Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Justin Smoak reacts after hitting the game-winning walk-off home run during the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays, in Toronto, on Sept. 20, 2018.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
Justin Smoak hit a solo blast to cap off a seven-run ninth inning as the Toronto Blue Jays rallied from a six-run disadvantage to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 9-8 on Thursday night.
Blue Jays prospect Rowdy Tellez had a two-run homer in the second inning and started Toronto’s ninth-inning comeback with a run-scoring double to cut Tampa’s lead to 8-3.
Catcher Danny Jansen followed with a three-run blast to bring the Blue Jays (70-83) to within two runs.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr., then had a two-run shot to tie the game with two out and bring Smoak to the plate.
Sam Gaviglio earned a no-decision after pitching five innings for the Blue Jays, giving up two runs on four hits, striking out four.
Jose Fernandez, Jake Petricka, Tim Mayza, Mark Leiter Jr., Joe Biagini and David Paulino all came out of Toronto’s bullpen, with Paulino picking up his first win of the season.
Leiter allowed four runs and Biagini gave up one.
Tommy Pham had three hits, including a triple, with two runs batted in as the Rays (85-67) had a five-game winning streak snapped. CJ Cron had a three-run single as part of a five-run seventh inning.
Ryan Stanek started for Tampa Bay, but pitched one-plus inning as part of the Rays ongoing starter-by-committee approach this season. He allowed two runs.
Yonny Chirinos allowed one run and struck out five over 4 2/3 innings pitched. Adam Kolarek, Hunter Wood, Jaime Schultz all pitched runless innings of relief. Sergio Romo (3-4) took the loss.
Tellez opened the scoring in the second inning with a 401-foot homer to deep right-centre field, driving in Randal Grichuk for a 2-0 lead.
Pham struck back for Tampa Bay in the fourth inning, when his line drive bounced off the outfield wall and into Kevin Pillar, who accidentally kicked it away. The hit was ruled a triple and drove in Matt Duffy.
In the next at bat, Joey Wendle doubled to deep-right centre and tied the game 2-2 for the Rays.
Willy Adames gave Tampa Bay its first lead in the sixth inning, 3-2, hitting a single to left field to cash in Ji-Man Choi.
Choi reached base during Fernandez’s one-third of an inning but scored with Petricka was on the mound.
The Rays piled on in the seventh inning, scoring five runs to break the game open.
Pham drove in another run when his base hit scored Mallex Smith. Wendle singled to right field to drive in Duffy and advance Pham to third.
After loading the bases, Cron singled to left-centre field to plate Pham, Wendle and Kevin Kiermaier for a commanding 8-2 lead before Tellez jump-started Toronto’s ninth-inning rally.