Lawrence walks home winner in MLB debut, Rays top Jays in 11

Archer recovered to get Morales to hit into a double play, which moved Bautista to third base.

Colome took care of the Jays in the ninth. The last pitcher to lead his league in ERA at that tender age was Clayton Kershaw back in 2011 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He just didn’t have much to show for it. “I’ve been feeling pretty good”. “So I’m just happy that it happened in a win”.

The Rays continued to add to their lead in the second, as yet another walk came around to score on a sacrifice fly.

“I threw a lot of sinkers today”, Stroman said.

That was ugly. I hope we all bet the over.

“Since Day One I’ve been excited to see the ‘Mallex Effect, ‘ ” Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer said of his new teammate, “and it was on full display tonight”.

Mallex Smith opened the 11th with a double, the fifth straight time he reached base.

NOTES: After needing 7 2/3 innings from five relievers in Friday’s 10-8 loss, the Blue Jays selected RHP Casey Lawrence from Triple-A Buffalo. Weeks hit a high fly to left, that probably would have been caught by Ezequiel Carrera, but the ball hit the B-ring hanging from the roof of the Trop and the hit turned into a double. The play was reviewed but the call stood. Reliever Tommy Hunter struck out Bautista to end the inning.

“It was a awful throw”.

ST. LOUIS – In a most sticky situation, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina couldn’t find a ball that clung to his chest protector and the Chicago Cubs turned the weird play into a late rally, beating St. Louis 6-4 on Thursday. “He’s huge, man. He’s kind of the rock of the group”.

The Rays scored first in the fifth, as Dickerson singled in Derek Norris, who led off with a single and went to second on Smith’s walk. Morrison looked to have a shot to get Martin at home, but bobbled the ball. With Aaron Sanchez due to start Saturday in his first outing since popping a blister almost two weeks ago in spring training, at least one reliever will be needed to keep the team from being exposed. Tulowitzki then hit a single to left to score Donaldson and tie the game 1-1.

Aaron Sanchez gave up one run on four hits in seven innings in his first start of the season for Toronto. Longoria connected for his second homer.

Howell then went walk, two-run Souza double and walk before Joe Smith took over, and he struck out the side around a bad-luck bloop single over the drawn-in infield by Logan Morrison that made it 9-7.

The Blue Jays trimmed the lead in the bottom of the sixth on Matagolai’s RBI single but were nailed on six runs, two innings in a row. Barney had two hits and walked once.

The scoring did not stop there, as Liriano gave up yet another walk, before surrendering Daniel Robertson’s first career hit. Smith led off the ninth with a walk and stole second. The Toronto Blue Jays have lost 15 straight regular season games when allowing more than three runs. Grilli then struck out pinch hitter pinch hitter Rickie Weeks Jr.to end the inning. He picked up the save.

Steve Pearce hit leadoff for the Jays and went 0 for 4. Martin also remains hitless this season, though he got a walk and scored on Thursday night. That’s how locked in he is right now that he didn’t have to hurry up and get it done.

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The attendance was announced at 12,678, about half of which were Jays fans. This is a team that certainly misses its closer Roberto Osuna who is on the DL with neck and back issues though Osuna is expected to be ready in Toronto’s home opener on Tuesday at the Rogers Centre. “That would have been big”, Gibbons said.

Sanchez overcame a throwing error on a pickoff attempt in the seventh. “Definitely no more pain in my neck or back”, Osuna said.

“I now feel better (because) we have done some exercises to relax the muscle, which was really tight”, Osuna told ESPN (translated from Spanish).

He was all over the place with his pitches, making for a long Blue Jays debut for Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Reliever Erasmo Ramirez was credited the win after working 1 2/3 scoreless innings.