A Yunel Escobar error allowed the go-ahead run to score in the top of the ninth inning as the Tampa Bay Rays escaped with a 9-8 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.

With runners on first and second and one out, Sean Rodriguez grounded into a fielder's choice. Toronto recorded the out at second base but Yunel Escobar's error prevented the double play, allowing Evan Longoria to score the eventual winning run.

Tampa squandered an 8-1 lead but pulled out the victory with some late heroics off losing pitcher Kevin Gregg (1-5), who walked two in the ninth to set the stage for the Rays' heroics. Joaquin Benoit (1-1) earned the win in relief, while Rafael Soriano earned his 42nd save.

B.J. Upton and Ben Zobrist homered for Tampa while Evan Longoria had a pair of hits, scored twice and drove in two runs.

Jose Bautista blasted a pair of home runs in defeat, giving him a major league-leading 46 on the season. Bautista is one home run shy of equaling George Bell's franchise record set during his MVP campaign in 1987.

Tampa starter James Shields allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits through five innings. Jays counterpart Brett Cecil was tagged for seven runs on eight hits in just two innings of work.