Aranda homers again, Rays sweep Blue Jays

ST. PETERSBURG — Jonathan Aranda homered in a third straight game and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.

Aranda gave the Rays a 2-1 lead on his two-run drive against Zach Pop in the sixth inning. He has connected for six of his 10 career homers against the Blue Jays.

“Very well-rounded weekend for me personally and the team as well,” Aranda said through an interpreter.

Pinch hitter Christopher Morel had an seventh-inning sacrifice fly off Génesis Cabrera (3-3) before Brandon Lowe’s solo homer in the eighth made it 4-2. Lowe has 20 homers this season.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. got the Blue Jays within 4-3 with a single for his third hit of the game in the ninth off Edwin Uceta, who recovered to get his fourth save.

Guerrero had consecutive three-hit games, has a major league-leading 21 of them this season and is hitting .327. His RBI gave him 100 on the year to go with 30 homers.

“What else can I say about Vlad?” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “Thirty and 100. I think it’s great. It’s a great personal kind of accomplishment.”

Schneider was ejected in the seventh for arguing balls and strikes.

The Rays have won four in a row to get back to .500 at 78-78. It’s their longest winning streak since a four-game run since May 15-18.