Biggio's 3-run homer helps Blue Jays down Rays

Morton, who was relieved after the homer, yielded six earned runs on seven hits in four-plus innings. The lefty-hitting Tsutsugo popped an opposite-field two-run homer in the bottom half, and Martinez's double chased Ryu, who allowed three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings in his Toronto debut.

Toronto's Cavan Biggio slugged a three-run homer as the Blue Jays produced consecutive three-run innings in their 6-4 Opening Day win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Blue Jays tallied three times in the fourth inning before Biggio hit the team's first homer with a three-run shot off Tampa Bay ace Charlie Morton in the following frame.

Biggio, who notched 16 homers as a rookie in 2019, went 2-for-5 and scored twice. Teoscar Hernandez doubled and drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Reliever Jordan Romano (1-0), a native of Markham, Ontario, Canada, earned his first career win in relief of starter Hyun-Jin Ryu.

Rays newcomer Yoshi Tsutsugo clubbed a two-run homer in his debut, and Willy Adames was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Mike Brosseau (RBI) and Jose Martinez also stroked doubles, but the club left 11 men on base. The first of 10 scheduled meetings between the clubs featured a matchup of 2019 All-Stars -- Toronto's Ryu for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League, Morton in the American League.

Biggio opened the fourth with a well-placed drag bunt for a hit, and a single by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a walk to Travis Shaw loaded the bases. Randal Grichuk's line single drove in Biggio, and Rowdy Tellez and Hernandez chipped in sacrifice flies. Brosseau drove in the Rays' first run with a two-out double in the bottom half, but Ryu fanned Kevin Kiermaier swinging on a big curve to leave two runners stranded.

Morton (0-1) labored again in the fifth, allowing a pair of singles before Biggio hooked a three-run shot down the right field line for a 6-1 lead. Morton, who was relieved after the homer, yielded six earned runs on seven hits in four-plus innings.

The lefty-hitting Tsutsugo popped an opposite-field two-run homer in the bottom half, and Martinez's double chased Ryu, who allowed three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings in his Toronto debut. Adames singled in an unearned run against reliever Rafael Dolis in the eighth, but the Rays loaded the bases with one out and failed to add on.

Toronto closer Ken Giles spun a scoreless ninth to record his first save. --Field Level Media

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