Jays lose to the Rays.

Jays on the road after their day off and facing the hot Tampa Rays today.Tampa is having a great spring and looks more like that team from 2008.

Interesting starting pitching with Dana Eveland who has pitched very well this spring but not as a starter. Is Cito looking at a number five opportunity here? Facing Rays Niemann.
Not the Jays first team lineup, only four today but all the “prospects” Jeremy Reed in there, trying hard to dislodge Travis as contender in the outfield. Also our latest hero Michael McDade who has no chance of making the team but obviously they want to take longer look at prospects. Joey Gathright also trying hard to make the team. And Chris Lubanski who has had a great spring. Joe Maddon is playing what looks like his opening day lineup.

Good start as Bautista gets on base and Lyle brings him in 1-0 Jays in the first. But back come the Rays. Bartlett gets on base, steals second and Upton brings him in 1-1 at end of first.
More early sloppiness from Bautista with error on his throw that is the second time this week and now Gonzalez at short makes a fielding error.

McDade comes through with a hit. Jays have the hits again today six off Niemann in his four innings but only one run. 1-7 RISP after four.

Jays more aggressive and are running today, Lyle goes in the first inning stealing second. Reed in the third inning taking off from second and safe at third.

Bottom of the fourth, Oh no, Bartlett connects on this one, home run and his second hit today off Eveland.

Rays extend the lead to 4-1 an RBI single to Crawford.

Back come the Jays in top of the fifth Hill walks, in comes Emaus pinch running for Aaron and Lyle brings him in with his second hit and second RBI of the day. But Lubanksi strikes out leaving Lyle out there.
Casey Janssen now in for Eveland who goes four innings, seven hits the one home run only walks one and his ERA remains good at 1.69, he will take that anyday.

Jays make defensive changes bottom of the fifth. Mayorson now in for Bautista, Mathews in left replacing Reed, two hits today so Cito has seen enough? Kyle Phillips takes over for Overbay at first. Lyle was perfect today, three at bats, three hits two RBIs and a stolen base. Good day at the office Lyle.
Crabbe now in right for Lubanski and JP Arencibia now catching for Chavez. Gathright remains in centre.
Janssen his usual excellence, two strikeouts and a ground ball and he is back in the dugout preserving his .000 ERA. In five games and five innings work he has given up one hit and one walk and that’s it. Whoa Casey.

Soriano now pitching replacing Niemann. Finally, Alex Gonzalez connects on one, and that is out of here home run his first of the spring. I was beginning to wonder whether this guy could hit anything. And Rays lead down to one 4-3 and Jays have not outhit the Rays 8-7. McDade not today, strikes out, Gathright strikes out and Arencibia fly ball out. Soriano escapes further damage.

Bottom of sixth. Defensive changes Pastronicky at short for Gonzalez, Wilson in centre for Gathright and Jeremy Accardo now pitching for the Jays. Oh no Jeremy, two out and Bartlett connects for his second home run of the game and his second of the spring, three hits this afternoon and a stolen base off Dana Eveland, he will love the Jays pitching. More to the point he is leading off for the Rays with Crawford behind him. I hope we don’t have to see that all season. 5-3 Rays.

Top of seventh. Choate out there pitching for the Rays, quick and efficient inning, two ground outs and a strike out. And back to the bottom of the inning.
Bottom of the inning. Valdez now pitching, very efficient, strikeout, fly ball and a ground ball out.

Top of the eighth Rays send in the second team now every starting position except catcher changed, Shoppach remains in the game. Choate out there again facing Phillips, Crabbe and Pastronicki, all first at bats today. Thayer now pitching, Pastronicky singles, McDade his last chance to repeat weekend heroics. Strikes out. Ouch.

Purcey now pitching for Jays, hello David. Very good, three fly ball outs. Gets his ERA down to 6.00. Does he still have a chance to make the squad, he is leaving it late?

Top of the ninth Thayer still in there, Jays last chance here. Not this time three strikeouts, that will do it.
Jays have still outhit Rays 10-9 but that doesn’t count does it? Not sure management got much out of this today apart from relief that Alex Gonzalez can hit and watching the pitching, despite the score they must be very happy with Janssen and Purcey today and certainly Eveland and Accado were not terrible by any means. Good pitching and depth is what Jays need this season to replace gaps left by both Halladay and of course Burnett from previous season.