Playing spoiler, Rays pound Jays in rubber game

TORONTO — The Rays flexed their power at Rogers Centre for a second straight day, using a pair of home runs and a stellar pitching performance to earn an 8-1 victory over the Blue Jays in the rubber game Wednesday afternoon.

The loss pushes the Blue Jays 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Red Sox in the American League East and one half-game behind the Orioles for the top AL Wild Card slot, pending the outcome of Wednesday night’s Orioles-Red Sox matchup.

The Rays looked baffled in the early going against Toronto starter Marco Estrada. Kept off the bases for the first three innings, Tampa Bay’s offense came to life with three runs in the fourth, sparked by Kevin Kiermaier’s two-run home run to give the Rays the lead for good. Tampa Bay would add three more in the sixth, with Corey Dickerson’s two-run blast the big blow, and two insurance runs in the ninth.

Rays starter Alex Cobb pitched 6 2/3 innings of two-hit ball while striking out four. Cobb allowed just a single run in the first inning, and retired 18 of his final 20 batters.

Estrada’s outing spiraled downward after the Kiermaier home run in the fourth. The finesse right-hander lasted 5 1/3 innings and allowed four earned runs — the fifth time he’s allowed four earned runs or more in …

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