Blue Jays on the brink of a playoff spot after 7-5 loss to Rays

The Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays remained on the brink of a playoff spot after they lost 7-5 to Taylor Walls and the Tampa Bay Rays in 10 innings on Saturday.

Toronto (89-72) could still manage to back into a playoff berth on Saturday. A loss for Seattle against Texas would secure a wild card for the Blue Jays. Losses for the Mariners and Astros, who were set to play at Arizona, would guarantee Toronto the second of three AL wild cards and set up a best-of-three postseason series at Tampa Bay.

Walls lifted the Rays to a 6-4 lead with a two-run single off Jordan Hicks (3-9) with two out in the 10th. Junior Caminero then drove in Raimel Tapia with an infield single.

Rays right-hander Chris Devenski (6-4) pitched two innings for the win, working around Bo Bichette’s RBI double in the 10th.

Blue Jays starter Hyun Jin Ryu allowed two runs and seven hits in three innings in his shortest start of the season.

Right-hander Shawn Armstrong opened for the Rays, pitching around a pair of walks in his lone inning. Recalled from Triple-A Durham before the game, Cooper Criswell followed and allowed four runs, three earned, and four hits in three innings.

METS 4, PHILLIES 3, GAME 1

NEW YORK (AP) — Tylor Megill pitched a career-high 7 1/3 innings and tried out a splitter he learned from teammate Kodai Senga, helping New York beat playoff-bound Philadelphia in a doubleheader opener.

Taijuan Walker (15-6), in line to start a Game 3 of an NL Wild Card Series on Thursday, allowed four runs in the first two innings. then followed with five scoreless innings.

Megill (9-8), whose previous high was seven innings against the Yankees in September 2021, gave up four hits and struck out seven.

Adam Ottavino gave up Brandon Marsh’s RBI double and Weston Wilson’s run-scoring single. With Wilson at third base, Ottavino struck out Jake Cave and retiring Pache on a flyout for his 12th save in 15 chances.

TIGERS 8, GUARDIANS 0

DETROIT (AP) — Miguel Cabrera followed a pregame retirement celebration by scoring the first run and driving in another, helping Detroit beat Cleveland to clinch second place in the AL Central.

The start of the game was delayed 33 minutes by the retirement celebration of Cabrera, the 40-year-old, 12-time All-Star who is playing his 21st and last big league season.

Guardians starter Tristan McKenzie (0-3) gave up one run, three hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings.

Beau Brieske (2-3), the third of seven Tigers pitchers, allowed one hit over 2 1/3 innings as Detroit pitched its ninth shutout. Cleveland was blanked for the 13th time.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Share this article