Rays rally in 8th inning to beat Blue Jays, win for 11th time in last 12

Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times on May 5, 2026

Published in Baseball

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TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays just waited to make it exciting at the end Tuesday.

Trailing or tied through the first seven innings, they rallied for two runs in the eighth to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3.

Yandy Diaz singled in the tying run, and Ben Williamson delivered the eventual game-winner as the Rays prevailed for the 11th time in their last 12 games and improved to 23-12 overall.

Down 3-2 going to the eighth, their rally started when Jonathan Aranda, who singled in a run in the third to retake the American League RBI lead at 29, sliced a ball down the left-field line and hustled for a one-out double.

Diaz, hitless in his first seven at-bats after returning Monday from Friday’s left oblique tightness, slapped a single up the middle to score pinch-runner Taylor Walls.

The hit was the 997th of Diaz’s career as he closes in on becoming the 10th Cuban-born player to reach the 1,000 mark.

Jake Fraley followed with a single to center that sent Diaz to second, then Williamson bounced a single through the middle that scored Diaz with the go-ahead run.

The Blue Jays jumped out to an early lead with runs in each of the first two innings.

Kazuma Okamoto drove a two-out Drew Rasmussen fastball over the right-center field fence in the opening frame, ending the Rays’ franchise-record-tying streak of not allowing a homer at six games.

They made it 2-0 with three three straight one-out singles in the second, with Andres Gimenez delivering the run-scoring hit. A slick play by first baseman Aranda on catcher Brandon Valenzuela’s bunt kept them from more.

The Rays responded with single runs in the third and fourth.

Chandler Simpson created the first run, reaching on an infield single, stealing second and, after Junior Caminero walked, scoring on a single by Aranda, whose 29 RBIs are most in the American League.

They got even in the fourth but had a chance for more.

Singles by Fraley and Williamson, and a well-placed bunt by Cedric Mullins that Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman fumbled loaded the bases.

But Hunter Feduccia grounded into a double play, scoring Fraley, and Richie Palacios struck out.

The Blue Jays went back ahead in the fifth when Gimenez led off with a single, went to second when Valenzuela walked and third when Springer flied to deep center. The Rays did pick up an out when Mullins’ throw nabbed Valenzuela trying to get to second. But the Jays scored when Yohendrick Pinango singled to center.

Rasmussen allowed a season-high seven hits and three runs. One good note is that he extended his streak of regular-season starts with four or fewer runs allowed to a franchise-record 45, breaking a tie with Shane McClanahan.

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