TAMPA — Ryan Pepiot was prepared.

Knowing he’d be pitching in sweltering heat Sunday, the Rays right-hander had several spare dry jerseys ready in the clubhouse to change into between innings.

But as he rolled through the early innings against the Blue Jays, scattering a couple of hits and a walk but facing no real danger, he decided to stick with what he had on.

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“A little superstitious (Sunday),” he said. “I went with only one, and it was not dry by any means when I was done.”

Pepiot did that, delivering one of his best starts of the season and winning for the first time since April 26. Relying primarily on his fastball, he worked a career-high matching seven innings, allowing only three singles and one walk, striking out five. He retired his last seven batters and 14 of his final 17.

“He’s been trending in a really good direction lately,” manager Kevin Cash said. “The fastball has been pretty electric. When he needs to make a pitch or get himself back in the count, it seems pretty seamless to do that. He had everything going.

“You have to have everything going if you’re going to perform like he did (Sunday).”

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Pepiot, as usual, shared plenty of credit, noting several of the sharp defensive plays made behind him, how well catcher Ben Rortvedt did calling the game and the job the offense did to grab a big lead by scoring seven runs in the fifth inning. That was notable, as Pepiot entered the game with the fifth-lowest run support in baseball.

To combat the heat when the Rays were hitting, Pepiot retreated from the dugout to sit in a chair in the air-conditioned tunnel behind the dugout. He also stayed hydrated and had some cooling gear to wear. He went inside to throw some plastic balls during the long bottom of the fifth.

“(The heat) is only going to get worse from here,” Pepiot said. “We do whatever you can. It’s part of the game. We were expecting it coming into this year, and it’s not an excuse that we’re ever going to make. You’ve just got to deal with it.”

Rehab report

Infielder Ha-Seong Kim is set to start his rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham on Monday. It will be his first game action since Aug. 18, when he injured his right shoulder diving back into first base while playing for the Padres. He needed surgery in October to repair a labrum tear.

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Kim, a dynamic two-way player expected to boost the Rays lineup after signing a two-year, $29 million deal, can spend up to 20 days on the assignment.

Cash said the organization is cognizant of how long he has been out and plans to be patient.

“With Kim, we’re more of the mindset of kind of similar to a spring training build-up,” he said Sunday. “Where there’s going to be DH days and there’s going to be some second base days and then go to shortstop, all the while — even on his off days — he’ll be working as a shortstop and taking ground balls.

“I’m going to try to do a good job not asking every day how he’s doing, knowing that he’s missed some time.”

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Kim will join a growing group of Rays working their way back from injuries at Durham.

Outfielder Jake Mangum (left groin strain) went 1-for-4 with a walk Sunday in his second game for the Bulls. After playing again Monday, he will be reevaluated for a potential return.

Reliever Kevin Kelly (left gluteal strain) is slated to make his second appearance on Monday and then be reevaluated.

Outfielder Jonny DeLuca (right shoulder strain) is scheduled to move to Durham Wednesday. He is slated for 15-20 at-bats, after playing a second game for the Florida Complex League team on Monday.

Outfielder Travis Jankowski (left groin strain) also is pegged to start playing for the Bulls on Wednesday.

Miscellany

The Rays announced their 32nd sellout in 34 home games, with a capacity of 10,046. … First-pitch temperature was 89, with a “feels-like” of 101. … Rays pitchers posted their fourth shutout and held the Jays to two runs total, tying the franchise mark for any opponent in a three-or-more-game series. … Rookie Chandler Simpson extended his hitting streak to 10 games. … Curtis Mead homered for his third straight game. … Junior Caminero has hits in his first 14 career games against Toronto. … The game was the Rays’ last Sunday home contest scheduled for 1:40 p.m.; the next six are at 12:10, and the Sept. 21 regular-season home finale is now at 7:35. … On Monday, there will be a pregame aerial parachuting demonstration by the U.S. Special Operations Command Para-Commandos, based at nearby MacDill Air Force Base.

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