scored.53
Beckham tripled to deep right.53
Peterson popped out to third.53
4 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors
Toronto - Bottom of 8thSCORE
Austin Pruitt pitching for Tampa BayTBTOR
Bourjos in left field.53
Smoak grounded out to shortstop.53
Carrera reached on infield single to shortstop.53
Travis grounded out to third, Carrera to second.53
Maile safe at first on error by shortstop Beckham, Carrera to third.53
Goins lined out to left.53
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors
Tampa Bay - Top of 9thSCORE
Dominic Leone pitching for TorontoTBTOR
Norris homered to left (374 feet).63
Dickerson doubled to deep right.63
Howell relieved Leone.63
Kiermaier safe at first on error by second baseman Travis, Dickerson to third.63
Dickerson scored, Kiermaier to second on wild pitch by Howell.73
Longoria grounded into fielder's choice to third, Kiermaier out at third.73
Miller grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Longoria out at second.73
2 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors
Toronto - Bottom of 9thSCORE
Jumbo Diaz pitching for Tampa BayTBTOR
Díaz relieved Pruitt.73
Pillar doubled to deep right center.73
Coghlan hit for Barney.73
Coghlan singled to right center, Pillar to third.73
Bautista hit sacrifice fly to center, Pillar scored.74
Whitley relieved Díaz.74
Morales popped out to third.74
Coghlan to second on fielder's indifference.74
Coghlan to third on fielder's indifference.74
Smoak struck out swinging.74
1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors





Tampa Bay Rays

HittersABRHRBIBBSO#PAVGOBPSLG
Dickerson DH52210113.329.368.659
Kiermaier CF50100116.231.320.319
Longoria 3B51110124.226.318.409
Miller 2B31002125.217.350.361
Souza Jr. RF40100219.326.398.543
Morrison 1B41120213.243.341.473
Beckham SS31101113.282.309.513
Peterson LF40100111.294.333.441
0000000.185.290.296
Norris C41220112.185.214.262
Totals377106311146   
BATTING
2B: Dickerson (9, Leone)
3B: Beckham (2, Leone)
HR: Dickerson (6, 8th inning off Stroman 0 on, 0 Out); Longoria (4, 8th inning off Grilli 0 on, 1 Out); Morrison (5, 8th inning off Leone 1 on, 2 Out); Norris (1, 9th inning off Leone 0 on, 0 Out)
RBI: Norris 2 (8), Dickerson (10), Longoria (13), Morrison 2 (14)
2-out RBI: Norris, Morrison 2
GIDP: Longoria, Miller
Rays RISP: 1-6 (Peterson 0-1, Dickerson 0-1, Norris 1-1, Kiermaier 0-1, Longoria 0-1, Morrison 0-1)
Team LOB: 6
FIELDING
E: Beckham (3, ground ball)
DP: 1 (Beckham-Miller-Morrison).

Game Information

StadiumRogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Attendance36,256 (73.6% full) - % is based on regular season capacity
Game Time3:16
Weatherindoors
UmpiresHome Plate - D.J. Reyburn, First Base - Sam Holbrook, Second Base - Jim Wolf, Third Base - Chad Whitson