ST. PETERSBURG -- Ryan Yarbrough entered Friday night's game in attack mode. That produced an inspired relief effort that led a 6-2 Rays win over the Blue Jays at Tropicana Field.
"I was really just trying to get the ball and get back after it," Yarbrough said. "Stay aggressive. Keep them off-balance by throwing some cutters in and when they started looking for it, mixing some stuff away. So, really just a lot of push and pull, really pitching in every essence of the word."
Yarbrough took over for Andrew Kittredge to start the third inning. After allowing a leadoff single to Dalton Pompey, the left-hander retired the next 15 batters he faced.
"I think the story was Yarbs, the way he threw the ball," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "Really efficient with his pitches. Commanded everything he wanted to do. A lot of early outs. Able to get deep, able to get it to Sergio [Romo] and able to get it to Alex [Colome]."

Included in Yarbrough's line was a nine-pitch inning in the fourth. And he struck out four in his five innings -- without any walks -- to pick up his second win of the season, and second in consecutive appearances. Speaking of walks, he has not walked any of the last 30 batters he's faced.
"And that's me," Yarbrough said. "... Getting back to that. Making them put it into play, mixing speeds. That's the name of the game."
Cash told reporters before the game that Yarbrough would likely be the choice to slide into the rotation to fill Yonny Chirinos' void now that Chirinos is on the disabled list. If that proves to be the case, Yarbrough projects to start Wednesday against the Braves at Tropicana Field. Yarbrough allowed that he did not know what would be next for him, but he smiled when asked about Wednesday's possible start.
"I'm sure [Cash will] talk to me at some point," Yarbrough said.

Johnny Field went 3-for-4 with a home run and two doubles to lead the offense, which also received a two-run homer from Brad Miller in the eighth.
Colome got the final three outs, despite a quirky play that saw Teoscar Hernandez reach on a infield pop that hit a stairwell between Tropicana Field's A and B rings. The ball ricocheted across the infield to Matt Duffy, who could not make the catch and was charged with an error. Colome calmly retired the next two batters to end the game.
The Rays have won eight of their last 11 games to move to 14-16 on the season.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Miller's Insurance: The Rays held a 4-2 lead when they took their turn at bat in the eighth. Denard Span singled with one out off Tim Mayza. One out later, Miller stepped to the plate. Miller had entered the game as a pinch-hitter and stayed in the game as the designated hitter. Miller fell behind 1-2 before working the count to 2-2. That's when Miller rerouted an 85-mph slider over the wall in center field to give the Rays a much-welcomed four-run cushion.

SOUND SMART
Field became the first Rays rookie with three extra-base hits in a game since Steven Souza Jr., on May 31, 2015, and he became the first player in franchise history with three extra-base hits in a game within the first 12 games of his career. Field is hitting .429 with two doubles and two homers in his last four games.
ROSTER MOVE
Following the game, the Rays optioned right-hander Chih-Wei Hu to Triple-A Durham and recalled right-hander Ryne Stanek from Durham.
EOVALDI REHAB
Nathan Eovaldi made his first rehab appearance since having surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow before the start of the season. The right-hander pitched one inning for Class A Charlotte vs. Bradenton, allowing two hits and one earned run. Of the 17 pitches he threw, 13 were for strikes.
"I heard [Eovaldi's outing] was good," Cash said. "The velo was fine. I know he gave up a run, 17 pitches. I believe he's already called wanting to pitch tomorrow. Par for the course, but he was good. Velo was up and everything was working and what we were hoping for this first outing."
UP NEXT
The Rays will host the Blue Jays in the second game of their three-game series Saturday in a 6:10 p.m. ET contest at Tropicana Field. Jake Faria will start for the Rays hoping to build on the best start of his career on Tuesday when he held the Tigers scoreless on three hits in eight innings to pick up his third win of the season. Aaron Sanchez will start for Toronto.