Smoak caps off seven-run ninth inning comeback as Blue Jays stun Rays 9-8
TORONTO — Sitting in the home dugout at Rogers Centre, Justin Smoak had a front-row seat as his Toronto Blue Jays teammates staged one of the biggest comebacks in team history. And then suddenly it was the veteran slugger’s turn at the plate.
Smoak hit a solo blast to cap off a seven-run ninth inning as Toronto rallied to a 9-8 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night. The comeback tied the largest ninth-inning rally in Blue Jays history, matching their 11-10 win over the Los Angeles Angels on July 30, 2017.
Blue Jays prospect Rowdy Tellez had a two-run homer in the second inning and started Toronto’s ninth-inning comeback with an RBI double to cut Tampa’s lead to 8-3. Catcher Danny Jansen followed with a three-run blast to bring the Blue Jays to within two runs and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., then had a two-run shot to tie the game with two outs and bring Smoak to the plate.
“You’re sitting there, watching it unfold from the bench,” said Smoak. “Give it to some of these young guys, they’re having really good at bats. It feels like it happened so fast, next thing you know, I was up there.”