ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) 鈥� The Toronto Blue Jays got a big win, while the Tampa Bay Rays lost more than a game.
Chris Bassitt became the American League's second 15-game winner and the Blue Jays beat the Rays 6-2 on Friday night in a matchup of teams holding the top two AL wild-card positions.
Bassitt (15-8) allowed two runs and six hits while striking out eight in 6 2/3 innings. He tied Tampa Bay's Zach Eflin for the AL lead in wins.
鈥淜ind of typical him, you know?鈥� Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. 鈥淕oes into the seventh. We get in at 3 in the morning, and he's unfazed. Didn't walk anybody. He was really in total control after the first inning, I thought.鈥�
Jordan Romano replaced Jordan Hicks with two on and two outs in the eighth and walked Isaac Paredes on four pitches before retiring Curtis Mead on a grounder to preserve a 4-2 lead. The right-hander then worked the ninth to get his 36th save in 39 chances.
Daulton Varsho hit a solo homer during a two-run ninth for the Blue Jays, who hold the second AL wild card by a game over Houston.
鈥淥bviously, we have a long way to go to get to what we want to do, but I think we're definitely on the right path,鈥� Bassitt said.
The Rays, who have a comfortable lead in the wild-card race and have already clinch a playoff berth, remained 1 1/2 games behind first-place Baltimore in the AL East. The Orioles, who own the tiebreaker, lost at Cleveland on Friday night.
Rays All-Star left fielder Randy Arozarena exited after the fourth inning with right quadriceps tightness. He legged out a double in the first and scored the game's first run on Harold Ram铆rez's RBI single.
Arozarena is day-to-day.
Tampa Bay center fielder Jose Siri missed his 10th straight game with a broken right hand. Another outfielder, Luke Raley, was placed on the 10-day injured list before the game due to a cervical strain.
After the game, the Rays announced that second baseman Brandon Lowe, who fouled a ball off his leg Thursday, will miss four to six weeks with a fractured right patella.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot to be excited about with this club that we鈥檝e done just a tremendous job of being resilient," Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. "We鈥檒l be as tested as ever now with some of the guys that we're losing.鈥�
Rays starter Tyler Glasnow (9-7) had given up just one hit and a walk until George Springer had a one-out single in the sixth.
After stealing second, Springer scored to tie it at 1 on Bo Bichette's single that deflected off the glove of diving first baseman Yandy D铆az. Alejandro Kirk picked up an RBI to make it 2-1 on the third consecutive walk by Glasnow, which ended his night.
Kevin Kelly replaced Glasnow and hit Matt Chapman with a pitch to force in a run, then allowed an RBI single to Varsho as Toronto took a 4-1 lead.
鈥淭hat's how we have to win ballgames,鈥� Bassitt said. 鈥淚f our pitching is keeping us in games, games like this can happen where we're just going to try to outlast you.鈥�
Mead got the Rays within 4-2 on his first career homer, a seventh-inning drive off Bassitt.
Glasnow permitted four runs, three hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out seven.
TRAINER鈥橲 ROOM
Blue Jays: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., slowed by knee discomfort, was the DH. He could start at first base Saturday. 鈥� 1B Brandon Belt (lumbar spine muscle spasms) is hitting off a pitching machine and could be nearing a return.
Rays: RHP Jason Adam left in the ninth with an oblique injury. 鈥� Raley received an injection in the nerve area.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (3-3) and Rays RHP Zack Littell (3-6) are Saturday鈥檚 starters.
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