Alek Manoah devours Rays as Blue Jays roll in series opener

"It's kind of like putting a plate of food in front of somebody and telling them they can't eat it for seven days," Manoah said late Friday night. "So I was just really hungry to get back out there."

It showed. Manoah was completely dominant, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning and striking out 10 as the Blue Jays bludgeoned the sinking Tampa Bay Rays, 11-1. A season-high crowd of 10,011 was on hand for the opener of a three-game series in Sahlen Field.

Manoah parlayed his devastating slider into a Blue Jays franchise record with seven straight strikeouts, a string that started in the first inning and carried through the third. His 10 Ks in the game fell one shy of the franchise mark by a rookie. 

"Early on, it was real good for me," Manoah said of the slider. "I had a real good feel out of my hand for strikes early in the count, and to put guys away late."

Manoah was given a quick lead on George Springer's two-run homer to dead center in the bottom of the first and never looked back. The Blue Jays erupted for four runs in the second and all attention turned to Manoah. He retired 15 in a row until catcher Francisco Mejia broke up the no-hit bid with a bloop double to center just off the glove of Randal Grichuk in center field.

"When 'Grich' missed that ball in center field and everybody started clapping. I was like, 'What what are they clapping for? He missed it.'

"I had no clue what was going on but then I kind of looked up and I was like, 'Oh, that would have been cool.' " Manoah said. "I was in a good rhythm. Was just able to attack and get ahead first pitch and let that defense work behind me."

The Blue Jays (42-38) pulled within four games of the Rays, who currently hold the American League's second wild-card slot. Tampa has lost nine games in a row. Manoah threw a career-high 109 pitches, 71 for strikes. He finished by allowing just three hits and one walk.

"It's awesome. It's contagious. You don't teach that. He has it," manager Charlie Montoyo said of Manoah's intensity. "And you don't want to take that away from the kid. He's coming into the dugout, 'Let's get more runs' and it continues like that. It's fun for me to watch."

The Blue Jays and Rays continue the series Saturday at 3:07 as Ross Stripling (3-4) pitches for Toronto against Tampa Bay's Shane McClanahan (3-2).

Triple star power

Montoyo was thrilled with the AL All-Star voting announced late Thursday night as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Marcus Semien and Teoscar Hernandez were all named starters. It's the first time the Jays had three players elected since the 1993 World Series team sent Joe Carter, Roberto Alomar and John Olerud.

"Excited for them. I feel like a dad, you know? Like when your kids do something right," Montoyo said. "And so happy for them. They all earned it."

Semien, who bet on himself by signing a one-year, $18 million contract and agreed to move to second base, is a great story to make his first All-Star team. He hit just .211 in April and then became the AL Player of the Month for May.

"I think I was just trying to get acclimated to the new team and figure out what I was doing at the plate," Semien said. "And once I got comfortable with what I was doing, I was able to take off with it. So my main goal now is to continue what I've been doing this first half and bring it into the second half."

Semien (No. 21) and Guerrero (No. 27) both homered in the seventh inning Friday. Guerrero's drive was a two-run opposite-field shot to right.

When Guerrero's All-Star berth was announced Thursday, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr., saluted his son on Twitter when he wrote, "When you were a little kid you used to go with me to the all star game, today you become the youngest player ever to lead the MLB in all star voting. I’m a proud dad!" The tweet came with a picture of the pair at the 2004 game in Houston, when Vladdy Jr. was 5.

When you were a little kid you used to go with me to the all star game, today you become the youngest player ever to lead the MLB in all star voting. I’m a proud dad! #VG27 pic.twitter.com/dvNdAHFWZe

— Vladimir Guerrero (@VladGuerrero27) July 2, 2021

Herd rehabbers shine

The Blue Jays' brass had lots to pay attention to as the Buffalo Bisons dominated in doubleheader with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs Friday night in Trenton, N.J.

Toronto catcher Danny Jansen and Alejandro Kirk, both on injury rehab, split the duties behind the plate for each game. Jansen went 1 for 4 in the opener as Buffalo posted a 5-2 win, and Kirk blasted a solo homer in the first inning of the nightcap. Buffalo led that one 4-1 before play was suspended in the fifth. It will be completed Saturday night before the teams' regularly scheduled game. 

Rowdy Tellez homered and drove in two runs to spark the first-game victory. Blue Jays pitcher Rafael Dolis pitched a hitless eighth inning of relief and former Canisius College pitcher John Axford got his first with Buffalo by tossing a scoreless ninth. Axford was recently signed as a free agent.