Blue Jays Rally In Ninth To Win 3-2 And Prevent Three-Game Sweep By Rays
Posted August 26, 2009 11:36 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Marco Scutaro scored on a wild pitch and Rod Barajas tied the game with a solo shot in the ninth as the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to defeat the Tampa Bays Rays 3-2 Wednesday and avoid a three-game series sweep.
Barajas tied the game 2-2 with one out in the ninth with his 13th homer of the season against Rays closer J.P Howell (6-4). It was the second pinch-hit homer of the season for Toronto, both by Barajas.
Howell then walked Scutaro and he took second on Aaron Hill’s fly out to deep centre. Vernon Wells and Kevin Millar walked to load the bases for Randy Ruiz, and then Howell uncorked a wild pitch on a 2-2 delivery that Rays catcher Gregg Zaun couldn’t handle.
It was only the fourth win by the Blue Jays in 15 meetings between the two teams this year. Brandon League (2-5) pitched the ninth to pick up the win.
Toronto starter Marc Rzepczynski, who struck out seven and did not allow a hit through 5 2-3 innings, gave up three hits and two runs, both on Gabe Kapler’s fifth homer of the season. He finished the inning and Jesse Carlson took over in the seventh before a crowd of 15,349 at the Rogers Centre.
Rays starter Scott Kazmir allowed four hits and one run while striking out 10 in six innings before giving way to Russ Springer.
Down 2-0 after Pat Burrell singled and Kapler homered in the sixth, the Blue Jays came back with a run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double by Jose Bautista, bringing in Kevin Millar and cutting Toronto’s deficit to 2-1.
John McDonald had a rare start at third base and in the second inning made a spectacular play to rob Burrell of a hit. McDonald nearly caught Burrell’s line drive with a diving play but the ball squirted out of his glove. McDonald retrieved the ball and threw to first to get the out.
