Rays score 7 in 11th to beat Blue Jays 14-8 for 11th in row

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) – Francisco Mejía hit a tiebreaking, two-run single during a seven-run burst in the 11th inning and the Tampa Bay Rays won their 11th straight game, outlasting the Toronto Blue Jays 14-8 on Monday. Tampa Bay moved within one win of the team record for consecutive victories. In 2004, playing as the Devil Rays, they won 12 in a row under manager Lou Piniella. After both teams scored twice in the 10th to make it 7-all, the Rays broke loose. Mejía’s hit came off Joel Payamps (0-2) with the bases loaded. Randy Arozarena doubled home a run, Austin Meadows had an RBI grounder, Manuel Margot knocked in two with a triple and Mike Brosseau added an RBI single against Tim Mayza. Joey Wendle hit a grand slam as Tampa Bay took a 5-0 lead in the first. The Rays wound up with a four-game sweep and took over sole possession of first place in the AL East. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit two of Toronto’s five home runs. The Blue Jays lost their sixth in a row. Tampa Bay scored twice in the 10th, but Marcus Semien tied it with a two-run homer off Jeffrey Springs (4-1). Guerrero’s second shot was a two-run drive in the eighth off Ryan Thompson to tie it at 5. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Teoscar Hernández also homered for the Blue Jays, who played their final game at TD Ballpark. Toronto dropped seven of 10 on the final homestand and finished 10-11 at its spring training facility. The Blue Jays will now relocate to Buffalo, New York, as COVID-19 restrictions in Canada prevent them from playing in Toronto. BREWERS 5, PADRES 3 MILWAUKEE (AP) – Brewers closer Josh Hader stopped San Diego’s rally in the ninth inning, and the Padres’ nine-game winning streak ended with a loss to Milwaukee. Fresh off sweeping a nine-game homestand, the Padres trailed 5-0 going into the ninth. Tommy Pham hit a two-run homer off Angel Perdomo. Hader relieved with a runner on first and no outs, and gave up Eric Hosmer’s RBI double with one out and then a walk. Hader settled down to retire Austin Nola on a popup and Ha-Seong Kim on a lineout for his 11th save of the season. Brandon Woodruff (3-2) gave up three hits over seven innings against a Padres team that had won 12 of 13. He struck out eight and walked none. Manny Pina hit an early two-run homer. Avisail Garcia led off the fourth with a homer and Kolten Wong’s two-out, two-run single later in the inning finished Blake Snell (1-1), who allowed a season-high five earned runs. WHITE SOX 5, CARDINALS 1 CHICAGO (AP) – White Sox manager Tony La Russa wound up a winner in his first game against the team that ensured his Hall of Fame induction as Chicago beat St. Louis behind Lance Lynn’s arm and Andrew Vaughn’s bat. The victory ended a three-game skid for the AL Central leaders, who were swept at Yankee Stadium after winning 10 of 13. The NL Central-leading Cardinals dropped their second straight. Lynn (5-1) held the Cardinals hitless for 5 1/3 innings. Vaughn hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off Kwang Hyun Kim (1-2) in the sixth. Tim Anderson added a two-run double against reliever Daniel Ponce de Leon. After winning a World Series in Oakland, La Russa guided the Cardinals to two World Series championships, three pennants and nine postseason appearances from 1996-2011. He left the team as its all-time leader in wins and games managed. INDIANS 6, TIGERS 5 DETROIT (AP) – Jordan Luplow made a diving catch on Eric Haase’s sinking liner to right field with the bases loaded, preserving Cleveland’s victory over Detroit. Luplow, who entered as a defensive replacement an inning earlier, made the clutch grab for the final out to help closer Emmanuel Clase escape with his eighth save in nine chances.