Blue Jays' late rally falls short as wild-card grip loosens with loss to Rays
CBC
Shane Baz pitched two-hit ball for five innings to win his major league debut and the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays cut Toronto's lead in the wild-card chase, holding off the Blue Jays 6-4 on Monday night.
Tampa Bay holds a seven-game advantage over second-place Boston with 11 games remaining.
The Blue Jays, who scored twice in the ninth inning and left the bases loaded, had their edge over the New York Yankees for the second AL wild-card spot drop to a half-game.
Baz (1-0) gave up a pair of home runs and little else, striking out five and walking none. The 22-year-old righty, promoted from Triple-A Durham, was on this year's silver medal-winning U.S. Olympic baseball team.
Toronto, 15-4 in September, got homers from Teoscar Hernandez, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Marcus Semien.
The Blue Jays were limited to two hits and down 6-2 entering the ninth before George Springer had a leadoff double and scored on Semien's 41st homer off David Robertson.
JT Chargois replaced Robertson after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. walked and got two outs before Toronto loaded the bases on Danny Jansen's single and a walk to Gurriel.
