Blue Jays bring 1-0 series lead over Rays into game 2

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Toronto Blue Jays (62-65, fourth in the AL East) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (75-50, first in the AL East)

St. Petersburg, Florida; Wednesday, 6:40 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Blue Jays: Max Scherzer (1-5, 6.59 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 31 strikeouts); Rays: Drew Rasmussen (12-5, 2.78 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 133 strikeouts)

LINE: Rays -214, Blue Jays +175; over/under is 7 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Toronto Blue Jays meet the Tampa Bay Rays leading the series 1-0.

Tampa Bay has a 75-50 record overall and a 42-22 record in home games. Rays hitters are batting a collective .262, the top team batting average in MLB play.

Toronto has a 62-65 record overall and a 29-32 record in road games. The Blue Jays have the ninth-best team ERA in the majors at 3.96.

Wednesday's game is the 12th time these teams square off this season. The Rays are up 8-3 in the season series.

TOP PERFORMERS: Junior Caminero has 35 home runs, 66 walks and 79 RBIs while hitting .275 for the Rays. Yandy Diaz is 18 for 45 with a double, three home runs and six RBIs over the past 10 games.

Kazuma Okamoto leads the Blue Jays with 42 extra base hits (17 doubles and 25 home runs). Alejandro Kirk is 16 for 36 with two doubles, two home runs and 10 RBIs over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rays: 6-4, .305 batting average, 5.14 ERA, outscored opponents by six runs

Blue Jays: 7-3, .267 batting average, 3.31 ERA, outscored opponents by eight runs

INJURIES: Rays: Victor Mesa Jr.: day-to-day (hamstring), Cole Sulser: 15-Day IL (back), Manuel Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Edwin Uceta: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Gavin Lux: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jon Heasley: 60-Day IL (elbow), Griffin Jax: 15-Day IL (elbow), Ben Williamson: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Jake Fraley: 60-Day IL (groin), Ryan Pepiot: 60-Day IL (hip)

Blue Jays: Joe Mantiply: 60-Day IL (knee), Luis Urias: 10-Day IL (quadricep), Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: 7-Day IL (head), Jose Berrios: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jake Bloss: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jameson Taillon: 15-Day IL (forearm), Jonatan Clase: 10-Day IL (foot), Spencer Arrighetti: 15-Day IL (foot), Trey Yesavage: 15-Day IL (knee), Patrick Corbin: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Cody Ponce: 60-Day IL (knee), Yimi Garcia: 60-Day IL (elbow), Addison Barger: 60-Day IL (elbow), Anthony Santander: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Bowden Francis: 60-Day IL (elbow)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.