Rays 11, Blue Jays 9: Rollercoaster ride north of the border

They should try scoring 11 runs every night.

My last two recaps have come at the start of home stands. Thank you to our managing editor Danny Russell for allowing me to recap the start of a road trip, where the magic will happen this season.

Before the game, we learned that Yandy Diaz would not be accompanying the team to Toronto because of a passport issue. He will rejoin the team in Miami before their series against the Marlins. Brandon Lowe slotted in as the DH, and Jose Caballero got the start at second base. Shane Baz took the mound for the opener against the Blue Jays, facing off against Jose Berrios.

The Rays got on the board in the third inning, first with a two-run single from Brandon Lowe, then a massive two-run homer from Jonathan Aranda. Aranda turned on a change up that caught way too much of the plate and sent it 433 feet into the right field stands.

While Baz flashed electric stuff at times, he did not make it out of the fifth inning. He gave up a pair of home runs and was lifted with runners on the corners and two outs of the fifth. Manuel Rodriguez, who has seemingly pitched in every game this season, came in to shut the door with Vlad Guerrero Jr. at the plate.

Danny Jansen also homered in his return to Toronto, extending the Rays lead to three in the seventh.

It was 6-4 in the eighth, and it seemed like Uceta would be responsible for another loss. He gave up three earned runs in his sole inning of work, giving the Jays the lead on a Daulton Varsho three-run homer. He was nibbling for most of the inning, and when he finally decided to attack the strike zone, Varsho was ready to pounce.

the Rays offense had a response against Toronto closer Jeff Hoffman in the ninth. It started with a one-out walk from Travis Jankowski, and then singles from Danny Jansen, Chandler Simpson, and Brandon Lowe. The Simpson single brought home Jankowski to tie it, but Jansen was held at third on the Lowe single.

In steps Junior Caminero, who unloaded on a hanging slider to hit his first career grand slam and give the Rays an 11-7 lead. Big home runs in moments like this is what we dreamed of as Rays fans after watching him for Escogido in the Dominican Republic this winter.

Despite the four-run lead, the Rays had Pete Fairbanks warmed and ready to go for the bottom of the ninth. He was not at his sharpest, and could not finish the game. Giving up a pair of hits and a pair of walks, he brought the winning run into the plate with two outs.

Mason Montgomery was called upon to get the final out, facing Daulton Varsho who had homered twice already. He got him to fly out to left field to end the game and secure a game one victory for the Rays.

This was not the cleanest win of the season, but it was one of the more exciting ones. Scoring 11 runs will do that. Great start to the road trip, Ryan Pepiot takes the mound tomorrow for game two.