Nathan Lukes homered and drove in three runs to help the Toronto Blue Jays defeat the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series.

Lukes's two-run blast in the fifth broke a 2-2 tie and gave the Blue Jays (92-68) their second consecutive win after they had lost six out of seven.

The Blue Jays remained tied for first atop the American League East after the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-4 on Friday. Toronto holds the tiebreaker with New York.

Junior Caminero had two hits, including a homer, and Jonathan Aranda also homered for the Rays (77-83).

Toronto scored against Adrian Houser (8-5) on its first two at-bats, a double to center by George Springer and a single to left by Lukes. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounded into a double play to blu

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