ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Rays and Blue Jays engaged in another tense battle Saturday, this time swapping zeroes into the seventh inning.
That’s when Rays manager Kevin Cash took out starter Drew Rasmussen to bring in lefty Brooks Raley, and that’s when Whit Merrifield delivered the shot the Blue Jays needed, hitting a three-run homer.
The 3-1 win moved the Blue Jays (85-67) back ahead of the Rays (84-68) at the top of the three-team American League wild-card field. They have a one-game lead with 10 to play, though the Rays hold the tiebreaker.