The Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays went face-to-face in a classic pitchers duel that saw both teams combine for only five hits all game.
The visiting Rays edged the Jays 2-1 Monday night in Toronto at a closed roof Rogers Centre to spoil the feel good vibes of a home opener before a sold out crowd. It was a home-coming for rookie and Mississauga-native Dalton Pompey and Canadian Russell Martin as both got a huge standing ovation from the crowd as they were introduced prior to the game.
Jake Odorizzi (2-0) pitched a gem for the Rays, going eight innings and allowing one earned run. The big righty kept the Jays at bay by giving up just two hits.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jays just could not get their bats going and failed to register a win on their home opener for the fourth consecutive year. Toronto came off winning the opening two games of their series’ against the Yankees and Orioles, but were unable to see off another division rival.
R.A. Dickey (0-1) had a great outing himself for his side, going six innings, allowing two earned run on just three hits.
It took one wild inning from Dickey to make the difference in this one.
After two consecutive singles to open the top of the fourth, Dickey managed to retire the next two batters before walking Tim Beckham to load the bases.
David DeJesus worked the pitcher to a full count before earning ball four to score a run, opening the score to make it 1-0 Rays. The next batter, Steven Souza Jr., too got the count to 3-2 before Dickey walked another run home.
Just like that, the Rays were on the board with two runs thanks to some bad control from Dickey. The five walks allowed by Dickey are the most by a Jays pitcher on a home opener in franchise history.
Odorizzi had a no-hit bid going into the bottom of the fifth before left fielder Kevin Pillar broke it up with a two out double. Devon Travis followed that up with a single to bring home Pillar, cutting the deficit in half.
That would be all the offense the Jays could muster Odorizzi saw off the home team before handing the ball over to closer Brad Boxberger.
Boxberger started where Odorizzi left off to pick up his third save of the season.
After walking Jose Bautista to open the bottom of the ninth, he struck out Edwin Encarnacion and his catcher Rene Rivera caught Bautista for two outs.
Big Jays summer acquisition from the Oakland Athletics Josh Donaldson came to the plate still in search of his first home run for his new team. With the count even at 2-2, the third baseman belted it to the right field corner, just short of a home run as Souza Jr. made the catch on the warning track.
The teams are right back at it tomorrow night at the Rogers Centre for the second game of a four game set in Toronto. First pitch is set for 7:07pm.
