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Streaking Jays edge struggling Rays

Sun 7th, September 2008

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - David Purcey threw eight shutout innings and Rod Barajas knocked in the lone run with a sacrifice fly, as the red-hot Toronto Blue Jays completed a three-game sweep of the struggling Tampa Bay Rays with a 1-0 victory at Rogers Centre.

Adam Lind doubled and scored the only run for Toronto, which has won eight in a row.

Purcey (3-5) scattered six hits and walked three to earn his first win since August 13 at Detroit. He struck out seven. Jesse Carlson closed it out with a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.

B.J. Upton had three hits for the Rays, who have lost five of their last six and saw their lead in the AL East trimmed to just 1 1/2 games over Boston. The Red Sox beat Texas on Sunday.

The Rays continue their nine-game road trip on Monday with the start of a critical three-game series at Fenway Park. They will then visit New York to play three against the Yankees next weekend.

Matt Garza (11-9) was the hard-luck loser for Tampa Bay. He surrendered just one run on six hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in seven innings.

Purcey and Garza also hooked up in a 1-0 duel on August 27 in Tampa, a game won by Garza and the Rays.

"It's the kind of games you want [to be involved in]," said Purcey. "He got a 1-0 win and I got a 1-0 win."

The Blue Jays wasted a two-out triple by Alex Rios in the first inning, then scored in the second when Lind led off with a double, advanced to third on a grounder by Lyle Overbay and raced home on a sacrifice fly by Barajas.

Tampa Bay had a pair of base running mistakes early. In the second, Willy Aybar singled with one out and was picked off at first by Barajas on a snap throw from home plate. Jason Bartlett followed with a double that may have scored the runner. In the fourth, Upton led off with a single, then was picked off at first by Purcey and caught at second base for the third out.

"He was locating and making pitches when he needed to," said Upton about Purcey. "We got a couple of hits and he kept us from stringing hits together."

Aybar led off the fifth with a double, but was left at second base. The Blue Jays could not take advantage of a pair of singles to start the home fifth, as Garza retired the next three batters.

The Rays had their best threat in the eighth. Ben Zobrist drew a one-out walk and Upton singled with two outs to put runners on the corners. Carlos Pena walked to load the bases, but Rocco Baldelli hit a harmless fly ball to left for the third out.

"When the game's on the line, it's the most fun," Purcey added.

Game Notes

Toronto is 6-0 to start September for the first time since 1988...Each team left seven runners on base...The Blue Jays next visit Chicago and start a four-game series with the White Sox on Monday...Rios was the designated hitter for the first time in his career.