Paredes, Franco lifts Rays to Blue Jays 6-2

Toronto-Isaac Paredes and Wander Franco hit a solo home run on Saturday when the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 in their first doubleheader match.

Randy Arosalena, Rene Pinto and Yandy Diaz each had an RBI single when Tampa Bay (41-36) hit a four-game skid.

Shane McClanahan (9-3) dialed into the raise, hitting 10, and abandoning one run with three hits in seven innings. Javy Guerra and Phoenix Sanders conclude things for Tampa.

The one Vladimir Guerrero Jr. single started scoring Toronto (44-34), who won the first two of the rare five-game series. Matt Chapman added Laitlan when he grounded for the ninth time.

The Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman hit three hits in two scoreless innings and gave up four hits before being hit by a comebacker. He was excluded from the game due to a bruise on his right ankle.

Casey Lawrence (0-1), recalled from Triple A with a doubleheader, threw a relief of 5 2/3 innings and allowed 6 runs. Max Castillo came after him.

Thomas Hatch (0-1) was scheduled to start for the Blue Jays in the second game of the day. Drew Rasmussen (5-3) headed to Tampa Bay.

Toronto jumped to an early lead in the first inning and Guerrero hit a single on the right fielder. Bichette sprinted home from second base, slipped into the plate head first and led 1-0.

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Gausman was injured and collapsed in the second inning when Franco’s sharply struck ball bounced off the grass to the pitcher’s right ankle. He tried to protect the ball, but apparently in pain lay face down on the field as catcher Gabriel Moreno finished the inning on first base.

Gausman had to be helped off the field by a trainer and was subsequently replaced by Lawrence. The Blue Jays said the radiograph of Gausman’s ankle was negative.

Paredes arrived in Lawrence for the third time and hit a home run against the Blue Jays bullpen with a left fielder, drawing the match 1-1.

Arosalena gave Raise the first lead in the game. After his single bounced off the turf and bounced off Lawrence’s inner knee, he was shortstop and caromed towards Bichette. It gave Franco enough time to go home and make it 2-1.

After throwing some warm-up pitches, Lawrence stayed in the game.

After three batters, Focus led the single to the right, Ramirez and Arosarena 4-1.

Franco piled in the sixth inning and hit the first pitch seen by Lawrence to the far left. Toronto outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. could only stare at the ball to foul, but kept the fair to gain a 5-1 advantage.

Diaz tackled the eighth raise run, driving Taylor Walls to the center with a single.

Chapman plunged into a ninth double play, giving Teoscar Hernandez enough time to go home for the final run of the game.

Additional Help — Lawrence was recalled from Triple A as the 27th man in both doubleheader games. Spare players are allowed doubleheaders by Major League Baseball.

Pirates Trade — The Blue Jays announced that they had completed a trade with left-handed pitcher Anthony Banda with the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first doubleheader match. Toronto sent Pittsburgh cash in return. RightyJulianMerryweather has been moved to the 60-day injured list.

This report by Canadian Press was first published on July 2, 2022.