Music: {allcanada} Romero, Bautista shine as Jays down Rays

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

{allcanada} Romero, Bautista shine as Jays down Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Ricky Romero tossed a one-hitter over eight innings and Jon Rauch survived a nervous ninth as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 on Tuesday.

Jose Bautista hit his 32nd homer of the season for Toronto.

Romero (9-9), who didn't allow a hit until Desmond Jennings started the sixth with a homer, struck out seven and walked four over eight innings. Rauch allowed two-out singles in the ninth to Casey Kotchman and B.J. Upton before retiring Matt Joyce on a fly to left on a 3-0 pitch for his 10th save.

Toronto, which is three games over .500 (56-53) for the first time since April 8, also got a homer from Yunel Escobar.

Tampa Bay was one-hit by Seattle's Michael Pineda in a 3-2 loss to the Mariners last Saturday. The Rays have lost 11 of 17.

AL all-star David Price (9-10), who entered with eight wins and a no-decision in nine career starts against Toronto, gave up three runs and five hits in 6 2-3 inning.

Bautista put the Blue Jays ahead 1-0 on his first homer in 15 games -- snapping a drought of 46 at-bats without one -- on a fourth-inning shot off Price. The Toronto slugger is 9 for 22 with four homers against the Rays left-hander.

Tampa Bay had reliever J.P. Howell intentionally walk Bautista with no one on base and two outs in the eighth. Howell then retired Adam Lind on a grounder.

Escobar made it 2-0 on a homer in the sixth. Jennings, hitless in his previous 13 at-bats, got the Rays to 2-1 on his shot in the bottom of the innings.

Rajai Davis' RBI double, which ended Price's night, extended the Blue Jays advantage to 3-1 in the seventh.

Tampa Bay loaded the bases -- on two walks and a hit batter -- in the second, but failed to score when Romero struck out Joyce and Kelly Shoppach before getting an inning-ending grounder from Sean Rodriguez.

NOTES: Tampa Bay executive vice-president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman was at the ballpark, three days after having an appendectomy. ... Toronto manager John Farrell said RHP Jesse Litsch could remain in the bullpen the final two months of the season to help decide where he is best suited to pitch. ... Rays manager Joe Maddon has a bad head cold that he picked up over the weekend in Seattle. .... Tampa Bay C John Jaso (right oblique strain) could resume swinging a bat by the end of the week. ... Rays bullpen coach Bobby Ramos (throat problem) rejoined the team after missing the just completed 10-game road trip.