Alex Cobb shines as Tampa Bay Rays rout Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 – MLB Update
Tampa Bay Rays used their home conditions absolutely perfectly as they secured a narrow 3-2 win against Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida in second game of their three match series of the 2012 Major League Baseball regular season.
Starting pitcher Alex Cobb had a great time on the mound as he gave up just five hits and a run in seven solid innings for his sixth win of the season. Striking-out seven batters, he created all sorts of problems for Blue Jays’ offence.
"That was the best curve I've seen all year from any of our pitchers," Rays’ manager Joe Maddon said. "To both righties and lefties, it was quick, it was hard, there was no hump in it. It was absolutely great, and I think that set up the whole game for him."
"The curveball was probably the best it has been all year," Cobb said in a post game interview. "I was able to throw it for a strike when I wanted, out of the zone when I wanted, and it had some good bite to it."
After the Blue Jays took an early 1-0 lead, B.J. Upton doubled to right in the third inning and Desmond Jennings scored to level the score 1-1. Upton is one of the very few players who have hit more than 200 home-runs.
He has produced a number of match winning performances this season. The centre-fielder will be looking to improve on his already decent .243 average in the upcoming games to help the Rays make it to the playoffs.
With score tied at 1-1, Evan Longoria came up with a much needed scoring shot for Tampa Bay. Upton once again got into action and scored the second run for the Rays. Jeff Keppinger earned an RBI single to centre in the third to stretch Rays lead 3-1.
For the Blue Jays, Edwin Encarnacion hit a sacrifice fly to left in the third and first baseman David Cooper homered in the bottom of the ninth but the Rays held on to take a decisive 2-0 series lead.
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