Manoah and Merrifield lead Jays to defeat Rays – TSN.ca

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Toronto interim manager John Schneider is willing to do whatever it takes to earn the top AL wildcard and associated playoff home series.

Alex Manoah and Whit Merrifield helped the Blue Jays get closer to that goal.

Manoah threw seven shutouts, Merrifield hit a three-run homer and the Blue Jays reclaimed the first wildcard spot Saturday night with a 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

“Love it man,” Manoah said when asked about pitching in big games. “We have a great team. Going into battle with these guys is something I’ve dreamed of all my life here. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else on that hill.”

The Blue Jays lead Tampa Bay by a game. The best wildcard finisher will host all games in his best-of-three opening round series, while the other two wildcards play straight only.

Schneider said Thursday he would field Manoah in the final game of the regular season when it came to home field. Hosting Toronto would mean a lot after the Blue Jays spent 2020 and part of 2021 playing home games away from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Rays could also have real home field advantage at Tropicana Field, where they are 51-29. The Tampa Bay road marking is 33-39.

“It’s an interesting place,” said Schneider. “I think the guys say that, be it the roof, the lights, the turf, the dirt in the infield. Her hill seems high. Their acoustics are strange. Players accept it a little and sometimes use it as an advantage. It’s something that needs to be avoided as best you can.

Manoah (15-7) threw four hits, missed two and hit out eight while throwing a season-high 113 pitches. The right-hander made it out of a two-on-one-out jam in the sixth by defeating Randy Arozarena and getting a flyout David Peralta.

Replaced Jordan Romano Tim Mayza with two ons and two outs in the eighth and legal pinch hitter Harald Ramirez‘s RBI infield single but avoided further damage from hitting Manuel Margot. Romano ended the game with his 35th save from 41 chances.

Tampa Bay starter Drew Rasmussen (10-7) gave up one run, three hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings. He dropped five.

The teams completed 31 runs with the Rays accounting for 20 in the first two games of the series, both of which were won by Tampa Bay.

Arozarena scored the Rays’ first hit with a two-out double in the fourth. He was the first Tampa Bay player and 20th Big Leaguer to have 40 doubles, 20 homers and 30 stolen bases in a season.

Teoscar Hernández ended Rasmussen’s night with a brace in the seventh. Brooks Raley entered and after a walk to the pinch-hitter Danny JansenMerrifield made it 3-0 on his 10th homer of the season.

“It’s two teams absolutely fighting for spots in the playoffs,” Raley said. “They played hard tonight, we played hard tonight. They shot well, Ras did a damn good job. This is playoff baseball.”

Merrifield scored twice in Thursday night’s 10-5 loss to the Rays.

Alejandro Kirk opened the second with a single before Rasmussen gave up 12 straight until Merrifield’s leadoff double was in the sixth.

Plate umpire Corey Blaser took a hard foulball from Margot on the mask in the eight, but stayed in the game.

HONOR KK

The Rays posted a thank you message board for CF Kevin Kiermaier, who is out for the season following surgery on his left hip. Kiermaier is in the final season of a six-year, $53.5 million deal that includes a club option for 2023, which is expected to be rejected.

TEAM AWARDS

Ray’s ace Shane McClanahan was voted the Don Zimmer MVP Award winner by members of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. CF Jose Siri was selected as the outstanding rookie. 3B Yandy Díaz received the Paul C. Smith Champions Award as the player who best embodies the spirit of true professionalism on and off the pitch.

TRAINING ROOM

Blue Jay: RHP Nate Pearson (Lat Strain) Triple-A allowed Buffalo three runs and three hits over two-thirds of an inning.

Rays: 2B Brandon Lowe (lower back) is done for the season.

NEXT

McClanahan (12-6), pulled from his start Tuesday in the fifth inning due to neck strain, meets Blue Jays RHP Ross Stripling (8-4) on Sunday.

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