Rays Beat Toronto 5-2
Posted August 16, 2009 6:23 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Gregg Zaun had a pinch-hit grand slam in the eighth inning, leading the Tampa Bay Rays past the Toronto Blue 5-2 on Sunday.
It was Zaun’s fifth career grand slam and first since Sept. 6 while with Toronto against the Rays.
Ben Zobrist had a one-out single off Brandon League (1-5) and went to third on Carlos Pena’s double. After Willy Aybar was intentionally walked to load the bases and pinch-hitter Gabe Gross struck out during a 10-pitch at-bat, Zaun sent a 3-2 pitch into the right field seats.
League hit the next batter, B.J. Upton, on the first pitch, which prompted plate umpire Jim Joyce to warn both benches. After talking with Joyce, Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston replaced League with Casey Janssen.
Dan Wheeler (4-3) pitched a perfect 1 1-3 innings for the win.
Blue Jays rookie left-hander Marc Rzepczynski gave up one run and six hits over six innings. Toronto, which has lost 9 of 12 games this season against Tampa Bay, got a ninth-inning solo homer from Marco Scutaro.
Carl Crawford put the Rays ahead 1-0 on an RBI double during the third. The American League all-star went 7-of-12 with five doubles in the three-game series with the Blue Jays.
Toronto tied it at 1 when Vernon Wells hit a fifth-inning run-scoring single.
Rays starter Matt Garza struggled, but wound up allowing just one run on eight hits and two walks in five innings. The Blue Jays went 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine against the right-hander.
Garza worked out of a bases loaded, no out jam in the third. He retired Adam Lind on a flyball, struck out Lyle Overbay and got a grounder from Vernon Wells.
Toronto had two on with no outs in the fourth, but again failed to score.
