Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi struck out eight, Teoscar Hernandez and Santiago Espinal hit two-run homers and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 Thursday night.
Hernandez also had a double and single in the opener of a five-game series.
Isaac Paredes hit a home run for Tampa Bay.
Kikuchi (3-4) allowed one run, four hits and one walk in six innings.
Right-hander Matt Wisler pitched a runless first inning as Tampa Bay's opener. Left-hander Ryan Yarbrough (0-4) took over in the second inning and allowed four runs, eight hits and one walk in 5 1/3 innings.
Alejandro Kirk led off the bottom of the second with an infield single to second and scored when Hernandez hit a drive to left for his eighth homer of the season.
Paredes hit his 11th home run of the season, a drive to left with two out in the fourth.
Yandy Diaz and Wander Franco opened the sixth with singles. Harold Ramirez grounded to third to start a 5-3 double play. Randy Arozarena grounded out to third.
Vidal Brujan singled against Trent Thornton with one out in the seventh, stole second and continued to third on a throwing error charged to catcher Gabriel Moreno. Thornton stopped the threat on a strikeout and a foul out.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. led off the bottom of the seventh with a bloop single to right and Espinal hit a blast to left for his sixth home run of the season. After Moreno walked and George Springer singled, Calvin Faucher replaced Yarbrough.
David Phelps pitched around a walk in the top of the eighth inning.
Adam Cimber pitched a perfect ninth with one strikeout to earn his fourth save of the season.
The Rays put left-hander Brooks Raley and right-hander Ryan Thompson on the restricted list because they did not meet Canadian COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Right-handers Javy Guerra and Phoenix Sanders were added as replacements.
The Rays placed left-hander Jeffrey Springs on the family medical emergency list and recalled Yarbrough from Triple-A Durham.
--Field Level Media
Tampa Bay | Toronto | |
Matt Wisler | Player | Yusei Kikuchi |
No Decision | W/L | Win |
1.0 | IP | 6.0 |
1 | Strikeouts | 8 |
0 | Hits | 4 |
0.00 | ERA | 1.50 |
Tampa Bay | Toronto | |
Yandy Diaz | Player | Teoscar Hernandez |
2 | Hits | 3 |
0 | RBI | 2 |
0 | HR | 1 |
2 | TB | 7 |
.667 | Avg | .750 |