TORONTO (AP) — Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon called Drew Smyly's first career complete game "artistic."
More like a masterpiece.
Smyly pitched a two-hitter and retired the final 19 batters, leading the Rays over the struggling Toronto Blue Jays 8-0 on Friday night.
"He had everything going on," Maddon said. "You could see from the beginning he was going to pitch well all night. It was just obvious."
Evan Longoria homered, doubled, singled and drove in three runs, and Wil Myers also homered as the Rays began a stretch of 26 straight games against AL East opponents with a comfortable win.
Smyly (8-10) allowed a leadoff single to Jose Reyes, who was promptly erased on a double play. After Steve Tolleson's two-out single in the third, Smyly didn't permit another runner. He walked none and struck out four.
"Pretty much the whole game I felt like I was in charge," Smyly said. "It's a good mark to reach and a big accomplishment for me."
Smyly is 2-1 with a 1.55 ERA in four starts since being joining the Rays in the July 31 trade that sent David Price to Detroit.
"Smyly was lights out," Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier said.
Marcus Stroman (7-5) was hit hard as the Blue Jays fell to an AL-worst 5-13 in August.
"Overall we played a lousy game," Toronto manager John Gibbons said.
Kiermaier added three hits for the Rays, who chased Stroman while taking a 7-0 lead in the sixth.
Pitching on six days' rest after giving up five runs while getting just two outs against the Chicago White Sox last Friday, Stroman was tagged for a career-worst 10 hits. The rookie, winless in four starts, walked three and struck out six.
"It's extremely frustrating," Stroman said. "I couldn't keep my team in it today to get a win."
Longoria opened the scoring with a first-pitch homer to begin the second, Kiermaier made it 2-0 with a two-out double in the fourth and Matt Joyce scored on a throwing error by second baseman Tolleson in the fifth.
The Rays broke it open in sixth, finishing Stroman after an RBI single by Desmond Jennings, the third straight hit to begin the inning. Aaron Loup came on and gave up an RBI single to Ben Zobrist. Joyce reached on a fielder's choice and Longoria followed with a two-run double.