Blue Jays bullpen blanks Rays, leading to series win after Ryu exits with injury
Tim Mayza picks up victory as 5 relievers combine on 2-hitter over 5 1/3 innings
Toronto starter Hyun Jin Ryu was forced to leave early with a minor strain and five relievers completed the shutout, lifting the Blue Jays over the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 on Sunday.
Ryu gave up three hits and struck out five in 3 2/3 innings, but exited with right glute injury after giving up a single to Manuel Margot.
Ryu, through an interpreter, said the problem is "nothing serious."
"He's walking fine," Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said. "That's great news. He should be fine."
But all the in-game manoeuvring had a smiling Montoyo saying that his "brain was fried."
"There was no room for error," Montoyo said of the bullpen. "They did a great job"
Tim Mayza (1-0) followed Ryu and got the final out in the fourth. He gave up two singles in the fifth — the last hits for the Rays — and was replaced by Tyler Chatwood, who worked out of the jam.
Rafael Dolis got four outs to get his second save.
Semien scores on Espinal's single
Totonto lowered its ERA from 3.20 to 3.04, which is the best in team history through the first 21 games of a season.
The Rays had a baserunner in every inning but the first and ninth. Tampa Bay has lost five of six at home.
"We couldn't get anything going," Tampa Bay manger Kevin Cash said. "Their bullpen kept our bats quiet."
Marcus Semien singled off Josh Fleming (1-2) to begin the fifth for Toronto's first hit and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. followed with a bunt single. Semien scored on Santiago Espinal's single.
Fleming avoided further damage by striking out Bo Bichette with the bases loaded to end the inning.
Jansen hitless in 31 at-bats
Rays opener Luis Patino walked Cavan Biggio leading off the first on a nine-pitch at-bat and then combined with Fleming to retire the next 12 batters.
Tampa Bay reliever Louis Head made his major league debut at 31 and worked a perfect eighth by retiring Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Randal Grichuk The right-hander was added to the roster from the alternate site Friday on his birthday.
"It was a rush," Head said. "A lot of fun."
Head's wife was at the game.
After not pitching last year because the minor leagues were shut down and unsure about his future, Head spent four month selling solar panels door to door in Arizona,
Toronto catcher Danny Jansen hit a couple balls hard but went 0 for 4 and is hitless in a career-long 31 at-bats.
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