By Canadian Press

Kikuchi strikes out nine over six strong innings as Blue Jays defeat Rays 5-2

Apr 15, 2023 | 3:06 PM

TORONTO — Yusei Kikuchi had nine strikeouts over six strong innings to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.

The left-hander allowed four hits and one earned run on a sunny afternoon with the roof open at Rogers Centre.

Danny Jansen and Alejandro Kirk had two hits apiece for the Blue Jays, who have won nine of their last 11 games.

Tampa Bay opened the season with 13 straight victories before dropping the opener of the three-game series on Friday night. The Rays (13-2) will try to avoid the sweep on Sunday afternoon.

The only hiccup for Kikuchi (2-0) was a fourth-inning solo shot by Taylor Walls.

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Relievers Erik Swanson, Adam Cimber and Jordan Romano of Markham, Ont., finished off the win. Romano gave up three singles before locking down his sixth save of the year.

Toronto (10-5) was rewarded for its aggressiveness on the basepaths in the third inning. Kevin Kiermaier and George Springer pulled off a double-steal and the former came home on a Bo Bichette groundout.

The Blue Jays’ outfielders delivered some standout plays to keep Tampa’s offence in check in the early going.

Springer made a nice catch on the warning track in right field in the first inning and Daulton Varsho made a diving snag in shallow left field in the fourth.

Walls turned on the next pitch after the Varsho catch for his first homer of the year to tie the game at one.

Kikuchi, who trimmed his earned-run average to 4.70 from 6.75, reached 96 m.p.h. on the radar gun and threw 67 of his 94 pitches for strikes.

The Blue Jays regained the lead with two runs in the fourth inning. Whit Merrifield drove in Kirk with a double and scored on a Jansen single.

Tampa Bay reliever Josh Fleming gifted Toronto a run in the sixth as he issued four walks (one intentional). A free pass to Springer brought Matt Chapman home to make it 4-1.

Toronto tacked on an insurance run in the next frame when Kirk singled to score Varsho.

The Rays scratched out a run in the eighth but Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. prevented anything further. He made a nice swipe tag on Harold Ramirez after a hurried throw from Merrifield at second base.

Rays starter Calvin Faucher worked 2 2/3 innings, striking out two while allowing one earned run, two hits and a walk. Trevor Kelley (0-1), who completed two innings, shouldered the loss.

A sellout crowd of 41,679 was on hand. The game took two hours 34 minutes to play.

BERRIOS OK

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said right-hander Jose Berrios was a “little sore” Saturday after taking a comebacker off his leg a night earlier.

Berrios did not return for the sixth inning in Toronto’s 6-3 win on Friday due to bruising in the left knee area. He’s not expected to miss his next start.

“(He) feels better today,” Schneider said before the game. “Dodged a bullet.”

NO. 42

All players, coaches and managers wore No. 42 jerseys for Jackie Robinson Day.

Saturday was the 76th anniversary of Robinson breaking the colour line in Major League Baseball.

COMING UP

The Blue Jays tabbed ace Alek Manoah (1-0, 4.91 earned-run average) for the series finale. The Rays were expected to counter with left-hander Shane McClanahan (3-0, 1.59).

Toronto returns to the road next week with three-game series against the Houston Astros and New York Yankees.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2023.

Follow @GregoryStrongCP on Twitter.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press