Major League Baseball

Buerhle, Blue Jays hit hard in 12-3 loss to Rays

Published Oct. 4, 2015 6:29 p.m. ET

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla (AP) Mark Buehrle failed to become the fifth major leaguer to pitch 200 innings or more in 15 consecutive seasons, and the AL East champion Toronto Blue Jays missed out on home-field advantage throughout the playoffs as they lost to the Tampa Bay Rays 12-3 Sunday in their regular-season finale.

Starting for the second time in three days, Buehrle (15-8) needed two innings to reach the milestone, but he failed to get through the first.

Two errors led to Buehrle allowing eight unearned runs and five hits over a career-low two-thirds of an inning. He had gone 6 2-3 innings Friday night en route to his 15th win.

Chris Colabello and Darwin Barney homered for the Blue Jays, who needed a win and a Kansas City loss to finish with the AL's best record.

David Price is scheduled to start Game 1 of the Blue Jays' AL Division series Thursday at home against AL West champion Texas. Toronto ended the regular season at 93-69, a 10-game improvement over last season.

Joey Butler homered twice and had six RBIs for Rays.

Tampa Bay's first run off Buehrle scored when first baseman Edwin Encarnacion dropped Steven Souza Jr's soft liner for the Blue Jays' second error in a span of five batters.

Tim Beckham drew a two-out bases-loaded walk and Butler hit a grand slam on an 85 mph offering - the fastest of Buehrle's 45 pitches - to make it 6-0. The slam came after a close call by plate umpire Alfonso Marquez went against Buehrle on a 2-2 pitch.

Manager John Gibbons took Buehrle out after Brandon Guyer's RBI single.

Mikie Mahtook completed the Rays' nine-run first with a two-run homer off Ryan Tepera. Butler had a two-run shot during a three-run fifth.

Colabello hit a solo drive in the fourth, and Barney had a two-run ninth-inning drive.

Matt Moore (3-4) gave up one run and four hits over six innings for the Rays, who went 80-82 under first-year manager Kevin Cash. Tampa Bay was 77-85 last year with current Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon.

The Rays finished with an MLB-low home attendance of 1,247,668 after drawing 15,815 on Sunday. Tampa Bay drew 1,446,464 last season.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Blue Jays: SS Troy Tulowitzki doubled in three at-bats during his second game after missing three weeks due to a cracked scapula and upper back bruises. He went 2 for 5 Friday.

Rays: CF Kevin Kiermaier didn't start due to back tightness.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: Toronto work out at home Tuesday night and Wednesday.

Rays: Tampa Bay opens the 2016 season at home against Toronto on April 4.

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