ST. PETERSBURG (WDAE) -- After rallying from a six-run deficit Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Rays saw their bats again fall silent, only to once again try rallying late. However, the Toronto Blue Jays were able to make a four-run lead last, taking the rubber match of the three-game series 4-3 from the Rays Wednesday at Tropicana Field.
Toronto took the lead in the top of the fourth inning, when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. took the first pitch of the inning from Rays starter Brendan McKay and sent it over the center field fence for his 19th home run of the season.
Randal Grichuk doubled the Blue Jays lead to 2-0 in the sixth with his 19th home run of the year, also off McKay (2-2). Kevin cash brought in Colin Poche, who got Brandon Drury to pop out but Derek Fisher followed with a two-run homer to left to push the lead to 4-0.
Tampa Bay was held off the scoreboard until the eighth, when Austin Meadows doubled off the top of the center field wall, and Avisail Garcia drove him in with a base hit.
The Rays cut the deficit back to 4-3 in the ninth off Blue Jays closer Ken Giles when Kevin Kiermaier singled with one out and Mike Zunino blasted a hole run on to the netting above the porch, his seventh home run of the year.
Willy Adames followed with a base hit to bring the potential winning run to the plate, but both Ji-Man Choi and Tommy Pham struck out to end the game and give the Blue jays the finale of the series.
FRIDAY'S MATCHUP
Tampa Bay Rays (66-50) at Seattle Mariners (47-68), 10:10 pm first pitch, with coverage on WDAE beginning at 9:30.
Rays starter: TBD
Mariners starter: LHP Marco Gonzales (12-9, 4.32 ERA)