ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Toronto Blue Jays are easily the highest-scoring team in the majors this year. That is in part because they have faced Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Chris Archer only three times.

Archer continued his dominance over the Jays' hitters, giving up three hits in eight innings while leading Tampa Bay to a 4-3 win Tuesday at Tropicana Field.

"That's an ace right there," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "He's tough to face when he's on. Great competitor, and that's why he's having such a great year."

In three starts against Toronto, Archer is 3-0 with a 0.41 ERA, allowing only one earned run and seven hits in 22 innings while striking out 25 and walking four. On Tuesday, he gave up two runs (one earned) while issuing one walk and fanning seven.

Archer (9-4) helped the first-place Rays (41-32) bounce back from their first back-to-back losses since May.

"All three of my pitches were there," said Archer, who leads the American League in strikeouts (123) and ranks second in wins and ERA (2.10). "I could locate my fastball on both sides, so I felt comfortable throwing anything at any time."

Toronto (38-35) came in averaging a major-league-best 5.57 runs per game. After Archer's exit, the Blue Jays threatened with a solo home run by first baseman Edwin Encarnacion in the ninth before reliever Brad Boxberger settled down to get the final two outs and earn his 19th save of the season.

"Really nice bounce-back win," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "Archer, outstanding. Just continues to go out and impress, especially against that lineup."

The Rays came through with hits to help Archer, the biggest being an eighth-inning solo home run by shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, extending the Rays' lead to 4-2 and providing what would prove to be the decisive run.

Toronto starter R.A. Dickey, pitching for the second time after the death of his father and newly reinstated from the bereavement list, held the Rays to three runs in seven innings.

"He just ran into the wrong starter," Gibbons said. "That just tells you how good Archer is, but tip your hat to R.A."

Archer held the Jays to two hits in six innings before running into trouble in the seventh.

After a walk to right fielder Jose Bautista and a single by designated hitter Dioner Navarro (who hit a solo home run in the fifth), the Rays failed to convert a potential third out as first baseman Jake Elmore couldn't handle a throw from third baseman Evan Longoria on left fielder Ezequiel Carrera's grounder. That allowed a run to score and cut the Rays' lead to 3-2.

With runners at second and third and two outs, Archer got center fielder Kevin Pillar to ground out to first base, ending the threat and preserving the lead.

Archer took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, but with one out, Navarro hit a solo home run -- his second of the season and second in as many days -- to tie the game at 1-1.

The Rays took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single by left fielder Brandon Guyer in the second inning, but that was their only scoring against Dickey (3-7) until the bottom of the fifth.

Tampa Bay center fielder Kevin Kiermaier singled, took second on a passed ball and scored on an RBI single by designated hitter Joey Butler for a 2-1 lead. After a walk, Butler scored from second when second baseman Logan Forsythe hit a fly ball to the wall in right-center. Pillar made the catch but dropped the ball as he went to throw and was charged with a throwing error that allowed the run to score.

The Rays added a single from right fielder Steven Souza but left runners on the corners when Cabrera popped up to end the inning.

NOTES: Rays LHP Matt Moore, returning from Tommy John surgery performed last year, will make a fifth and final rehab start Friday for Triple-A Durham, putting him in position to rejoin the major league rotation next week. ... The Rays switched out bullpen arms, recalling RHP Kirby Yates from Durham after optioning LHP Enny Romero to the Triple-A club after Monday's loss. ... Five members of the Tampa Bay Lightning -- just a week removed from losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup finals -- took part in batting practice before the game, including center Steven Stamkos and goalie Ben Bishop. ... Manager John Gibbons earned his 500th win with the Jays on Monday night, putting him at 500-506 in his Toronto tenure. ... Jays rookie Roberto Osuna on Monday became just the second major league pitcher to strike out at least five while pitching two innings or fewer for his first career save. The other was the Cardinals' T.J. Mathews in 1995.