DUNEDIN, Fla. — Francisco Mejía hit a tiebreaking, two-run single during a seven-run burst in the 11th inning and the Tampa Bay Rays won their 11th straight game, outlasting the Toronto Blue Jays 14-8 on Monday.
Tampa Bay moved within one win of the team record for consecutive victories. In 2004, playing as the Devil Rays, they won 12 in a row under manager Lou Piniella.
After both teams scored twice in the 10th to make it 7-all, the Rays broke loose.
Mejía’s hit came off Joel Payamps (0-2) with the bases loaded. Randy Arozarena doubled home a run, Austin Meadows had an RBI grounder, Manuel Margot knocked in two with a triple and Mike Brosseau added an RBI single against Tim Mayza.
Joey Wendle hit a grand slam as Tampa Bay took a 5-0 lead in the first. The Rays wound up with a four-game sweep and took over sole possession of first place in the AL East.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit two of Toronto’s five home runs. The Blue Jays lost their sixth in a row.
Tampa Bay scored twice in the 10th, but Marcus Semien tied it with a two-run homer off Jeffrey Springs (4-1).
Guerrero’s second shot was a two-run drive in the eighth off Ryan Thompson to tie it at 5.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Teoscar Hernández also homered for the Blue Jays, who played their final game at TD Ballpark. Toronto dropped seven of 10 on the final homestand and finished 10-11 at its spring training facility.
The Blue Jays will now relocate to Buffalo, New York, as COVID-19 restrictions in Canada prevent them from playing in Toronto.
BREWERS 5, PADRES 3
MILWAUKEE — Brewers closer Josh Hader stopped San Diego’s rally in the ninth inning, and the Padres’ nine-game winning streak ended with a loss to Milwaukee.
Fresh off sweeping a nine-game homestand, the Padres trailed 5-0 going into the ninth.
Tommy Pham hit a two-run homer off Angel Perdomo. Hader relieved with a runner on first and no outs, and gave up Eric Hosmer’s RBI double with one out and then a walk.
Hader settled down to retire Austin Nola on a popup and Ha-Seong Kim on a lineout for his 11th save of the season.
Brandon Woodruff (3-2) gave up three hits over seven innings against a Padres team that had won 12 of 13. He struck out eight and walked none.
Manny Pina hit an early two-run homer. Avisail Garcia led off the fourth with a homer and Kolten Wong’s two-out, two-run single later in the inning finished Blake Snell (1-1), who allowed a season-high five earned runs.
WHITE SOX 5, CARDINALS 1
CHICAGO — White Sox manager Tony La Russa wound up a winner in his first game against the team that ensured his Hall of Fame induction as Chicago beat St. Louis behind Lance Lynn’s arm and Andrew Vaughn’s bat.
The victory ended a three-game skid for the AL Central leaders, who were swept at Yankee Stadium after winning 10 of 13. The NL Central-leading Cardinals dropped their second straight.
Lynn (5-1) held the Cardinals hitless for 5 1/3 innings. Vaughn hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off Kwang Hyun Kim (1-2) in the sixth. Tim Anderson added a two-run double against reliever Daniel Ponce de Leon.
After winning a World Series in Oakland, La Russa guided the Cardinals to two World Series championships, three pennants and nine postseason appearances from 1996-2011. He left the team as its all-time leader in wins and games managed.
INDIANS 6, TIGERS 5
DETROIT — Jordan Luplow made a diving catch on Eric Haase’s sinking liner to right field with the bases loaded, preserving Cleveland’s victory over Detroit.
Luplow, who entered as a defensive replacement an inning earlier, made the clutch grab for the final out to help closer Emmanuel Clase escape with his eighth save in nine chances.
Spencer Turnbull allowed three runs in six innings for the Tigers in his first game since pitching a no-hitter at Seattle last week.
Cleveland scored three unearned runs in the seventh to take a 6-3 lead. Willi Castro hit a two-run homer in the bottom half.
A wild pitch by Bryan Garcia (0-1) put the Indians up 4-3.
Jean Carlos Mejía (1-0) pitched a scoreless sixth for his first major league win.
MARLINS 9, PHILLIES 6
MIAMI — Adam Duvall hit a three-run homer and Jesús Aguilar drove in two runs with a double and a single to help Miami beat Philadelphia.
Corey Dickerson hit a tiebreaking two-run triple in the sixth, and Garrett Cooper had two hits and an RBI off the bench for the Marlins. They’ve won five of their past six to close within one game of the NL East-leading New York Mets.
Miami rookie Trevor Rogers allowed three hits and two runs, one earned, in five innings, which increased his ERA to 1.75. Adam Cimber (1-1) pitched a scoreless sixth, and Dylan Floro retired the only batter he faced for his first career save.
Zach Eflin (2-4) allowed four runs, three earned, in six innings.
Phillies slugger Bryce Harper, in an 0-for-16 slump, was held out for the second game in a row.
ROCKIES 3, METS 2
NEW YORK — Austin Gomber pitched two-hit ball through eight innings, Ryan McMahon and Elias Díaz hit second-inning home runs off David Peterson (1-4) and Colorado beat the banged-up New York Mets for just its third win in 20 road games this year.
Garrett Hampson boosted the lead to 3-0 with an RBI triple in the fourth that sent rookie Johneshwy Fargas crashing into the outfield wall in an unsuccessful attempt to make the catch. Fargas, the Mets’ fourth-string center fielder after injuries to Brandon Nimmo, Kevin Pillar and Albert Almora Jr., sprained the AC joint in his left shoulder.
NL East-leading New York already had a major league-high 16 players on the injured list and said right-hander Jordan Yamamoto was set to be added on Tuesday.
Gomber (3-4) gave up Jonathan Villar’s single leading off the fourth and James McCann’s two-out homer in the seventh. Pitching into the ninth inning for the first time, he allowed pinch-hitter Brandon Drury’s first Mets home run leading off and Patrick Mazeika’s single.
Carlos Estévez got three straight outs for his second save.
TWINS 8, ORIOLES 3
MINNEAPOLIS — Mitch Garver hit a two-run double and short-handed Minnesota used a six-run eighth inning to beat Baltimore.
DJ Stewart hit a two-run homer for a 3-2 Orioles lead as the first batter following a 45-minute rain delay in the eighth inning. But the Twins rallied with six straight two-out hits in the bottom half.
Jorge Alcala (1-1), who returned to the mound after the delay, allowed two runs and two hits in an inning for the Twins.
Trevor Larnach and Kyle Garlick homered for Minnesota, which had four starters active but not available to start the game due to injury.
The teams opened the three-game series with matching 17-29 records, the worst in the majors. Baltimore has lost seven in a row and 14 of 16.
Tanner Scott (2-3) gave up two runs in the eighth in relief of Orioles starter John Means. César Valdez entered and blew his fourth save in 12 chances.
MARINERS 4, ATHLETICS 2
OAKLAND, Calif. — Kyle Lewis homered and made a diving catch in center field, Yusei Kikuchi pitched six smooth innings before leaving with a possible back injury, and Seattle ended a six-game losing streak by beating Oakland.
Jarred Kelenic also went deep for the Mariners, and Ty France doubled in his return from the injured list. Mitch Haniger added an RBI double.
Mark Canha hit his 10th home run for the Athletics. Frankie Montas (5-4) had a season-high 11 strikeouts in six innings but allowed four runs and six hits.
Kikuchi (2-3) scattered four hits and gave up one run. Keynan Middleton pitched the ninth for his third save.