TORONTO – Alek Manoah pumped his fist and roared after letting Jonny DeLuca swipe a sinker high in the strike zone for his seventh strikeout.
It was the last pitch that marked his best start to the season.
Manoa had a standout performance Sunday, limiting Tampa Bay to a walk and a hit as the Toronto Blue Jays avoided a three-game sweep by shutting out the Rays, 5-2. Manoa said he was already excited when Toronto manager John Schneider ejected him in the seventh inning.
“I was like, ‘Okay, don’t let them down,’ and it felt really good,” Manoah said. “The energy of this crowd was unbelievable, so I just tried to absorb it all and let my emotions flow freely into it.”
Manoa (1-1) earned its first win of the season, dropping its ERA from 4.91 to 3.00. It was his second straight quality start after allowing three runs (all unearned) and striking out six over seven innings in Toronto’s 5–1 loss to the Minnesota Twins on May 12.
Two solid outings could signal a return for Manoah in 2022. He was named to his first All-Star team that season and finished third in his Cy Young Award voting after going 16-7, with a 2.24 ERA, and 180 strikeouts.
But Manoa was one of the slowest pitchers in baseball in 2022, averaging 20.7 seconds between pitches with the bases empty and 24.8 seconds between pitches with runners on base. He pitched less than half of his innings through 2023, going 3-9 with a 5.87 ERA and 79 Ks.
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“Before the regulations were enacted last year, things were notoriously slow,” Schneider said. “Of course, I think it took a little bit of getting used to, but credit to him for figuring it out.”
Manoah said fast pitching has actually become one of his tools.
“The less time I spend there, the more time our offense has at the plate,” Manoah said. “Pitching is like a boxing match. When our offense is out there, they tire the guy out.
“It’s my job to get back in the dugout and get that offense back out there and keep wearing him down.”
It was Manoa’s first win since starting the season on the injured list with shoulder soreness and a 7-3 win at Boston on Aug. 4. The 26-year-old right-hander said he was not interested in improving his own win-loss record.
“I think it’s huge for this team,” Manoah said, noting that Tampa is a division rival. “I don’t want anyone coming into my house and wiping us out.
“The biggest thing was to go out there, set the tone, get a big win and get to work.”
Daniel Vogelbach went 3-for-4, including a solo home run, as Toronto (20-25) snapped a three-game losing skid. Alejandro Kirk had a two-run double and George Springer added an RBI double.
Trevor Richards, Zach Pop of Brampton, Ont., and Jordan Romano of Markham, Ont. came out of the Blue Jays bullpen, with Pop giving up two runs in the ninth.
Aaron Seabale (2-4) allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits and four walks for Tampa Bay (25-23) while striking out three over 5 1/3 innings. Manuel Rodriguez and Phil Marton appeared as relief pitchers.
Isaac Paredes hit a two-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning, allowing no runs.
Vogelbach opened the scoring in the second inning, blasting his first home run of the season 394 feet over the center field wall.
Vogelbach had only his 38th plate appearance of the season as the 31-year-old veteran designated hitter had barely been used since signing a minor league contract with the Blue Jays on February 16. His performance on Sunday improved his batting average to 63 runs. Ending the day at .171.
“As the season goes on, everyone has to pitch in and you never know when they’re going to have to contribute,” Vogelbach said. “If you just put your head down, go to work, get out in the field every day, everything will be fine.”
Toronto added two more points in the fourth inning.
Springer’s hit double bounced off the wall, scoring Vogelbach from second. Paredes’ next at-bat was shaken up by Isiah Kiner-Falefa on what appeared to be a clear grounder to third base. When the ball was dribbled into foul territory, Springer sprinted home on third down and Kiner-Falefa advanced comfortably to first on an error.
Kirk added to the lead in the sixth with two goals off Vogelbach and Springer for a 5-0 Blue Jays advantage.
Pop had two outs in the ninth, but Jonathan Aranda reached base after a grounder and withstood a video challenge first. This allowed Paredes to hit his 9th home run of the season, making it 5-2.
After Pop walked Richie Palacious, Romano took the mound to get the final save of the game and seventh of the season.
ON DECK — Jose Berrios (4-3) starts Monday afternoon as the Blue Jays begin a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox.
Eric Fede (4-0) takes the mound for Chicago.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 19, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
