Major League Baseball

Blue Jays 4, Rays 3(10)

Published May. 23, 2013 2:13 a.m. ET

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Jose Bautista is one dangerous hitter, and he loves to come to the plate with the game on the line.

Bautista homered twice and drove in the winning run with a 10th-inning single, leading the Toronto Blue Jays to a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.

''He's not just a slugger, he's a complete hitter,'' Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. ''He can do a lot of things with that bat.''

The two-time major league home run champion said he thrives on hitting in key situations.

''I get a little more excited for those,'' Bautista said. ''It was a huge moment and I'm just glad I was able to get the ball through that hole and drive in the winning run.''

Bautista went 4 for 4 with a walk and four RBIs. Three other players had one hit, but that was it for Toronto's offense.

''He was the reason we won the game today,'' Blue Jays starter Mark Buehrle said.

Facing Cesar Ramos (1-1), Colby Rasmus reached on an infield single to begin the 10th. Rasmus moved to second on Emilio Bonifacio's sacrifice, then took third on Munenori Kawasaki's grounder. Pinch hitter Mark DeRosa walked and Kyle Farnsworth came on to face Bautista, who fell behind 0-2 before lining a single into shallow right for the Blue Jays' first game-ending hit of the season.

''The win is huge,'' Bautista said. ''We're obviously excited. Any time you have a walk-off win, it's exciting.''

Aaron Loup (2-3) pitched one inning for the win as Toronto took two of three to win a series against Tampa Bay for the first time since August 2010. The Rays had won their past 15 series against the Blue Jays.

''It was pretty important to us,'' Bautista said. ''It's a division game against a team that we haven't won a series against in a long time.''

The teams were tied at 2 before Tampa Bay got a run in the ninth. Evan Longoria hit a one-out double off closer Casey Janssen, extending his hitting streak to 16 games. James Loney followed with an RBI single.

But Fernando Rodney couldn't nail down the save, yielding a leadoff home run to Bautista in the bottom half. It was Rodney's fourth blown save in 13 opportunities.

''I think I made a good pitch and he hit a good pitch,'' Rodney said. ''When you have a type of hitter like that, like Bautista, and you make a good pitch and they hit your best pitch, there's nothing you can do.''

The Rays have blown 28 leads this season, including four in the ninth inning.

''It's been kind of difficult,'' Rays manager Joe Maddon said. ''That was another one that got away. Everybody is doing their best, they're trying. It's just not working out.''

Bautista's 11th homer helped Janssen avoid his first loss since April 26, 2012, at Baltimore. Bautista said he feels comfortable facing Rodney, who had 48 saves in 50 chances last year, but refused to explain why.

''I think I have a different approach than everybody else,'' Bautista said. ''I feel pretty comfortable at the plate when he's on the mound. That's pretty much all I can say about that.''

Bautista also hit a leadoff drive in the fourth off Jeremy Hellickson. It was his second multihomer game of the season and No. 19 for his career.

''Bautista had himself a pretty good day today,'' Maddon said.

Toronto is the first team in the majors this season to have three players with 10 or more home runs. Edwin Encarnacion has 12 and J.P. Arencibia has 10.

Rodney got Encarnacion to ground out but was replaced after walking Adam Lind. Joel Peralta came on and sent it to extra innings by fanning Arencibia and retiring Brett Lawrie on a foulout.

Hellickson bounced back after giving up career highs of eight runs and 10 hits against Baltimore in his last outing. He allowed two runs and four hits in a season-high eight innings.

''He did really well,'' Maddon said. ''That was more like Helly tonight.''

Anthony Gose doubled on Hellickson's first pitch of the game and scored when Bautista followed with a single. But Bautista was thrown out trying to advance to second on Encarnacion's fly ball to left, and Hellickson set down his next seven batters.

The Rays took advantage of an error by second baseman Maicer Izturis to score two runs in the third. Jose Molina hit a one-out single and Desmond Jennings drew a two-out walk. Ryan Roberts hit a slow roller toward second but Izturis came up empty on an attempt to barehand the ball, allowing Molina to score. Ben Zobrist followed with an RBI single.

The Blue Jays tied it again, and snapped Hellickson's streak of eight straight outs, when Bautista crushed the first pitch of the fourth into the second deck in left.

Buehrle allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings, matching his longest outing of the season. Buehrle has not won since April 15 against the Chicago White Sox, a span of seven starts.

Buehrle struck out four straight in the second and third, and ended his outing by recording 11 straight outs.

NOTES: Longoria started at DH but came on as a defensive replacement at third base in the ninth. ... Rays rookie RHP Jake Odorizzi will get an extra day of rest before his next start, Monday against Miami. The move means RHP Alex Cobb will start on regular rest on Sunday against the Yankees. ... The Blue Jays said RHP Josh Johnson (right triceps) will make his second rehab start with Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday. Johnson pitched three innings for Class-A Dunedin on Monday.

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