Rays get strong start from Shane McClanahan but have to rally for win over Blue Jays

Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times on May 12, 2026

Published in Baseball

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TORONTO — For a good part of Tuesday night, the most pressing question was whether Shane McClanahan, after another dominant outing, could actually be better than he was before missing two-plus seasons with arm injuries.

But by the end, the issue was how did they have to sweat this win so much?

With a five-run lead going into the seventh inning, the Rays seemed positioned to easily extend their torrid run and further improve their American League-leading record to 28-13.

Instead, it turned into an anxious evening as they blew that lead then had to rally in the 10th for a 7-6 win.

Taylor Walls singled in Cedric Mullins, the runner placed on second, for the first run. Then Walls, who moved up on a walk and a wild pitch, scored on a sacrifice fly by AL RBI leader Jonathan Aranda.

The Rays have now won 10 of their last 11, 16 of 18 (matching their best 18-game streak in franchise history) and 26 of 34 in climbing to a season-high 15 games over .500. They won six straight series for the sixth time and first since August 2023.

With McClanahan holding the Blue Jays hitless for four innings and allowing just one single over five while striking out seven, he extended his career-best streaks of scoreless starts to four and innings to 21 2/3.

The Rays provided plenty of support, building an early 3-0 lead and expanding it to 5-0 by the seventh.

But relievers Casey Legumina and Cole Sulser — with an error by third baseman Junior Caminero factoring in — let it all get away.

Legumina allowed a one-out single and a two-out double in the seventh, then was replaced by Sulser, who had been pitching extremely well, retiring his last 13 batters and posting 10 straight scoreless appearances.

But that wasn’t the case Tuesday. He walked No. 9 hitter Brandon Valenzuela, then allowed a one-run single to George Springer and a two-run double to Yohendrick Pinango.

Rays manager Kevin Cash went to Kevin Kelly, who also has been throwing well, to face Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Kelly got the ground ball he wanted, but Caminero, moving toward first, tried to make the play in front of Walls, the more sure-handed shortstop.

The ball glanced off Caminero’s glove for his second error of the night and went past Walls, allowing Pinango to score the tying run.

McClanahan retired the first seven Blue Jays before an Automated Ball-Strike challenge reversal led to a Davis Schneider walk in the third, and took a no-hitter into the fifth. Lenyn Sosa reached on an error to start the fifth, then McClanahan allowed his only hit, a single to left by Ernie Clement.

He struck out a season-high-matching seven and didn’t walk anyone.

McClanahan tied Drew Rasmussen for the franchise record with his fourth straight scoreless start of at least five innings, never having done more than two before.

The 21 2/3 scoreless innings are by far his career best. He lowered his opponents’ batting average to .168 and his WHIP (walk and hits per innings pitched) to 0.98.

The Rays again jumped out to an early lead off Blue Jays lefty starter Patrick Corbin.

Aranda, extending his latest hot streak, singled with one out in the first, went to second on Caminero’s single and scored when Jonny DeLuca blooped a ball behind first and just fair for a double.

The Rays made it 3-0 in the third. Caminero led off with a single and Ben Williamson laced a two-out double. Cedric Mullins worked an impressive nine-pitch at-bat, fouling off four two-strike pitches, then singled to center.

Walls created a run in the sixth. He started with a walk, then stole second, went to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch. Ryan Vilade homered in the seventh.

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