Ryan Vilade homer leads Rays past Blue Jays to open run of AL East play

TAMPA, Fla. - Opening a month of facing mostly their American League East rivals, the Tampa Bay Rays kept a lot of good things going on Monday night in beating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1.

The win was their 10th in 11 games, improving them to 22-12 overall and a majors-best 20-7 since a 2-5 start.

They allowed three or fewer runs for the 11th straight game, the second-longest such streak in franchise history behind a 12-game run in 2014.

And they won their eighth straight game at Tropicana Field.

The Rays grabbed the lead right from the start off Jays starter Eric Lauer.

Chandler Simpson, batting leadoff against a lefty for the second time this homestand, led off with a single to center, and Junior Caminero then drew a five-pitch walk.

Ryan Vilade, who played a key role in Sunday's win with a run-scoring bunt, flexed his muscles this time, lacing a 413-foot, 106.9-mph off-the-bat homer to left-center.

That was Vilade's first homer with the Rays and second of his limited major-league career, having gone deep July 13, 2024, with the Tigers against the Dodgers.

The Jays got a run with three straight singles in the third, though starter Nick Martinez and the Rays did well in keeping them from more.

The Rays extended the lead to 5-1 in the sixth, rapping three straight two-out hits. Jonathan Aranda, coming off a career-high four-hit Sunday, got them started with a one-out single. After Jonny DeLuca struck out, Ben Williamson and Nick Fortes each reached on infield singles, loading the bases.

Walls then lined a ball to center, scoring two.

Martinez worked five innings, allowing the one run and five hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

The bullpen crew of Ian Seymour, Kevin Kelly, Cole Sulser, recent addition Casey Legumina and Bryan Baker, who was summoned for the final out, took it from there.

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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 6:51 PM.