Bradley extends scoreless streak to 23 innings, Lowe hits upper-deck homer, Rays rout Blue Jays 13-0

TORONTO (AP) — Taj Bradley extended his scoreless streak to 23 innings in winning his fifth straight decision, Brandon Lowe homered into the upper deck and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 13-0 on Thursday.

Isaac Paredes had four RBIs and Alex Jackson drove in three as the Rays set a season high in runs and won for the 18th time in 30 games.

Lowe went 4 for 4 with three RBIs and walked twice, coming within a triple of the cycle. Amed Rosario had three hits for the Rays, who have won 13 straight when scoring four runs or more.

Bradley (6-4) allowed two hits in six innings, struck out seven and walked one, improving to 5-1 with a 0.82 ERA in his past nine starts.

“He’s put himself in an elite category this year,” Rays manager Kevin Cash. “I don’t know how many other pitchers have been on a run like that.”

The 23-year-old right-hander has not lost since June 8 against Baltimore.

“I’m just throwing all my pitches for strikes,” Bradley said. “I feel like you keep them guessing. They have a heater that they’re looking for, but then the other two pitches tunnel off of it really well.”

Bradley matched Ryan Yarbrough, Jake Odorizzi, and Alex Cobb as the only Rays pitchers to throw six or more shutout innings in three straight starts.

“Arguably the best pitcher in the league right now,” Lowe said of Bradley. “The last eight or nine starts, I don’t think there’s another pitcher that touches him.”

Edwin Uceta and Colin Poche finished with hitless relief in the Rays’ sixth shutout, the fourth against Toronto this season.

Infielder Ernie Clement pitched the ninth inning for the Blue Jays.

Spencer Horwitz doubled in the first inning and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached on an infield single, but Bradley responded by striking out Justin Turner and Daulton Varsho, the first two in a streak of 11 consecutive outs.

“Taj is having a great year and he didn’t make many mistakes,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said.

Lowe hit the 23rd upper deck home run since Toronto’s stadium opened in June 1989, a solo shot in the first off Chris Bassitt (8-9).

“His day just kind of rolled from there,” Cash said of Lowe.

It was the first upper deck home run in Toronto since Lowe and former Rays teammate Austin Meadows did it on April 12, 2019. Meadows and Lowe connected four batters apart off right-hander Trent Thornton that night, hitting nearly identical 436-foot drives.

Lowe joined Jose Canseco (three), Edwin Encarnacion (two) and Josh Phelps (two) as the only players to hit more than one upper deck homer in Toronto.

Lowe’s 414-foot home run Thursday was the shortest of the 23 to reach the fifth deck.

Paredes and Lowe hit back-to-back RBI doubles in the third.

Bassitt’s next pitch was an 86 mph changeup that hit Randy Arozarena on the batting helmet. Arozarena went down briefly but was not injured and flashed a thumbs up at Bassitt when the Blue Jays pitcher approached home plate.

“Bassitt, he’s a pro,” Cash said. “He went up there very apologetic and said ‘It got away from me.’”

Bassitt allowed three runs and five hits in five innings, his second straight losing start.

“We have to be grown ups and put forth a better effort,” Bassitt said.

Paredes and Jackson hit two-run singles off Trevor Richards as the Rays pulled away with a four-run sixth. Tampa Bay added five more in the seventh off righties Ryan Burr and Nate Pearson.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays INF Yandy Díaz remained away from the team for personal reasons.

UP NEXT

Rays: RHP Shane Baz (0-1, 3.95 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday against Cincinnati LHP Nick Lodolo (8-3, 3.51).

Blue Jays: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (4-9, 4.54 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday against Texas LHP Andrew Heaney (4-10, 3.60).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider, right, leaves the dugout after his team's loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in baseball game action in Toronto, Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho leaves the dugout after his team's loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in baseball game action in Toronto, Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Tampa Bay Rays' Alex Jackson (28) scores ahead of a tag by Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen during sixth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement takes over pitching duties against the Tampa Bay Rays during ninth inning American League MLB baseball action in Toronto on Thursday, July 25, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Justin Turner, right, and Spencer Horwitz, second from right, leave the dugout after their team's loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in baseball game action in Toronto, Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Ernie Clement, right, leaves the dugout after his team's loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in baseball game action in Toronto, Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer fails to catch a fly ball from Tampa Bay Rays' Alex Jackson against the outfield wall during seventh inning American League MLB baseball action in Toronto on Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Tampa Bay Rays' Brandon Lowe, left, hits an RBI single as Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen, center, looks on during seventh-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Tampa Bay Rays third base Amed Rosario (10) steals second base during second inning American League MLB baseball action against Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Leo Jiménez (49) in Toronto on Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt walks back to the dugout after giving up two runs to the Tampa Bay Rays during third-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Brandon Lowe takes second base after hitting an RBI double against the Toronto Blue Jays during third-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Brandon Lowe, right, makes it to second base in front of Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Leo Jiménez, left, after hitting an RBI double during third-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Brandon Lowe takes second base after hitting an RBI double against the Toronto Blue Jays during third-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Tampa Bay Rays' Isaac Paredes watches his RBI double off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt during third-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Tampa Bay Rays' Richie Palacios rounds third base to score after teammate Isaac Paredes hit an RBI double off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt during third-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Brandon Lowe hits an RBI double off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt during third-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Taj Bradley works against Toronto Blue Jays during first inning American League MLB baseball action in Toronto on Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's government has revoked permission for Brazil to serve as custodian of Argentina's diplomatic missions in the country, alleging several anti-government opponents holed up for months in the Argentine ambassador's residence had been plotting terrorist acts from the compound.

In a statement Saturday, Venezuela's foreign ministry said it had notified Brazil of its decision, which will take effect immediately. It said it was forced to take action based on what it called evidence — which it hasn't shared — that those who sought refuge in Argentina's diplomatic mission were plotting.

Magalli Meda, the former campaign chief of opposition leader María Corina Machado, was among a half dozen government opponents who fled to the Argentina ambassador’s residence after Maduro’s chief prosecutor in March issued an order for her arrest for allegedly propagating destabilizing, political violence.

In retaliation, Maduro broke off diplomatic relations with Argentine President Javier Milei’s right-wing government, which tapped neighbor Brazil to represent its interests and safeguard the asylum seekers.

There was no immediate response from Argentina or Brazil.

Since Friday, armored vehicles from the SEBIN political police have been parked outside the Argentina ambassador’s residence in a leafy Caracas neighborhood. Electricity to the diplomatic mission was also cut, according to Meda, who has taken to social media to denounce what she fears is an impending raid to arrest her and the other government opponents.

Police guard Argentina's embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)