By Canadian Press

Aranda homers as Rays squeeze past Blue Jays 3-2

Sep 21, 2024 | 4:27 PM

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Jonathan Aranda homered for the second consecutive game, helping Taj Bradley and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Saturday.

Aranda connected for a two-run shot in the third inning against Yariel Rodríguez (1-7), giving Tampa Bay a 3-0 lead. He also went deep in a 1-0 victory over Toronto on Friday night. Five of Aranda’s nine career homers have come against the Blue Jays.

Bradley (7-11) pitched five innings of one-run ball in his first win since July 25. The right-hander, who struck out four and walked two, was 0-7 with a 7.88 ERA in his previous nine starts.

Drew Rasmussen struck out three over two perfect innings to get his first save.

Rodríguez gave up four hits and three walks in four innings. He had three strikeouts.

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The Blue Jays threatened in each of the first three innings but failed to score. They went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position after they went 0-for-7 in those situations on Friday.

Alejandro Kirk extended his career-high hitting streak to 14 games with an RBI triple in the seventh for Toronto. It was the catcher’s first career three-base hit.

The Blue Jays scored their first run on Spencer Horwitz’s infield single in front of home plate in the fifth.

Ben Rortvedt had six hits in his previous 63 at-bats (. 095) before putting the Rays ahead 1-0 on a second-inning RBI single.

Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 3-for-5 and is hitting .324. The third baseman overran Yandy Díaz’s pop-up infield single in the seventh, but the Rays’ leadoff hitter was left stranded at first base.

UP NEXT

Rays RHP Shane Baz (3-3. 3.21 ERA) starts Sunday against Toronto. Baz has gone five or more innings and allowed three hits or fewer in a team-record five consecutive starts.

The Blue Jays have not announced their starter, but former Rays LHP Ryan Yarbrough (5-2, 3.36 ERA) could get the call.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Mark Didtler, The Associated Press