Blake Snell completed nearly six innings of shutout baseball, and Manuel Margot's two-run homer powered the Tampa Bay Rays to a 3-1 victory in Game 1 of their American League Wild Card series over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Snell (1-0) struck out a franchise postseason record-tying nine hitters, and did not allow a hit until Alejandro Kirk's base hit leading off the sixth inning.
Tampa Bay's bats struggled against Blue Jays starter Matt Shoemaker, who allowed just two hits, but was lifted after just three innings. Randy Arozarena greeted his replacement, Robbie Ray, by lacing a triple to right-center, and two batters later, he scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch.
Tampa Bay extended its lead in the seventh, as A.J. Cole walked Joey Wendle, and Margot, who had just one home run during the regular season, during a 1-2 pitch and deposited it in the seats in left to make it a 3-0 game.
Toronto's only run came in the eighth, when Bo Bichette's sacrifice fly off Nick Anderson scored Rowdy Tellez.
Pete Fairbanks, one of two Rays relievers who spent all season on the major league roster without earning a save, worked a scoreless ninth to earn the save Tuesday.
Tampa Bay can finish a two-game sweep of the best-of-three series with a win Wednesday, as Tyler Glasnow takes on Hyun-Jin Ryu. First pitch is scheduled for 4:07, with coverage on WDAE beginning at 3:00 with The Inside Pitch.
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