Snell wins 21st, 9th in row, as Rays beat Blue Jays 5-2
TORONTO (AP) - Blake Snell won his ninth straight start to increasing his major league-leading victories total to 21, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-2 on Sunday to stave off elimination.
Tampa Bay began the day 7 1/2 games behind Oakland for the AL's second wild card and would be eliminated with one more loss or win by the Athletics, who hosted Minnesota later in the day.
Snell (21-5) struck out 11 in 6 2/3 shutout innings, broke the Rays season record for wins set by David Price in 2012 and lowered his ERA to 1.90, the best in the AL. He has not lost since July 12 and is 9-0 with a 1.03 ERA starting with a win at Toronto on Aug. 10. He matched the Tampa Bay record for consecutive winning decisions set by Matt Moore from Sept. 29, 2012, to May 19, 2013.
C.J. Cron and Brandon Lowe homered for the Rays, who are 16-5 in September and a major league-best 25-7 since Aug. 19.
Tommy Pham reached base three times and scored twice as the Rays improved to 11-5 against Toronto thus year. He walked in the first, singled and scored on Joey Wendle's two-out double in the fourth, then walked and scored on Cron's two-out double in the sixth.
Cron connected off Joe Biagini in the eighth, his 28th. Jose Fernandez walked Wendle, and Lowe followed with a two-run drive.
Snell allowed three hits and walked two. Four relievers followed, including Sergio Romo, who pitched around a pair of singles in the ninth for his 23rd save in 31 chances.
Blue Jays rookie left-hander Ryan Borucki (4-5) allowed two runs and three hits in seven innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: CF Kevin Kiermaier stayed in the game after crashing hard into the scoreboard making a leaping catch on Randal Grichuk to end the fourth, but was replaced by Austin Meadows in the eighth. Kiermaier did not play Saturday because manager Kevin Cash said the two-time Gold Glove winner was banged up. Kiermaier also made a great catch on Jonathan Davis' sinking line drive for the final out of the third, stranding a runner at first.
UP NEXT
Rays: Tampa Bay has not announced a starter for Monday's home series opener against the New York Yankees.
Blue Jays: RHP Marco Estrada (7-13, 5.57) starts the opener of the three game series against visiting Houston. Estrada is 0-4 with a 9.43 ERA in his past five starts. LHP Dallas Keuchel (11-11, 3.71) starts for the Astros.