Bautista starts Blue Jays rolling to 12-7 win over Rays

TORONTO (AP) Even though he's a rookie, Devon Travis has had little trouble recognizing that he is in a really good situation with the Blue Jays.

Jose Bautista, Travis and rookie Dalton Pompey homered to back Mark Buehrle, Kevin Pillar made a leaping catch at the left-field wall to deny a home run and Toronto beat Tampa Bay 12-7 Wednesday night to stop the Rays' four-game winning streak.

''It's just a really fun lineup and it's great to be a part of it,'' said Travis, who had three hits and two RBIs. It was the first multihit game of his career.

Bautista hit a two-run homer in the first off Erasmo Ramirez (0-2), sparking the Blue Jays to what would be an 9-0 lead after four innings. Donaldson hit a two-run single in a three-run second after narrowly missing a grand slam down the left-field line.

''Again, I was just having trouble with the location,'' said Ramirez, who gave up nine runs - seven earned - eight hits and three walks, needing 91 pitches to get 10 outs. He has a 23.63 ERA.

Pillar and Travis added RBI singles in the third, and Justin Smoak singled in two runs in the fourth - his first RBIs for the Blue Jays.

Pillar climbed the left-field wall and jumped at full extension with his glove 6 inches above the top of the fence to deny Tim Beckham a home run in the seventh.

''I'm pretty amazed by it,'' said Pillar, who also had two hits and an RBI. ''I watched it a couple times on my phone when I got in. It's going to be tough to top making a play like that in my career.

''I'm just thankful I had an opportunity to rob a home run in the big leagues,'' he added.

Donaldson had three hits and three RBIs before a crowd of 15,086, the Blue Jays' smallest at the Rogers Centre since 14,086 against Cleveland last May 14, according to STATS.

Buehrle (2-0) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings to gain his 201st win. Steven Souza Jr. hit a solo home run in the fifth, Mikie Mahtook had a two-run homer in the sixth for his first career hit,

''Buehrle is just out there to win,'' said Jays manager John Gibbons. ''He doesn't get caught up in stats, or quality starts, it's all about winning. It's why he's had the career he has.''

Ramirez (0-1) gave up nine runs - seven earned - eight hits and three walks, needing 91 pitches to get 10 outs. He has a 23.63 ERA.

Toronto had been held to three runs in two losses open the four-game series, the Blue Jays' first at home this season.

Souza hit a two-run single against Todd Redmond in a four-run ninth.

''It seems like those just misses are becoming just connections now,'' Rays manager Kevin Cash said of Souza, who hit back-to-back homers for the first time in his career. ''It's good to see.''

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rays: LHP Jake McGee, who had offseason elbow surgery, is expected to pitch in an extended spring game on Thursday after throwing 30 pitches of batting practice on Monday. ... RHP Alex Colome, recovering from pneumonia, is scheduled to make his second rehab appearance for Class A Charlotte against Daytona on Thursday.

Blue Jays OF Michael Saunders, who is rehabbing his injured left knee, missed his third straight game with Class A Dunedin on Wednesday. He left Sunday's game after aggravating his right hamstring.

UP NEXT

Rays RHP Chris Archer (1-1) starts the series finale Thursday. Archer has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 14 consecutive road starts dating to May 14 last year at the Los Angeles Angels, which ties him for the club record set by Jeremy Hellickson from April 19, 2012, to April 15, 2013. RHP Aaron Sanchez (0-1) goes for the Blue Jays; he lasted 3 1-3 innings against Baltimore Orioles in his first career start last Saturday.

SILENT TREATMENT

Rays rookie Mike Mahtook was given the traditional silent treatment from his teammates when he got back to the dugout after his first career hit - a two-run homer - in the sixth.

''You've got to just go with it, act like they were giving me high-fives,'' he said with a laugh. ''It was a fun experience.''