The Tampa Bay Rays celebrate after their first walk-off win Saturday night. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

A day after slugging their way to a 10-8 win over Toronto, the Tampa Bay Rays edged out the Blue Jays in extra innings, 3–2, on a bases-loaded walk-off walk by Brad Miller — clinching their first winning home stand of the season.

Chris Archer started the game by retiring the first 12 batters he faced — six on strikeouts. In the fifth inning, Kendrys Morales singled to right, on an 0–2 pitch, to become the first baserunner for the Jays, however, he was erased on a double play later in the frame.

Knotted at zero in the bottom of the inning, Derek Norris led off the frame with a single to left, before Mallex Smith earned a walk. Tim Beckham followed by slapping a grounder to third, although a good takeout slide by Smith prevented a double play. With runners on the corners and just one out, Corey Dickerson lined an RBI single to center, giving the Rays the lead. Aaron Sanchez, who started frame having thrown just 28 pitches, collected himself and got both Kevin Kiermaier and Evan Longoria to hit soft liners to end the threat.

Aside from a two-out single by Kevin Pillar in the sixth, Archer sailed through the inning before retaking the mound with the lead in the seventh. The Rays’ ace lost the zone, however, and issued back-to-back walks to Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista, bringing Morales to the plate. After slicing a foul ball about a foot off the line, Morales ripped a 95 mph fastball to Brad Miller, who started a 4-6-3 double play that moved Donaldson to third. Just one out away from posting another goose egg, Troy Tulowitzki grounded a ball past the diving Tim Beckham for the Jays’ first run. Archer mowed down Steve Pearce to end the inning, but the damage was done.

Tampa Bay had a chance to take the lead back in the bottom of the seventh after Smith walked with one out, then moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt. Yet Dickerson struck out on Sanchez’s full count fastball to end the inning.

For whatever reason, Rays skipper Kevin Cash allowed Archer to take the mound in the top of the eighth. Archer promptly walked Russell Martin before Justin Smoak singled him to third. The right-hander bounced back with a Pillar pop out in foul territory, and a Devon Travis strikeout on four pitches. Yet Donaldson, who stepped into the box for the fourth time, hit a 1-0 RBI single to center, scoring Martin.

Archer’s day was done after 7-2/3 innings, after relinquishing two runs and striking out eight.

Tommy Hunter took over in relief and struck out Bautista to keep it a one-run affair. Make no mistake, Archer was very good over the course of his start, and this certainly isn’t meant to take anything away from him. But perhaps Hunter should have started the eighth after Archer labored through the seventh.

The Rays were able to answer in the bottom of the frame against Joe Biagini. Longo singled to right-center off with one out, and Miller walked on four pitches, bringing the red-hot Steven Souza Jr. (who was 8-21 this year going into the at-bat) to the plate. Souza ripped a single to center, knotting the game at two. Morrison and Norris flew out on the next two pitches, leaving the game even.

Tampa Bay and Toronto traded scoring chances until the bottom of the eleventh, when Smith got the winning rally started with a double to right off Casey Lawrence. After Beckham bunted Smith to third, John Gibbons inexplicably put the new intentional walk rule into effect no once but twice, waving both Dickerson and Kiermaier over, and bringing Longoria to the plate with the bases juiced. Longoria struck out swinging on three pitches, yet Miller played the role of walk-off hero when he worked a six-pitch walk that allowed Smith to cross the plate.

The New What Next

The Rays, 4–2 on the season, will try to win a third straight game on Sunday to wrap up the season’s first home stand. Per Neil Solondz (Rays Radio), the 4–2 start ties the franchise record for the best record after six games. Jake Odorizzi will take the mound opposite of Marco Estrada.

In 11 starts against Toronto, Odorizzi has a 3.26 ERA, and he’s been even better at home, posting a 1.35 ERA. Odorizzi gave up four runs on seven hits, including two homers, and two walks while striking out four over six innings against New York on Tuesday.

Estrada has had similar success against Tampa Bay, collecting a 2.70 ERA over six starts and 10 appearances. Estrada somehow has out pitched his peripherals. His 88 mph fastball and 8.5 K/9 outwardly make no sense, yet the past two seasons have been great for Estrada. When he’s healthy, he can pitch deeply into games, get average to above average strike outs, and control his walks. However, when he loses his command and control he becomes a home run pitcher because of his affinity for pitching up in the zone. Key matchups: Corey Dickerson (4-8, 2 RBI, 2 BB), Logan Morrison (3-11, 3B, HR, 4 RBI)

Rays 4/9/17 Starting Lineup

Dickerson DH
Kiermaier CF
Longoria 3B
Miller 2B
Souza Jr RF
Morrison 1B
Robertson SS
Smith LF
Sucre C
Odorizzi RHP

Noteworthiness

— Mallex Smith reached base five times last night and stole two bases, the first time that’s happened for a number nine hitter in the major leagues since Billy Hamilton did so in 2013.

— Speaking of Smith, Bradley Neveu (DRaysBay) wrote about how he owned the Jays on Saturday:

  • He legged out a would-be-groundout into a single in the 3rd inning
  • He broke up a high leverage double play in the 5th inning
  • He drew an errant pick off attempt from Aaron Sanchez in the 7th inning
  • He took 3rd base on a wild pitch in the 9th inning.
  • If you are ever asked to define the word “distracted,” show a video of Blue Jays reliever Joe Biagini pitching to Dickerson in the 9th, so preoccupied with Smith at first that he seems almost to forget that there’s a batter at the plate (although Dickerson did still manage to strike out.)

— It didn’t appear that Archer threw any slow sliders last night, focusing mainly on his upper ’80s/low ’90s slider, mid ’90s fastball, and mid ’80s changeup.

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