JAYS COME UP SHORT AGAINST RAYS IN RICHMOND’S DEBUT

TORONTO – There was no storybook ending to Scott Richmond’s unlikely big-league debut.

No, the North Vancouver, B.C., native’s start Wednesday afternoon finished like so many other games for the Toronto Blue Jays this season – in a defeat littered with missed opportunities at the plate.

The 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays concluded a disappointing three-game series the home side had entered with hopes of pulling themselves back into the race. Instead, the Blue Jays (54-54) fell back to .500, lost ground on the Rays (63-44) by dropping two of three and now trail the AL East leaders by 9 1-2 games.