TORONTO _ Blake Snell gave the Rays six dazzling innings on Saturday, allowing just a sole single to the second to last batter he faced and throwing only 82 pitches.
But manager Kevin Cash decided that was enough for Snell, and that led to the Rays losing to Charlie Montoyo's Blue Jays, 3-1.
Snell had been in spectacular form, taking a no-hitter into the sixth before allowing a one-out single to No. 9 hitter Luke Maile, walking only one and striking out nine.
There was no apparent reason for his departure or to think his workload would be limited. He was starting on the normal four days' rest after throwing 100 pitches over six innings Monday in Chicago, and set to get an extra day's rest before his next start on Friday vs. the Red Sox.
Chaz Roe replaced Snell and got into trouble immediately, allowing a leadoff single to Justin Smoak. Roe got one out, then allowed back-to-back doubles to Randal Grichuk and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., putting the Jays up 2-1.
The Rays had a chance in the eighth, when catcher Mike Zunino made it all the way to third when his leadoff fly to right was misplayed. But Willy Adames struck out and, after sizzling Austin Meadows was put on after being ahead 3-0 in the count, Tommy Pham went down swinging also. A pitching change and a pinch-hit, that emptied the Tampa Bay bench, later, and Daniel Robertson also struck out. So three chances, and not a ball in play.
Worse for the Rays, the Jays added a run in their eighth.
The game was scoreless until the sixth. While Snell kept the Jays quiet, the Rays had a couple chances against veteran Clay Buchholz but couldn't do much with them.
Pham and Ji-Man Choi rapped one-out singles in the first, but Choi was caught on the back end of a double-steal, ending the Rays' season-starting streak of 14 straight successful steals. They also ended their team-best streak of scoring in the first inning.
The Rays got Kevin Kiermaier to second with two outs in the second and stranded him, and Pham hit into an inning-ending double play in the third.
The Rays broke through in the sixth. Adames doubled and Meadows, continuing his torrid week, singled through an opening in the shift to score him.
The Rays, who dropped to 11-4, and Jays wrap up the series, the first against former coach Montoyo as the Toronto manager, on Sunday. Charlie Morton will start for the Rays against Marcus Stroman.
