Alejandro Kirk hits 3-run homer as Blue Jays beat Rays 3-1 for 5th win in 6 games
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Chris Bassitt (40) throws to a Tampa Bay Rays batter in first inning American League baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) catches a pop-up off the bat of Toronto Blue Jays centre fielder Daulton Varsho in second inning American League baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot (44) throws to a Toronto Bluer Jays batter in first inning American League baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr (27) gestures to third base coach Carlos Febles after arriving safely at third base against the Tampa Bay Rays in first inning American League baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Addison Barger runs out a single against the Tampa Bay Rays in fifth inning baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Addison Barger runs out a single against the Tampa Bay Rays in fifth inning baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Chris Bassitt (40) throws to a Tampa Bay Rays batter in first inning American League baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) catches a pop-up off the bat of Toronto Blue Jays centre fielder Daulton Varsho in second inning American League baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot (44) throws to a Toronto Bluer Jays batter in first inning American League baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr (27) gestures to third base coach Carlos Febles after arriving safely at third base against the Tampa Bay Rays in first inning American League baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Addison Barger runs out a single against the Tampa Bay Rays in fifth inning baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
TORONTO (AP) — Alejandro Kirk hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 on Wednesday night.
Brendon Little (2-0) got four outs for the win, Yariel Rodríguez pitched the eighth and Yimi García finished for his third save in six chances.
Advertisement
Kirk had two hits, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached base three times and scored a run as the Blue Jays bounced back from Tuesday's 11-9 defeat and won for the fifth time in six games.
Rays right-hander Ryan Pepiot (2-5) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings, extending his winless streak to three starts. He walked one and struck out seven.
Pepiot walked Guerrero to begin the sixth before striking out Anthony Santander and George Springer. Daulton Varsho singled and Kirk followed with a 407-foot homer to center.
Kirk came up against reliever Eric Orze in the eighth with runners at second and third, but center fielder Kameron Misner made a sliding catch on Kirk's sinking liner to end the threat.
Advertisement
Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt allowed one run and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out six.
Misner hit an RBI single off Bassitt in the fourth, but Tampa Bay could have scored more. Misner was tagged out at home plate trying to score from third base on Travis Jankowski's grounder, and Danny Jansen grounded out to strand a runner.
Key moment
Kirk fell behind 0-2 before homering on Pepiot's next pitch. The homer was Kirk's third.
Key stat
The Rays are 6-15 against AL opponents.
Up next
Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (3-3, 3.97 ERA) is scheduled to face Rays RH Zack Littell (2-5, 4.40) in Thursday afternoon's series finale.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox Sports
18 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
US Open a race against daylight on rain-soaked Oakmont
Associated Press OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — The U.S. Open turned into a sprint through the soggy fairways of Oakmont on Sunday following a downpour that caused a delay of 1 hour, 37 minutes as Sam Burns tried to hold off Adam Scott for his first major. Heavy rain began to leave large puddles on the lightning-fast greens of Oakmont that caused a stoppage in the final round. Burns was at 2-under par — 2 over for the day — through seven holes, one shot ahead of Scott. They were the only players under par. J.J. Spaun, who started the final round one shot back, bogeyed five of the opening six holes to fall four behind. Jon Rahm was the leader in the clubhouse after a 67 to finish at 4-over 284. ___ AP golf: recommended in this topic
San Francisco Chronicle
18 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Happ hits a game-ending single in the 10th as the Cubs top the Pirates 3-2
CHICAGO (AP) — Ian Happ hit a game-ending single in the 10th inning, and the Chicago Cubs edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 on Sunday. The Cubs used a double steal to put runners on second and third in the 10th against David Bednar (1-5). Jon Berti struck out swinging for the first out, but Happ followed with a liner to right, delighting the crowd of 40,162 at Wrigley Field. The NL Central leaders won three of four against the last-place Pirates. Every game was a one-run contest. Dansby Swanson and Michael Busch each had two hits for Chicago. Swanson and Seiya Suzuki each drove in a run. Chris Flexen (4-0) pitched a 1-2-3 10th for the win, completing a four-hitter. Spencer Horwitz had two hits and drove in a run for the Pirates. Alexander Canario had a run-scoring groundout. Each team scored two runs in the first. Horwitz singled in Oneil Cruz for the game's first run, and Swanson tied it at 2 with an RBI single in the bottom half. Pittsburgh right-hander Mitch Keller surrendered three hits in six innings. Keller lowered his ERA to 4.08 on the season, but he is winless in his last 14 starts. Key moment Chicago second baseman Nico Hoerner made a diving grab of Isiah Kiner-Falefa's low liner to end the top of the 10th and prevent automatic runner Adam Frazier from scoring. Key stat The Cubs improved to 12-6 in one-run games. Up next Pirates: LHP Bailey Falter (5-3, 3.36 ERA) faces Tigers RHP Casey Mize (6-2, 2.95 ERA) at Detroit on Tuesday. ___
San Francisco Chronicle
18 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Paris Saint-Germain thumps Atlético Madrid 4-0 in an impressive Club World Cup opener
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Fabián Ruiz and Vitinha scored in the first half, and Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain opened Club World Cup play with a 4-0 victory over Atlético Madrid on Sunday. PSG largely dominated Atlético at the Rose Bowl in its first match since trouncing Inter Milan 5-0 to win its first Champions League title on May 31. Senny Mayulu and Lee Kang-in scored against 10-man Atlético in the second half of the European powers' meeting in front of 80,619 fans at the site of the 1994 World Cup final for one of the highest-profile matches in the group stage of the first 32-team edition of the Club World Cup. Atlético's Clément Lenglet was sent off in the 78th minute with his second yellow card on a frustrating day that left Diego Simeone visibly furious at both the referees and his players' mistakes. Ousmane Dembélé wasn't in uniform for PSG after reportedly injuring a quadriceps while playing for France on June 6. Gonçalo Ramos replaced Dembélé in Luis Enrique's only change to the starting lineup from the Champions League final. Enrique wore shorts and a training shirt on the sideline while coaching PSG in 88-degree midday California heat ((31 Celsius). PSG controlled possession early, and Ruiz capitalized atop the penalty area in the 19th minute. The Spanish midfielder long coveted by Atlético beat Jan Oblak with a clever strike into the far corner. Vitinha followed with a goal in injury time off Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's second assist of the first half. Julián Alvarez appeared to answer for Atlético in the second half, but the goal was waved off after VAR determined Koke had fouled Désiré Doué in the buildup. Alexander Sørloth horrifically missed an open net in the 82nd minute for Atlético. Mayulu iced PSG's victory five minutes later, and Lee converted a penalty on the final kick of the match. Key moment Atlético got a golden chance to tie it in first-half injury time, but Gianluigi Donnarumma swallowed up Thomas Griezmann's hard shot in the box. Moments later, Vitinha slipped through the Atlético defense and scored on the break. Takeaways PSG looked remarkably sharp late in its taxing season, showing no sign of treating this tournament as an anticlimax. The champs are in good shape to advance from group play after winning their toughest group match on paper. ___
