Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Adam Lind's two-run homer off Rafael Soriano in the ninth inning lifted Toronto over the AL wild-card leading Rays, 5-4.
Adam Lind Walk-Off Gives Blue Jays Stunning Win Over Rays
B.J. Upton hit a sacrifice fly to score Brad Hawpe in the top of the ninth to give the Rays the lead, and Soriano (2-2) came in to close out the potential three-game sweep. The Jays had other plans, however, as Lind followed Aaron Hill's leadoff single with a no-doubter over the right-field wall, ending Toronto's four-game skid.
“When I first hit it, I thought it was gone for sure, and then I thought it wasn’t going to make it over the wall,” recalled Lind. “Then I saw it cleared the fence and it was awesome.”
The loss leaves Tampa Bay a half-game behind the AL East-leading Yankees, who lost to Texas later in the day. The Rays open a three-game home series with New York on Monday, the first of seven games between the contenders over the next 11 days.
“[Soriano] has been absolutely brilliant for us all year, and they got to him today,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said of his closer, who had converted his previous 19 save chances.
Kevin Gregg (2-5) allowed the go-ahead run in the ninth but was still credited with the win behind Shaun Marcum, who allowed three runs on six hits in six innings.
Jeff Niemann was touched for three runs on two hits and four walks in a five- inning start for Tampa.
Evan Longoria’s one-out double over Vernon Wells’ head in the fourth was the first hit of the game, and Ben Zobrist’s opposite-field double to right two batters later made it a 1-0 game.
The Jays pushed across three in the bottom half, loading the bases with a double, walk and single. Hill then hit a dribbler back to the mound, and Niemann opted to go home with the ball. His toss went well high and to the backstop, allowing Jose Bautista and Wells to score. Lyle Overbay then came in on John Buck's sacrifice fly.
The Rays tied it in the sixth. Sean Rodriguez and Longoria each singled to start the inning, and the former came around on Zobrist's ground-rule double, while the latter raced home on a wild pitch.
Tampa Bay still won the season series, 10-8...The Blue Jays have hit a home run in a season-high 14 straight contests, the first time the club has accomplished the feat since 2002...Niemann had allowed 23 runs over 10 innings in three previous starts since returning from the disabled list.
See More:
