ST. PETERSBURG (620 WDAE) -- Matt Duffy's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning off Ryan Tepera scored Mallex Smith and capped a three-game sweep by The Tampa Bay Rays, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 Wednesday at Tropicana Field.
Smith began the rally with a one-out double down into the visiting bullpen in left. He took third base on a groundout by catcher Wilson Ramos, and Duffy took an 0-1 fastball on the hands and pulled it past Gio Urshela and into left field, with Smith scoring the only run of the contest.
Toronto had a golden opportuinity to get on the board in the bottom of the first inning, forcing opener Wilmer Font to throw 28 pitches, but stranded a pair of runners in scoring position when Kevin Pillar popped up to end the rally.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay left a pair of runners on in the third and fifth innings against Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ, and stranded two runners against reliever Aaron Loup and Tepera in the eighth inning.
Font worked an out into the fourth inning, and Matt Andriese finished through the seventh with the game still tied.
Diego Castillo (1-0) completed the shutout by firing the final two frames, though he got a pair of great plays on defense. In the eighth, Willy Adames ranges into medium right field to stop a ground ball by Justin Smoak, firing a throw from his backside to Jake Bauers for the out.
And in the ninth, a blast by Aledmys Diaz was caught by a leaping Johnny Field at the wall in left to end the inning and set up the heroics in the bottom of the inning.
THURSDAY'S MATCHUP
Tampa Bay Rays (32-35) at New York Yankees (43-19), 7:05 p.m. first pitch, with coverage on WDAE beginning at 6:00 with The Inside Pitch presented by Crown Eurocars.
Rays starter - LHP Blake Snell (8-3, 2.30 ERA)
Yankees starter - RHP Domingo German (0-4, 5.32 ERA)
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Friday - Rays at Yankees, 7:05 p.m. first pitch
Saturday - Rays at Yankees, 1:05 p.m. first pitch
Sunday - Rays at Yankees, 2:05 p.m. first pitch