Toronto, ON – Evan Longoria's been more than mighty over the past few weeks.
Longoria tallied two hits and a pair of runs scored, while Kelly Johnson and Desmond Jennings smacked solo homers in the Tampa Bay Rays' 4-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the middle test of a three-game set.
Longoria extended his career-best hitting streak to 15 games and is batting .400 (24-of-60) with nine doubles, three homers and 14 RBI during the torrid stretch.
Alex Cobb (5-2) surrendered a run on three hits and two walks for Tampa Bay, which has won four of its last five contests.
"I kind of felt like it was my worst stuff-wise game, but when you have a quality outing without your best stuff, you're very pleased with that," Cobb remarked.
Fernando Rodney tossed the final 1 2/3 innings to notch his ninth save of the year.
Ramon Ortiz (1-2) lasted just 2 1/3 innings and gave up four runs on six hits and a walk for the Blue Jays, who had prevailed in five of their past seven tilts coming in.
"He didn't have it tonight," Jays manager John Gibbons said of Ortiz. "His command was off and that's something he needs."
The Rays jumped out to a 4-0 lead after plating a pair in the second and third innings.
A Longoria two-bagger began the second. He advanced to third on James Loney's groundout and scored on Luke Scott's RBI groundout. Johnson then smacked a two-out solo shot over the wall in center.
Jennings began the third with a drive into the seats in left center and Ortiz was lifted in favor of Aaron Loup after recording just one out. Scott's run- scoring single later in the frame gave Tampa Bay its four-run cushion.
After getting a run back in the fifth when Colby Rasmus drilled a two-out blast deep into the seats in right center, Toronto made things interesting in the eighth.
Joel Peralta allowed a single to Munenori Kawasaki, a walk to Melky Cabrera and another base hit to Jose Bautista, which scored Kawasaki and cut the gap to 4-2, to start the frame. After Edwin Encarnacion fanned, the Blue Jays loaded the bases when Adam Lind reached on Ryan Roberts' fielding error.
Rodney took over on the bump and induced an inning-ending double play on the first pitch when J.P. Arencibia grounded sharply into a 4-6-3 twin killing.
Rasmus, who hit a one-out ground rule double in the ninth, came across on a passed ball, but Cabrera struck out with a runner on first to end the game.
Game Notes
Tampa Bay was 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position, while Toronto finished 1-for-8 with RISP ... Longoria's double was his 14th of the season ... Johnson's homer was his eighth.
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