Rays tag Bassitt with 3 home runs to send Blue Jays to 5th straight loss

After hitting 139 homers last season, the Tampa Bay Rays could blow past that total before this year's all-star break.

Tampa Bay (35-14) leads the major leagues with 94 home runs. The Rays opened a three-game lead over Baltimore in the AL East.

"The team that we have, we have a team that can run, that can field, that can hit," Siri said through a translator. "It doesn't matter what pitcher is up there, we feel confident in our ability to hit."

After opener Trevor Kelley pitched two scoreless innings, Josh Fleming (1-0) allowed two runs and five hits over the next six as the Rays improved to 22-4 at home.

Tampa Bay is the ninth team since 1901 to win 22 of its first 26 home games.

The announced crowd at Tropicana Field was a season-low 8,857. Tampa Bay started the day averaging 18,045, 10th in the American League.

Toronto's Chris Bassitt (5-3) pitched 28 consecutive scoreless inning before the Rays scored three times in the second. He allowed six runs — two earned — and seven hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Varsho hit a solo homer in the ninth against Zack Littell, who was replaced by Pete Fairbanks with two on and one out. Fairbanks allowed a two-out RBI single to pinch-hitter Brandon Belt and loaded the bases with a walk George Springer before getting a comebacker from Bo Bichette for his fifth save.

"It's not a lack of effort," Toronto manager John Schneider said. "These guys want it, and they're battling. You look at the ninth inning, there's no quit. That's what gives you a lot of confidence going forward."

Arozarena had a leadoff double in the second and scored with two outs when first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was charged with an error after mishandling second baseman Merrifield's throw from behind the base on Christian Bethancourt's grounder. Siri followed with a homer to centre.

"We take advantage of those little mistakes that the other team makes," Siri said.

Bassitt's streak comes to an end

Bassitt's scoreless stretch was the second-longest season streak in franchise history, trailing Roger Clemens' 33 innings in 1998. Dave Steib had a 34-inning run in 1988-89.

Guerrero got his second error after dropping a flip from Bassitt on a hard-hit ball by Wander Franco that the first baseman blocked. Guerrero stayed in the game after Franco stepped on his foot, which was on the base.

Merrifield cut the deficit to 4-2 on a fourth-inning, two-run drive.

Arozarena went deep in the sixth, and Raley added his shot one inning later.

Toronto's Jose Berrios (3-4) and Rays' Taj Bradley (3-0) are Tuesday night's starters in the second game of a four-game series.