On Tuesday, Drew Smyly and the Tampa Bay Rays set a club record for most consecutive games in which starters have allowed three earned runs or fewer. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)
On Tuesday, Drew Smyly and the Tampa Bay Rays set a club record for most consecutive games (20) in which starters have allowed three earned runs or fewer. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)
The Tampa Bay Rays rolled past Toronto 9-2 on Tuesday, and now have won four of five games at the Rogers Centre this season, scoring 45 runs along the way.


Source: FanGraphs

The Rays took a one-run lead when Logan Forsythe hammered a leadoff solo shot to right field off Marco Estrada, who only lasted five innings (on 113 pitches).

It was Forsythe’s second long-ball in as many at-bats, his second career leadoff homer, and his 12th home run of the season.

Tampa Bay tacked on another run in the fourth inning on Devon Travis’ throwing error, allowing Brad Miller to score from third. They also added another in the fifth when Steven Souza Jr. looped a two-out single to right, putting the Rays up by three.

Meanwhile, in spite of a one out first inning double given up to Jose Bautista, and a four pitch walk of Josh Donaldson, Smyly got through the front four innings without any damage. He, however, allowed two runs in the fifth inning after loading the bases with none out. The Blue Jays scored on Melvin Upton Junior’s sacrifice-fly and Devon Travis’ RBI base hit, before Bautista grounded into an inning ending 4-6-3 double play, keeping Tampa Bay up by a run.

Thankfully the good guys answered in the sixth inning against reliever Danny Barnes, after Kevin Kiermaier walked with one out, and then scored on Evan Longoria’s double to left center.

Longoria now has 61 career extra base hits against the Blue Jays — third all-time among third basemen behind Wade Boggs (65), George Brett (64).

The inning wasn’t done. Miller walked ahead of Mikie Mahtook, who singled home Longoria, capping the two-run rally.

Leading 5-2 in the sixth, Smyly allowed a pair of back-to-back base hits to Donaldson and Edwin Encarnacion, then walked Russell Martin to load the bases with none out. Smyly, however, coaxed a popper to first out of Troy Tulowitzki, then fanned Michael Saunders before getting Justin Smoak to pop out to end the inning.

Tampa Bay put the game away against reliever Scott Feldman. Souza singled to left to start the seventh, and though Tim Beckham struck out for the first out of the frame, Luke Maile singled to left to put two on. Forsythe followed with an RBI single to right — his third hit of the night — for a four-run advantage. Kiermaier was next, and The Outlaw doubled through the right side to make it a five run game. Longoria capped the rally with a two-run single to center, pushing the lead to 9-2. Longoria had three of the 15 total hits and plated three runs.

The offensive outburst made a winner out of Smyly, who allowed just two runs over six innings in his fourth consecutive quality start. He helped the Rays set a club record for most consecutive games in which starters have allowed three earned runs or fewer at 20.

Erasmo Ramirez followed Smyly and earned the save with three efficient perfect innings on just 27 pitches (20 strikes).

The New What Next

The third and final game of the series between the AL East foes takes place on Wednesday. Blake Snell (3-4, 2.95 ERA) will take the mound opposite JA Happ (15-3, 3.09 ERA). Snell turned in another solid outing on Friday, striking out seven while giving up just one earned run on four hits and two walks over 5-1/3 innings. Happ fanned six over six innings Thursday in Houston, surrendering just one run on four hits and a walk en route to a 4-1 win. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.

Rays 8/10/16 Starting Lineup

Forsythe 2B
Kiermaier CF
Longoria 3B
Miller 1B
Mahtook LF
Souza RF
Beckham SS
Shaffer DH
Maile C
Snell LHP

Noteworthiness

— Never forget:

—  Join us Wednesday at Urban Comfort Restaurant and Brewery in St Petersburg for a Rays watch party. More information can be found at the link.

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