Fortes’s three-run homer helps Rays rout Jays 12-2; Gausman lasts just 3 1/3 innings

TORONTO — Nick Fortes hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning and Yandy Diaz had his own three-run shot in the ninth as the Tampa Bay Rays routed the Toronto Blue Jays 12-2 on Tuesday.

Fortes also had an RBI single in the ninth as Tampa Bay (58-42) won its second consecutive game. Jonny DeLuca had a two-run single in the first and drove in another run in the fourth. Chandler Simpson scored DeLuca with a basehit in the first as the Rays jumped out to a 3-0 lead.

Diaz also scored on a throwing error by Blue Jays catcher Brandon Valenzuela in the fourth.

Drew Rasmussen (8-5) allowed two runs over five innings. He allowed seven hits and a walk but struck out five. Relievers Cole Sulser, Craig Kimbrel and Garrett Cleavinger combined for four scoreless innings.

Daulton Varsho’s bouncer down the first-base line scored a run for Toronto (46-55) and Kazuma Okamoto grounded into a double play that got him and Varsho out but allowed George Springer to score.

Kevin Gausman (4-9) pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing five runs — four earned — on nine hits and two walks. He struck out one.

Mason Fluharty, Lazaro Estrada, Patrick Corbin and outfielder Myles Straw came on in relief.

TAKEAWAYS

Rays: Despite the dominant win with 21 hits, the American East-leading Tampa Bay could have done even more damage, leaving 11 runners on base.

Blue Jays: Scoring runs continued to be an issue for Toronto, including loading the bases in the first inning but not plating anyone. The Blue Jays have the worst offence in all of Major League Baseball, scoring only 400 runs so far this year.

KEY MOMENT

Boos rained down from the sold-out Rogers Centre crowd of 42,881 after both Fortes and Diaz’s homers, with intermittent booing throughout the game’s later innings.

KEY STAT

Springer’s sixth-inning double was the Blue Jays’ first extra-base hit in 26 innings.

UP NEXT

Toronto will likely have a bullpen day for Wednesday’s third game of the four-game series.

Griffin Jax (5-7) is scheduled to start for Tampa Bay.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2026.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press