Manager John Gibbons’ ejection on Sunday turned into a key moment for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Russell Martin hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning to help the Blue Jays overcome a poor start by 17-game winner J.A. Happ and avoid a three-game sweep with a 5-3 win against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Gibbons was ejected by plate umpire Pat Hoberg after Martin struck out in the fourth. When Martin turned a couple times to dispute the call while walking toward the dugout, Gibbons took over the argument from the dugout and got tossed.
“Took the heat for everybody,” Martin said. “I think he kept some guys in the game doing that, including myself.”
Toronto’s victory and Boston’s 1-0 loss at Oakland gave the Blue Jays a one-game lead over the Red Sox for the top spot in the AL East.
Martin hit his 17th homer on a 3-0 pitch from Kevin Jepsen (2-6). He has gone deep nine times and driven in 24 runs over his past 18 games.
Happ was up to 85 pitches when he was pulled by Gibbons after Corey Dickerson’s RBI single put the Rays up 3-1 with two outs in the third.
Joaquin Benoit (3-1) gave up a single and struck out three in a scoreless seventh. His second strikeout, coming against Evan Longoria, was the 1,000th of his career.
Roberto Osuna got three outs for his 30th save.
Five Toronto relievers allowed two hits in 6-1/3 scoreless innings.
Happ has gone fewer than five innings in just two of 27 starts this season, with both coming against Tampa Bay. He allowed eight runs over two innings in a 13-2 loss to the Rays on May 18.
The Blue Jays tied it at 3-3 in the seventh on Devon Travis’ two-run single off Brad Boxberger, costing 17-game loser Chris Archer a shot at his ninth win.
Archer allowed two runs and five hits in 6-1/3 innings. He also struck out nine, running his AL-best total to 211.
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