TORONTO

Tampa Bay Rays beat Blue Jays 3-2 after 11 innings

Dick Scanlon The Associated Press
Published Saturday, April 8, 2017 11:03PM EDT Last Updated Saturday, April 8, 2017 11:16PM EDT

Tampa Bay Rays Evan Longoria scores on a Steven Souza Jr. single off Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Joe Biagini during the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 8, 2017, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Toronto reliever Casey Lawrence made his major league debut and wound up walking home the winning run with two outs in the 11th inning, lifting the Tampa Bay Rays over the Blue Jays 3-2 Saturday night.

Mallex Smith got on base five straight times and scored on Brad Miller's walk to end it.

Smith led off the Tampa Bay 11th with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. After a pair of intentional walks loaded the bases, Lawrence (0-1) struck out Evan Longoria but then walked Miller.

Erasmo Ramirez (1-0) got the win, pitching 1 2/3 shutout innings.

Josh Donaldson's single with two outs in the eighth off Chris Archer gave the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead. Steven Souza Jr. tied it in the bottom half with a two-out single off reliever Joe Biagini.

Troy Tulowitzki singled home Donaldson in the seventh.

Archer was perfect with six strikeouts through four innings before Kendrys Morales led off the fifth with a sharp single.

Archer, who beat the New York Yankees in the major league opener last weekend, has not won two straight starts within a season since June 2015.

Aaron Sanchez gave up one run on four hits in seven innings in his first start of the season for Toronto. He was the AL ERA leader last year.

Corey Dickerson drove in Tampa Bay's run off Sanchez with a two-out single in the fifth.

Smith singled early and later walked three straight times.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Blue Jays: Closer Roberto Osuna (neck spasms) threw a 24-pitch simulated game that Toronto pitching coach Pete Walker called "very encouraging." Osuna expects be ready for Toronto's home opener Tuesday night against Milwaukee. "Definitely no more pain in my neck or back," Osuna said.

Rays: OF Colby Rasmus (hip surgery) missed a second straight game on his rehab assignment with Class A Charlotte after a collision in the outfield Thursday night.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: RHP Marco Estrada, Sunday's scheduled starter, went 0-3 with a 6.46 ERA in three starts against Tampa Bay last season.

Rays: RHP Jake Odorizzi (3-2, 3.26 ERA in 11 starts against Toronto, will pitch the final game of a seven-game homestand.