Odorizzi pitches Rays past Blue Jays
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Jake Odorizzi tossed eight solid innings and the Tampa Bay Rays beat Toronto 2-1 on Monday to spoil the Blue Jays' home opener.
Odorizzi (2-0), who took a no-hitter into the fifth, gave up one run on two hits while striking out three and walking three. Brad Boxberger tossed a scoreless ninth for his third save of the season.
"First couple of innings, the ball wasn't going where I wanted it to," said Odorizzi. "And, it didn't feel very good coming out and where it was going. Just being uncooperative really, but Hick [pitching coach Jim Hickey] got with me between innings and said it was all head positioning."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}David DeJesus and Steven Souza Jr. each walked with the bases loaded in the fourth for the Rays, who have won three in a row.
Devon Travis drove in the lone run for the Blue Jays. R.A. Dickey (0-1) allowed two runs on three hits to go along with six strikeouts and five walks over six innings.
"They did a good job of laying off some really close pitches and I didn't make the big pitch when I had to," said Dickey.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It was the opener of a four-game series between the American League East clubs and part of a 10-game homestand for the Blue Jays.
The Rays broke a scoreless tie with a two-run fourth. Desmond Jennings and Allan Dykstra hit consecutive singles to start the frame. Dickey retired the next two batters before issuing three straight walks to Tim Beckham, DeJesus and Souza. Asdrubal Cabrera flied out to end the inning.
Meanwhile, Odorizzi retired 12 straight batters before giving up a two-out double to Kevin Pillar in the fifth. Pillar then crossed the plate on Travis' single to right.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jose Bautista walked to begin the bottom of the ninth but was thrown out trying to steal second as Edwin Encarnacion struck out swinging on a full- count pitch. Josh Donaldson flied out to the warning track in right for the final out.
Game Notes
Dykstra's single in the fourth was his first major league hit ... The Blue Jays have lost four straight home openers for the first time in club history.