Paredes, Franco lift Rays over Blue Jays 6-2

Isaac Paredes and Wander Franco both hit solo home runs as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader.

TORONTO – Isaac Paredes and Wander Franco both hit solo home runs as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader.

Randy Arozarena, René Pinto and Yandy Diaz each had an RBI single as Tampa Bay (41-36) snapped a four-game skid.

Shane McClanahan (9-3) was dialled in for the Rays, striking out 10 and giving up one run on three hits over seven innings of work. Javy Guerra and Phoenix Sanders closed things out for Tampa.

“(McClanahan) looks like a guy throwing it 91 but he’s really throwing it 96, 97 which is tough,” said Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo. “He’s one of the best pitchers in baseball, for sure.”

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s single in the first inning opened the scoring for Toronto (44-34), which won the first two of the rare five-game series. Matt Chapman added a late run when he grounded out in the ninth.

Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman struck out three and gave up four hits in two scoreless innings before being hit by a comebacker. He was removed from the game with a right ankle contusion.

“Just like everybody else, I was hoping that it wasn’t anything worse than a contusion and that’s what had happened and that’s good news,” said Montoyo. “And then (I thought about) who was going to cover the game.”

Casey Lawrence (0-1), who had been recalled from triple-A earlier Saturday for the doubleheader, pitched 5 2/3 innings of relief, allowing six runs. Max Castillo came on after him.