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Alex Colome wastes strong Chris Archer start as Rays lose to Blue Jays (w/video)

 
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 30: Jose Bautista #19 of the Toronto Blue Jays has words for Chris Archer #22 of the Tampa Bay Rays after objecting to an inside pitch before flying out in the first inning during MLB game action at Rogers Centre on April 30, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) 700010595
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 30: Jose Bautista #19 of the Toronto Blue Jays has words for Chris Archer #22 of the Tampa Bay Rays after objecting to an inside pitch before flying out in the first inning during MLB game action at Rogers Centre on April 30, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) 700010595
Published April 30, 2017

TORONTO — What looked to be a good Sunday afternoon based on a strong Chris Archer start and some heads-up play ended badly for the Rays as Alex Colome faltered in the eighth inning and the Blue Jays scored a 3-1 win.

With Archer pitching into the eighth and rookie Daniel Robertson perfectly executing a safety squeeze bunt, the Rays were in position to end April with a road series win.

But Archer, who allowed only four hits, walked Darwin Barney to start the eighth and was taken out after an infield out on a ball that bounced off Evan Longoria's glove and to Robertson.

Manager Kevin Cash summoned Colome, who had two days off, for a five-out save.

But he blew it quickly, allowing a double to Jose Bautista that hit high off the leftfield walk.

After falling behind and intentionally walking Kendrys Morales then striking out Justin Smoak, Colome gave up two more runs — on a bloop single just inside the rightfield line by Russell Martin and a grounder up the middle that Robertson stopped and flipped to second but Brad Miller couldn't hang on to.

The Rays, now 12-14, broke through for a run in the eighth, scoring on the old first-and-third safety squeeze bunt play, perfectly executed by Robertson. Logan Morrison drew a leadoff walk, and Derek Norris followed with a single. Morrison made a heads-up play in tagging up and advancing to third on a foul pop up by Shane Peterson that first baseman Smoak caught with his back to the infield.

With Robertson at the plate, the Rays turned to the bunt play that former senior adviser Don Zimmer used to advocate and former manager Joe Maddon adopted, and it worked perfectly as Robertson pushed it to the first base side of the mound and reliever Joe Smith had no play at the plate.

Archer made thing interesting early, throwing a 96 mph fastball behind the back of Bautista, drawing a long glare from the plate and a couple of words when Bautista took a circuitous route past him on his way back to the dugout after flying out to right.

There was no apparent reason for the pitch, unless Archer was sending a message in response to Blue Jays reliever Joe Biagini hitting Steven Souza Jr. on Saturday.

Archer cruised along, allowing only two singles through the first five innings and getting Bautista looking at strike three to open the fourth along the way.

He pitched into and out of trouble in the sixth, with a little good fortune to help. First, the bad: He allowed a one-out single to Bautista then a well-struck ball by Morales that eluded diving rightfielder Peterson but bounced over the wall, forcing Bautista to stop at second. Then, the good: Archer got Smoak swinging at strike three then Martin on a weak rightside grounder to second.

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Jays starter Aaron Sanchez lasted just one inning, and 13 pitches, after recurring problems with the fingernail on his right middle finger, on which he recently had a procedure to remove part of it.

That should have been good for the Rays, but reliever Ryan Tepera came in and worked 31/3 strong innings, allowing only the single to Miller leading off the fifth that was their first hit, and striking out five. The Jays kept rolling through their bullpen.

The Rays left after the game for Miami, where they open a two-game series on Monday.

Marc Topkin can be reached at mtopkin@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Rays.