Game 1: 4-3 W. WP-Moran (1-1). Starter-Swanda (5 5 3 2 0 8). HR-Cartaya (7). Rays came back from down 3-0 to pull out the win on Wander's walk-off single in the bottom of the 9th scoring Luciano who had led off with a double.
Game 2: 4-5 L. LP-Fairbanks (0-2). Starter-Orze (3.2 6 4 3 0 4). HR-Torkelson (4). Once again the Rays had to try and overcome an early deficit with Orze terrible yet again. They did come all the way back from 4-1 down thanks largely to Tork, who homered and then had the tying RBI double in the 8th, only for Fairbanks to give up a run in the 9th. Sadly they couldn't score despite loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the 9th.
Game 3: 3-2 W (10). WP-Ruegger (2-0). Starter-Whitlock (5.1 4 2 1 0 4). HR-Mead (5). Another tight game, another comeback for the Rays as they scored in the 8th to send it to extras and Mead won it with a walk-off blast to left as once again they took 2 of 3 in a series.
Team record: 17-8. The Jays swept the White Sox, who were 17-5 coming into Toronto, but then lost on our Monday off-day to the Angels, so they lead us by 1/2 game. Next up: An off-day then 3 games in Oakland.
Nobody on the big club won a monthly award for April, but we did have some recognition on the farm:
An incredible month for Chin, whom we signed from Taiwan a few years back. We are deep in OFs but Chin is knocking on the door and is an excellent defensive OF. Also 31-year-old hurler Brian Gonzalez, who was up briefly last year after coming over for Christian Vazquez, won the IL Pitcher of the Month award after an outstanding 4-0, 1.45 performance with a 5/30 BB/K ratio in 31 IP.