TORONTO (Interstat) — Nathan Lukes hit a go-ahead, two-run home run in the fifth inning, Shane Bieber delivered five effective innings on the mound and the Toronto Blue Jays tightened their grip on the American League East with a 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night at Rogers Centre.

In front of a crowd of 42,184, the Blue Jays opened the final series of the regular season by maintaining their position atop the division. Toronto entered the night tied with the New York Yankees for the league’s best record but holds the critical tiebreaker. The win improved the Blue Jays to 92-68, while the Rays fell to 77-83.

Bieber, the winning pitcher, navigated through occasional trouble to earn his fourth victory of the year. He allowed two runs on six hits over five innings, walking two and striking out none. The Blue Jays’ bullpen was flawless, with Mason Fluharty, Brendon Little and Jeff Hoffman combining for four perfect innings of relief. Hoffman worked the ninth to secure his 34th save of the season.

The game was a tight contest until Lukes provided the decisive blow. After the Rays had struck for two solo home runs in the top of the second inning to take a 2-1 lead, the Blue Jays chipped away to tie it in the bottom of the frame. The score remained deadlocked until the fifth.

George Springer sparked the rally with a one-out single to center field. On a 1-1 pitch from Rays starter and losing pitcher Adrian Houser, Lukes connected, sending a fly ball that carried over the wall in right-center field. The two-run shot, Lukes’ 12th of the season, gave Toronto a 4-2 advantage it would not relinquish.

Lukes finished the night 2 for 4 with three runs batted in, also driving in Toronto’s first run with a first-inning single that scored Springer. Springer reached base three times, scoring two of Toronto’s four runs.

Houser took the loss for Tampa Bay, falling to 8-5 on the year. He was charged with all four Toronto runs on seven hits across five innings, walking one and striking out four.

The Rays’ offense was limited to a brief outburst in the second inning. Junior Caminero led off the frame by lining his 45th home run of the season to right field, tying the game at 1-1. Two batters later, Jonathan Aranda followed with a solo shot of his own to right-center, his 13th, to put Tampa Bay ahead.

That would be the extent of the scoring for the visitors, however, as Bieber settled in and the Toronto bullpen extinguished any hope of a rally. After Josh Lowe’s two-out single in the fourth inning, Blue Jays pitchers retired the final 16 Rays batters in order. The Rays managed just six hits total and did not have a baserunner after the fourth inning.

Tampa Bay threatened only once more, in the top of the ninth, when Hoffman issued back-to-back two-out walks to Lowe and Hunter Feduccia. But the right-hander induced a game-ending groundout from Yandy Díaz, who grounded to third baseman Ernie Clement.

The victory continued Toronto’s strong play at home, improving their record at Rogers Centre to 52-27. The loss was the second in three games for the Rays, who had won six of their previous ten contests.

The two teams will continue their three-game series Saturday afternoon. The outcome of this final set holds significant weight for the Blue Jays as they aim to secure the AL’s top seed and home-field advantage throughout the postseason, while the Rays are playing out the final games of a disappointing season.