March 04, 2020 - 1:42 PM
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - The Tampa Bay Rays pounced on Toronto starter Anthony Kay early, then held on to defeat the Blue Jays 9-5 on Wednesday in Grapefruit League spring training
Tampa Bay scored four runs in the first inning off Kay, and added four more in the sixth to squash a Blue Jays comeback bid.
Kay, a 24-year-old left-hander acquired by the Blue Jays last season in the trade that sent Marcus Stroman to the New York Mets, lasted just 1/3 of an inning. He allowed one hit but walked four.
Bo Bichette hit a bases-clearing triple in the top of the third inning for Toronto, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. drove in another run on a double to cut the deficit to 5-4. Bichette had two hits, one walk and a stolen base.
Patrick Kivlehan added a run for the Blue Jays on a ninth-inning solo homer.
All four of Tampa's sixth-inning runs came with Toronto reliever Patrick Murphy on the mound. Three runs were earned.
Right-hander Tyler Glasnow earned the win for the Rays. He allowed two hits and struck out three over 1 2/3 innings.
The Blue Jays open the regular season at home March 26 against the Boston Red Sox.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 4, 2020.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2020