(AP) Hernandez, Rays beaten by Blue Jays, Dickey 3-0
By MARK DIDTLER
Associated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.
Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon was impressed by Roberto Hernandez’s start. The only problem was Toronto’s R.A. Dickey was even more dominating.
Dickey pitched a two-hitter for his first complete game of the year, Jose Reyes went 0 for 4 in his return from a two-month layoff and the Blue Jays beat the Rays 3-0 Wednesday for their 12th win in 14 games.
Hernandez (4-9) was pretty good, too, giving up three runs and six hits in eight-plus innings.
Dickey (7-8) retired his first 13 batters before James Loney grounded a single between shortstop and third base with one out in the fifth. Yunel Escobar had a one-out single in the sixth, then was erased when Matt Joyce hit a double-play grounder.
Hernandez struck out five and walked one.
Dickey struck out six and walked one. The knuckleballer pitched a one-hitter for the New York Mets against the Rays on June 13 last year, allowing B.J. Upton’s first-inning infield single.
Only one Tampa Bay runner advanced past first base. Desmond Jennings walked and stole second in the seventh.
Adam Lind and Edwin Encarnacion homered for the Blue Jays, who had lost two in a row after tying their team record of 11 straight wins.
Reyes, the All-Star shortstop traded from Miami to Toronto during the offseason, had been sidelined since severely spraining his left ankle sliding into second base during an April 12 game at Kansas City. He grounded out three times, stranding runners on second in the third and fifth innings, and also flied out. His average dropped from .397 to.357 (15 for 42).
He also made a nifty defensive play in the first inning, going into the hole to make a backhanded grab and then throw out Jennings at first.
Jose Bautista doubled leading off the fourth and scored on Melky Cabrera’s two-out single. Lind homered in the sixth and Encarnacion in the ninth.
NOTES: The Rays are off Thursday before starting a three-game home series Friday night against Detroit. RHP Alex Colome (1-0) will face Max Scherzer (11-0). … To make room for Reyes, Toronto optioned SS Munenori Kawasaki to Triple-A Buffalo after Tuesday’s game. It was a move that prompted manager John Gibbons to hold a team meeting to announce the news. “It’s always tough sending anybody out, but there’s something special about this guy,” Gibbons said. “He was so well-liked and loved by this teammates. He’ll be back.” Gibbons said this is first time he has done something like that in his managerial career. … The game was played in 2 hours, 10 minutes. … 2B Ben Zobrist took a hit away from Lind in the second, diving to his right to field a hard shot and then throwing to first. … Tampa Bay LHP David Price gave up two hits and struck out eight over five scoreless innings in his second rehab start for Class A Charlotte. The AL Cy Young Award winner went on the disabled list for the first time in his career May 16 with a strained left triceps.
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