ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Kevin Gausman allowed one hit and struck out 10 over eight masterful innings and the Toronto Blue Jays began a nine-game road trip with a 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.
The Blue Jays have won 11 of 13 and extended their lead over Tampa Bay to four games for the American League wild card spot.
Jordan Romano worked the ninth to pick up his AL-best 25th save, though he allowed Taylor Walls to lead off the ninth.
The Blue Jays were busy before the trade deadline an hour before Game 1. They acquired two-time AL All-Star reliever Whit Merrifield from Kansas City and got relievers Anthony Bass and Zach Pope from Miami.
Gausman (8-8) walked Randy Arozarena leading off the first, hit Isaac Paredes with a one-out throw, then retired 14 straight before Walls singled for the Rays’ first hit to start the sixth. The right-hander threw 75 of 103 pitches.
Toronto took a 1-0 lead in the first when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubled and scored Beau Bichette off Drew Rasmussen (6-4). Guerrero is on a 13-fight hitting streak.
Danny Jansen blasted a two-run single to center with two outs in the ninth.
Rasmussen gave up one run and six hits over six innings.
Tampa Bay is 3-8 after the All-Star break.
Center fielder Jose Siri, acquired from Houston on Monday, went 0 for 3 in his debut for the Rays. He made a nifty sliding catch to take away Bichette’s hit with two on and two outs in the third and just missed making a diving catch on Jansen’s single.
BEAM REINFORCEMENTS
Despite making only a small trade on Tuesday, sending OF Brett Phillips to Baltimore for $100,000, Tampa Bay should get some big help on the inside in late August or early September.
President of baseball operations Eric Neander said SS Wander Franco (right humerus surgery) and OFs Harold Ramirez (broken right thumb) and Manuel Margot (strained right patellar tendon) could return during the time frame.
TRAINING ROOM
Blue Jays: OF George Springer (right elbow) was out for the third time in the last four games. He will be re-evaluated on Wednesday.
Rays: C Francisco Mejia (right shoulder sprain) and RHP Matt Wisler (neck strain) could return later this week. … RHP Yonny Chirinois (Tommy John surgery) and LHP Brendan McKay (thoracic outlet syndrome surgery) moved their rehab assignments from the rookie-level FCL to Class-A Charleston,
NEXT
Blue Jays: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (4-5), Wednesday’s starter, is 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA in three games against Tampa Bay.
Rays: LHP Ryan Yarbrough (0-6) will start or follow Wednesday’s opener.
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