Shane Bieber pitches season-high 7 innings as Blue Jays beat Rays 3-1 to avoid 4-game sweep

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TORONTO (AP) — Shane Bieber pitched a season-high seven innings to win his second straight start, George Springer reached base three times and drove in a run, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 on Thursday to avoid a four-game sweep.

Bieber (2-1) allowed one run and three hits. He walked none and struck out three.

Tyler Rogers worked the eighth and Louis Varland finished for his 21st save in 21 opportunities.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two singles and an RBI, and Springer went 2 for 3 with a walk as Toronto won for the second time in 10 meetings with the Rays.

The Blue Jays are 2-5 since the All-Star break, scoring just 13 runs.

Right-hander Casey Legumina opened for the Rays and allowed one run and two hits in two innings. Left-hander Ian Seymour (6-3) took over in the third and allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.

Toronto opened the scoring in the first inning when Ernie Clement came home from second on Alejandro Kirk’s two-out infield single.

Third baseman Junior Caminero tried to barehand Kirk’s slow chopper but overran the ball, and Clement scampered home. George Springer went from first to third on the play, but Kazuma Okamoto struck out to end the threat.

Tampa Bay tied it in the third when Hunter Feduccia hit a two-out double and scored on Yandy Díaz’s single.

The Blue Jays reclaimed the lead in the bottom half. Yohendrick Piñango led off with a double and scored on Springer’s two-out single.

Rays: LHP Shane McClanahan (8-6, 3.16 ERA) is scheduled to start at home Friday against Cleveland LHP Joey Cantillo (8-5, 3.74).

Blue Jays: RHP Trey Yesavage (4-5, 3.78) is scheduled to start at Boston on Friday against Red Sox LHP Patrick Sandoval (0-0, 4.82).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb