Kikuchi fans nine as Blue Jays top Rays 5-2
Global News
Yusei Kikuchi had nine strikeouts over six strong innings to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.
TORONTO – Yusei Kikuchi had nine strikeouts over six strong innings to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.
The left-hander allowed four hits and one earned run on a sunny afternoon with the roof open at Rogers Centre.
Danny Jansen and Alejandro Kirk had two hits apiece for the Blue Jays, who have won nine of their last 11 games.
Tampa Bay opened the season with 13 straight victories before dropping the opener of the three-game series on Friday night. The Rays (13-2) will try to avoid the sweep on Sunday afternoon.
The only hiccup for Kikuchi (2-0) was a fourth-inning solo shot by Taylor Walls.
Relievers Erik Swanson, Adam Cimber and Jordan Romano of Markham, Ont., finished off the win. Romano gave up three singles before locking down his sixth save of the year.
Toronto (10-5) was rewarded for its aggressiveness on the basepaths in the third inning. Kevin Kiermaier and George Springer pulled off a double-steal and the former came home on a Bo Bichette groundout.
The Blue Jays’ outfielders delivered some standout plays to keep Tampa’s offence in check in the early going.
