TORONTO -- What began as the return of Aaron Sanchez turned out to be a day of redemption for the Toronto Blue Jays' bullpen in a 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

By winning the rubber match of the three-game series, the Blue Jays won a series for the first time this season and it was the first time they have won two games in a row.

Sanchez left his start Sunday after one inning with a split nail on his right middle finger -- the finger that had developed a blister that put him on the disabled list -- and a bullpen that has been criticized took over.

Led by Ryan Tepera's 3 1/3 innings, six Toronto relievers held the Rays (12-14) to an eighth-inning run.

"They did a tremendous job," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "The way it matched up and the way their guys came in and executed, they did a really nice job."

The Blue Jays (8-17) scored three runs in the eighth, tying the game on a double that was Jose Bautista's 1,000 th hit as a Blue Jay and taking the lead on a single by Russell Martin.

"It was a great game, we had our backs against the wall, Sanchy had to come out and you look at what our bullpen did," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "It's pretty amazing to go through a whole month without winning two in a row until the very end. In a lot of ways that's hard to do."

Sanchez had not pitched since April 14 and was put in the DL with the blister. A procedure on April 18 removed part of the finger nail.

Sanchez said he first noticed the split nail Sunday after a leadoff walk to Corey Dickerson. "I looked down and it was bleeding," Sanchez said. "I came in and I found my nail split the opposite way they cut it in the procedure. It's just one of those things, you know, you get something done and you have to adjust."

When asked if this would rule him out of his next start, he said, "I hope not."

Sanchez got out of the first with a strikeout and a double-play grounder.

"I wouldn't have been out there if I throught it was something that was going to happen," Sanchez said. "So, I really didn't know coming in today that it was going to be an issue. I think once you get to game mode and game speed, the pressure on that nail began to disperse to different areas, maybe it wasn't strong enough because it was cut. Honestly, we don't know, we just have to go from here."

J.P. Howell (1-1) allowed a walk in one-third of an inning to pick up the win.

Roberto Osuna pitched around an error by shortstop Ryan Goins and an infield single in the ninth for his third save of the season.

Alex Colome (0-2) allowed three hits, an intentional walk and two runs in one-third of an inning to take the loss.

Tepera took over for Sanchez in the second inning, striking out five while allowing one hit.

"I think Ryan is coming into his own," Gibbons said. "He's locating the ball."

In the bottom of the first, Chris Archer's first pitch to Bautista went behind the Toronto right fielder. Both teams were warned.

"I was just trying to go inside and the ball got away from me a little bit," Archer said.

Archer did not factor in the decision, allowing four hits, two walks and one run in 7 1/3 innings. He struck out five.

"Archer was outstanding," Cash said. "I couldn't be happier or more impressed with the way Arch threw the ball. He gave us a chance to win. His first three innings he was just pumping strikes."

"It was good but not good enough to win," Archer said.

Aaron Loup survived two walks over two innings.

Dominic Leone allowed one hit and had a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning.

Joe Smith allowed a leadoff walk to Logan Morrison in the eighth followed by a single to Derek Norris. Morrison took third after tagging up on Shane Peterson's deep foul out to first and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Daniel Robertson.

Howell replaced Smith and walked Dickerson before ending the inning on Kevin Kiermaier's fly to right.

Archer walked Darwin Barney to start the bottom of the eighth. Kevin Pillar's hard ground ball deflected off Evan Longoria to Robertson at shortstop, who got the out at first as Barney took second.

Colome replaced Archer and gave up a double to Bautista off the left-field fence to tie the game. Kendrys Morales was intentionally walked. Justin Smoak struck out and Martin hit a single down the right-field line to give the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead.

Pinch-hitter Ezequiel Carrera hit an infield single up the middle to extend his hit streak to 10 games to put Toronto ahead 3-1.

NOTES: Tampa Bay RF Steven Souza Jr. (left-hand contusion) was not in the starting lineup Sunday. He left the game Saturday in the seventh inning after being hit on the hand by a pitch from RHP Joe Biagini. X-rays were negative and he is listed as day to day. ...Toronto LHP Matt Dermody was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo Sunday to make room on the 25-man roster for RHP Aaron Sanchez (right middle finger blister). ... Rays RHP Jake Odorizzi (strained right hamstring) will make his first start since April 15 Monday when he faces the Miami Marlins. Odorizzi (1-1, 4.15 ERA) will face Marlins LHP Wei-Yin Chen (2-1, 4.71 ERA) in the opener of a four-game series at Miami. ... Toronto RHP Marco Estrada (0-1, 2.70 ERA) will face New York RHP Luis Severino (2-1, 3.00 ERA) on Monday in the opener of a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.