TORONTO - Matt Joyce hit a two-run homer and Elliot Johnson drove in three runs Wednesday as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the bumbling Blue Jays 6-5 to snap Toronto's six-game winning streak.
The Blue Jays committed five errors on the night, including three in Tampa's three-run second inning.
Jesse Litsch (4-3) contributed to his own problems by making two errors in an eventful start, allowed seven hits, six runs (five earned) and three walks in five innings. He also had a wild pitch and hit two batters.
Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion also was charged with two errors.
Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson (5-2) had a 6-0 lead, but gave up four runs (three earned), on five hits and three walks while striking out six in 5 2-3 innings.
Leading 6-4 in the ninth, Tampa closer Kyle Farnsworth gave up a leadoff double to Rajai Davis, who promptly stole third. But after Jayson Nix fouled out, and Yunel Escobar grounded out to short to score Davis, Corey Patterson struck out looking to end Toronto's hopes.
The Rays (25-18) scored three runs on one hit in an ugly second inning. Litsch walked two and hit a batter in the inning and the Blue Jays (21-21) made three errors.
The one hit was a two-run single with one out by Johnson.
It scored Joyce, who led off the with a walk, and B.J. Upton, who was hit by a pitch. The runners advanced on a groundout to second after Aaron Hill bobbled a ball, taking away the possibility of a double play.
Johnson ended up at second on his single after right-fielder Jose Bautista and Litsch were charged with throwing errors.
After John Jaso walked, Encarnacion was charged with an error on Sam Fuld's attempted sacrifice bunt that Johnson scored.
Litsch then hit Evan Longoria with a pitch to start a three-run third. Joyce followed with his seventh homer of the season. Upton singled and took second on an errant pickoff throw from Litsch. The right-hander also didn't cover first on Casey Kotchman's grounder to Encarnacion, which was ruled a single. Johnson hit a sacrifice fly for a 6-0 lead.
The Blue Jays scored one in the fourth on Patterson's leadoff triple, a walk to Bautista, and Hill's grounder that resulted in a force at second. It gave Patterson a nine-game hit streak.
Eric Thames, playing in his first major-league game, scored for Toronto in the fifth when Nix hit into a double play. Thames led off with a walk and took third when second baseman Ben Zobrist made an error on Davis' grounder.
Patterson and Hill doubled in the sixth to cut the lead to 6-3. Thames followed with his first major-league hit, a single that cut the lead to two runs and sent Hellickson from the game in favour of Juan Cruz.
Rays manager Joe Maddon showed his respect for Bautista in the seventh when he issued an intentional walk with two out and a runner at first. That put two runners on for Hill, but Joel Peralta came in and retired him on a fly to right.
Notes: Attendance at Rogers Centre was 14,415. ... There was a moment of silence before the game to honour former Blue Jays pitching coach and director of player development Mel Queen, who died last Thursday. He was serving as a senior adviser in player development at the time of his death. ... Hill batted fourth in the lineup for the fourth time this season. ... Despite the rainout on Detroit on Tuesday the Blue Jays' starting rotation will remain the same with each pitcher given an extra day off. Left-hander Ricky Romero (3-4, 3.35 earned-ru average) will start the finale of the two-game series on Thursday against Tampa Bay right-hander Wade Davis (4-3, 3.47 ERA). ... Bautista singled in the first to extending his hit streak to nine games. ...Thames was called up from triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday made his major-league debut as designated hitter on Wednesday.
