The Associated Press
Mark Didtler
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.–Even though he didn’t get the win, Joe Biagini set one up for the Toronto Blue Jays yesterday.
Biagini and four relievers combined on a three-hitter, and Darwin Barney hit a tie-breaking homer in the eighth inning, as Toronto edged the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1.
The Jays took two-of-three from the Rays to win a road series for the first time this season (1-4-1).
It also was just the fifth time in 31 tries since 2007 that Toronto won a series at Tropicana Field (5-23-3).
Biagini allowed an unearned run and two hits while striking out four over four innings in his first major-league start.
The right-hander was inserted into Toronto’s rotation after 74 career relief appearances due to injuries to Aaron Sanchez and J.A. Happ, and Mat Latos being designated for assignment.
“The goal for me was always to start in the major leagues,” Biagini said.
“To say that I did that is pretty cool.”
Jays’ manager John Gibbons said Biagini will remain in the rotation.
Aaron Loup, Ryan Tepera (2-1), Joe Smith, and Roberto Osuna combined to hold Tampa Bay to one hit over five innings.
Osuna walked Steven Souza Jr. and then gave up a single to Colby Rasmus with two outs in the ninth before striking out Daniel Robertson to get his fourth save.
Toronto’s bullpen hasn’t allowed an earned run in its last 13 1/3 innings.
“Bullpens go in cycles just like everything else, but our guys are starting to step up and establish themselves,” Gibbons noted.
Barney put the Jays up 2-1 with his first homer of the season.
He connected off Alex Cobb (2-3), who gave up two runs and four hits in eight innings.
“I thought Cobb was phenomenal,” said Rays’ manager Kevin Cash.
“You saw two polar opposites, with a guy that was buzzing through a lineup by himself and you saw a combination of guys buzz through another lineup,” he noted.
The lone run off Biagini came in the third when Kevin Kiermaier reached on second baseman Devon Travis’ fielding error and scored on Corey Dickerson’s two-out single.
The Jays tied it in the sixth when Kevin Pillar doubled for his second hit of the game and then came home on Russell Martin’s single with two outs.
Jays’ slugger Jose Bautista went 0-for-13, including seven strikeouts, in the series.
His batting average dropped to .174.
Ezequiel Carrera made a nice play in left field as a defensive replacement, but his hitting streak ended at a career-high 12 games.
He entered in the eighth for Steve Pearce and justified Gibbons’ move by making a running catch of Dickerson’s drive with one out in the inning.
Carrera, however, struck out in the ninth to end his streak at the plate.
Jays’ right-hander Marcus Stroman (2-3) is scheduled to start tonight against Cleveland.
Stroman was pulled after three innings–his shortest start in three years–during the Jays’ 8-6 loss to the N.Y. Yankees on Wednesday night because of tightness in his right armpit.
Elsewhere in the AL, Boston rocked Minnesota 17-6, Baltimore blanked Chicago 4-0, Cleveland edged Kansas City 1-0, Houston beat L.A. 5-3, Seattle edged Texas 4-3, and Oakland topped Detroit 8-6.
Over in the NL, Miami dumped New York 7-0, Milwaukee beat Pittsburgh 6-2, St. Louis downed Atlanta 6-4 (14 innings), Philadelphia topped Washington 6-5 (10 innings), Colorado upended Arizona 5-2, and Cincinnati blanked San Francisco 4-0.
L.A. at San Diego was postponed.
The N.Y. Yankees nipped the Chicago Cubs 5-4 (18 innings) in interleague play.
