Recap: Tampa Bay vs. Toronto
Sports Network | August 26, 2008
St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Vernon Wells homered and drove in three runs to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in the opener of a three-game series. Roy Halladay produced another strong outing for the Blue Jays, who have won nine of their last 13 games overall. Halladay (16-9) allowed two runs on six hits over six strong innings that included seven strikeouts. Lyle Overbay notched two RBI in the win. Eric Hinske drove in both runs for Tampa Bay, which has lost two straight games. Coupled with Boston's victory on Tuesday, the Rays lead in the AL East is 3 1/2 games over the Red Sox. James Shields (11-8) suffered the loss after he allowed four runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and two walks. Tampa Bay starting catcher Dioner Navarro left the game in the seventh inning due to an apparent leg injury. Wells' RBI single in the top of the first opened the scoring before the visitors scored two more runs in the third inning for a 3-0 advantage. In the third, Alex Rios doubled, Adam Lind walked and both scored on a double by Overbay. Tampa cut its deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run double by Hinske. The two-base hit scored Akinori Iwamura and Carlos Pena. However, the Blue Jays made it 4-2 in the seventh via Wells' run-scoring. A pair of solo homers --- one by Rod Barajas in the eighth and another by Wells in the ninth -- created a four-run edge for Toronto. B.J. Ryan tossed a scoreless ninth to close it out. Toronto sits eight games behind Boston in the wild card race. Game Notes Halladay, whose earned run average is 2.69, defeated the Rays for the first time in four starts this season...Prior to the game, the Blue Jays activated third baseman Scott Rolen from the 15-day disabled list. Rolen, who had been struggling with a left shoulder injury, did not play...In his last three games, Wells has four home runs and nine RBI...Shields is now 4-2 in seven career starts versus the Jays...It was Barajas' 11th homer of the season...Attendance was 13,478. Game Notes Halladay, whose earned run average is 2.69, defeated the Rays for the first time in four starts this season...Prior to the game, the Blue Jays activated third baseman Scott Rolen from the 15-day disabled list. Rolen, who had been struggling with a left shoulder injury, did not play...In his last three games, Wells has four home runs and nine RBI...Shields is now 4-2 in seven career starts versus the Jays...It was Barajas' 11th homer of the season...Attendance was 13,478.
