PORT CHARLOTTE (WDAE) -- The Tampa Bay Rays batted around in two different innings, and Hunter Renfroe, Kevin Kiermaier and Randy Arozarena each drove in a pair in a 9-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays Wednesday at Charlotte Sports Park.
Tampa Bay sent ten men to the plate in the first inning off Jays starter Anthony Kay and reliever Travis Bergen, using a pair of hits and five walks to score four times thanks to a two-run single by Renfroe and a two-run double by Kiermaier.
The Rays added a run in the second on a pop fly off the bat of Brandon Lowe that first baseman Rowdy Tellez could not catch thanks to the wind, scoring Ji-Man Choi from second base.
Tyler Glasnow worked a scoreless first, and left two out into the second after throwing 37 pitches. Trevor Richards needed one pitch to escape the second, but allowed four runs in the top of the third inning. Toronto loaded the bases with nobody out after a base hit to Anthony Alford and walks to Jonathan Davis and Joe Panik. Bichette then cleared the bags with a triple into the right field corner, and a double by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. cut the Tampa Bay lead back to a single run.
The game remained 5-4 until the sixth when Tampa Bay again sent nine men to the plate. Ryan LaMarre made it 6-4 when his bases loaded walk drove in Mike Brosseau. Randy Arozarena's two-run single scored Brian O'Grady and Ronaldo Hernandez, and Lucius Fox plated Lamarre with a base hit of his own.
DJ Snelten gave up a solo homer to Patrick Kivlehan in the top of the ninth inning, but Toronto would get no closer than 9-5.
Diego Castillo, Colin Poche, John Curtiss, Ryan Thompson and Brooks Pounders each provided an inning of scoreless relief for Tampa Bay on Wednesday.
The Pittsburgh Pirates come to Charlotte Sports Park on Thursday. Ryan Yarbrough will get the start, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05.