TORONTO — Shane McClanahan returned to the mound Thursday looking every bit healthy and over the shoulder injury that sidelined him for a couple of weeks.
And that has his Rays feeling pretty good about things again.
McClanahan worked five shutout innings as the Rays beat the Blue Jays 11-0 to put a good finish on a rough road trip, having lost three of five in Toronto after dropping two of three at Yankee Stadium.
Still, the Rays headed home 80-63 and a close third in the three-team American League wild-card field, with a 4½-game cushion over the Orioles (who are closest to crashing the party) with 19 games to play.
The Rays gave McClanahan an early lead with a four-run second inning off Jays starter Kevin Gausman.
They did so with a historic twist as they — coincidentally, but appropriately, on Roberto Clemente Day — had the first batting order in major-league history with all nine players from Latin American countries.
Their rally started with one-out singles by David Peralta (Venezuela) and Isaac Paredes (Mexico), followed by an RBI single by Rene Pinto (Venezuela). After Jose Siri (Dominican Republic) popped up a bunt, Yandy Diaz (Cuba) blasted a three-run homer to left to make it 4-0.
They added on in the seventh, as Paredes hit his 19th homer of the season, tying Randy Arozarena for the team lead.
Also in the Rays lineup were Arozarena (Cuba), Wander Franco and Manuel Margot (both Dominican Republic), as well as Harold Ramirez (Colombia).
McClanahan has been out since feeling discomfort in his left shoulder while warming up Aug. 30 in Miami and being diagnosed with an impingement. A cortisone shot he received on Sept. 1 seemed to help, and within a few days McClanahan and the Rays’ staff became optimistic of a quick return.
Thursday was the first day he was eligible to come off the injured list, and he certainly looked ready, allowing three hits, walking just one and striking out five, while throwing 46 of his 69 pitches for strikes. He also hit 99 mph or higher eight times, topping out at 100.1.
McClanahan, whose last start was Aug. 24, needed 23 pitches to get through the first inning, then become increasingly effective and efficient.
He retired leadoff man George Springer, allowed back-to-back singles to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, then settled in to strike out Matt Chapman and Teoscar Hernandez on a fly to right.
He pretty much cruised from there, allowing just a one-out walk to Whit Merrifield in the second and a two-out single by Santiago Espinal in the fourth, retiring 11 of his last 12 batters.
The Rays on Friday open the final homestand of the season, hosting the Rangers, AL West-leading Astros and Blue Jays.
