Rays 4, Blue Jays 1
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Jeremy Hellickson worked seven scoreless innings, and the Rays hit three consecutive solo home runs in the decisive second inning Monday as Tampa Bay ended the Toronto Blue Jays' league-best 11-game winning streak with a 4-1 victory at Tropicana Field.
Hellickson (6-3) won for the fourth time in his last five decisions, allowing a season-low one hit and four walks, which tied a season high. He struck out four. Fernando Rodney recorded his 16th save.
The Blue Jays had won 15 of their previous 18 by outbashing their opponents, but they were smothered by the Rays (40-37), who dropped the Blue Jays (39-38) into last place alone in the American League East.
The Jays' winning streak was the longest in the majors since the Detroit Tigers won 11 in a row in 2011.
The Rays took a 3-0 lead in the second inning on three back-to-back-to-back homers off Blue Jays starter Esmil Rogers (3-3).
James Loney smashed his ninth of the season to right field with one out before highly touted rookie Wil Myers -- making his first plate appearance at Tropicana Field after being called up last week -- hammered a 1-2 pitch over the center field wall. It was his second of the season.
Sam Fuld became the unlikely contributor to franchise history when he hit his second of the season to right. The Rays had never homered in three consecutive at-bats at Tropicana Field.
Tampa Bay used a less prodigious hit for take a 4-0 lead in the third, as Luke Scott's bloop double to left field was left unattended long enough for Matt Joyce to score from second base. Joyce led off with a single and took second on a fielder's choice.
That was plenty for Hellickson, who did not allow a hit between a third-inning single by J.P. Arencibia and a strikeout of the catcher to end the seventh inning.
Toronto bunched two hits, a walk and RBI fielder's choice from Jose Bautista off reliever Alex Torres to trim the deficit to three runs in the eighth. The run ended Torres' franchise-record, 25-inning scoreless streak.
Rogers allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks in six innings.
NOTES: In his first media session since being struck in the head on June 15 by a line drive from the Royals' Eric Hosmer, Rays RHP Alex Cobb said he is confident he will return to the mound this season. However, he is still experiencing symptoms attributable to what was diagnosed as a mild concussion, including headaches, vertigo and nausea. ... Tampa Bay LHP David Price is expected to make his second rehab start for Class A Charlotte (Port Charlotte, Fla.) as he works back from a triceps strain that landed him on the disabled list May 16. ... Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion had his bat fly into the seats behind the third base dugout twice during a first-inning strikeout (swinging, of course). He entered the night with 42 RBIs in his last 40 games. ... The previous time the Rays hit three consecutive homers was in 2008 at Angel Stadium (Evan Longoria, Willy Aybar and Dioner Navarro).
