|
 James Loney recorded the other hit for the Rays, who snapped
their brief two-game skid. Karns (1-0) also allowed only two hits
while walking two over seven innings in his fourth major-league
start - and first for Tampa Bay.
Danny Valencia doubled and Adam Lind singled for the Blue Jays, who
fell four games behind both Kansas City and Seattle for the second
wild-card spot in the American League. Happ (9-10) was nearly as
brilliant as Karns, yielding just one run with one walk and seven
strikeouts in seven frames en route to his fifth loss in six
decisions.
While Happ recorded three strikeouts in the top of the first inning,
Toronto's first two batters in the bottom half reached before Edwin
Encarnacion grounded into a third-to-first double play. Happ set
down Tampa Bay in order in the second, but Hanigan led off the third
by depositing the left-hander's first pitch over the left-field wall
for his fifth blast of the season.
Karns kept the Blue Jays hitless until Valencia delivered a two-out
double in the fourth. Lind hit a two-out single in the sixth, but
Karns worked a perfect seventh, Jake McGee duplicated the feat in
the eighth and Grant Balfour struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his
12th save.
[to top of second column] |
GAME NOTEBOOK: Happ helped Toronto extend its streak of having its
starting pitcher go at least six innings to 18 consecutive games.
... The Blue Jays had won nine of their previous 11 contests to put
themselves back in the playoff race. ... Karns went 0-1 with a 7.50
ERA in three starts for Washington last season.
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