Brandon Morrow shines as Toronto Blue Jays edge Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 – MLB Update
Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario on Friday, August 31 in second game of their four match series of the 2012 Major League Baseball regular season.
After crushing the Rays in series opener, Blue Jays continued their excellent work in Game 2 to take an impassable 2-0 series lead. Credit should be given to the pitching rotation that created all sorts of problems for the Rays’ batting line-up.
"That was a pretty exciting moment," Toronto catcher Jeff Mathis said of the final play. "Just to win the game like that, a close ballgame, was pretty cool."
Starting pitcher Brandon Morrow looked in terrific touch as he gave up just one run in six plus innings for his eighth win of the season. Striking-out five batters, he made quick work of Rays’ batters early on. Relief pitcher did not give up a single hit
in 1.1 innings and closer Casey Janssen pitched the scoreless ninth for his 19th save of the year.
"I felt good the whole way," Morrow said. "After the first couple of innings my pitch count was climbing. I settled in and was locating better with the off-speed stuff and staying ahead of guys and that carried me through."
Rays’ took an early 1-0 lead, thanks to Desmond Jennings who homered to right centre in the third inning to his side on the board. Blue Jays responded immediately as right fielder Moises Sierra homered to left to level the score 1-1. Edwin Encarnacion played
a crucial role in deciding the outcome of the clash with a home-run to left centre, giving Toronto a decisive 2-1 lead.
"Maybe the game owes us a good September of one-run victories," Rays’ manager Joe Maddon said.
Rays’ starter Jeremy Hellickson also had a decent time on the mound as he allowed just four hits and two runs in six solid innings but he was unfortunate to end up with the loss. Tampa Bay Rays will be hoping to turn the tables on their opponents in Game
3 to stay in the playoff race.
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