Corey Kluber put together an impressive outing for the Tampa Bay Rays, while the offense blew things open against Los Angeles’ bullpen en route to an 11-1 shellacking of the Angels, on Tuesday.
At 67-55 on the season, the AL Wildcard-leading Rays have won four consecutive ball games and are 12 games above .500 for the first time this season.
Corey Kluber got the start on Tuesday and scattered just five hits and did not walk a batter while striking out three. He surrendered just one run and threw 54 of 78 pitches for strikes (69% strike rate). Kluber allowed just three singles over the first five frames — one of them an infield knock. Mike Trout crushed a one-out homer to left in the sixth inning, cutting the Rays lead to a run, however, the Rays gave their hurlers (and catcher cosplaying as a pitcher) more than enough run support. After allowing a two-out hit, Kluber got Taylor Ward to line out to José Siri in center, ending his night.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay took the lead in the third inning after Siri doubled off the glove of third baseman Jose Rojas, then moved into third on a line drive sacrifice/out to right by Yandy Díaz. Manuel Margot followed with a hard hit single to right past a drawn-in infield for a one-run lead. Randy Arozarena and Harold Ramírez each proceded to hit singles into left, with the second one scoring Margot for a lead Tampa Bay would never relinquish.
With the lead cut in half, thanks to Trout’s sixth-inning homer, Tampa Bay immediately answered with a home run of their own, as Isaac Paredes went yard in the bottom of the frame. It was the 15th long ball for Paredes and his first since July 2nd.
Brooks Raley followed Kluber with a perfect seventh, collecting a pair of strikeouts, while Tampa Bay’s offense put up six runs in the bottom of the inning against relievers Jesse Chavez and Touki Toussaint.
Christian Bethancourt sparked the rally with a homer to center, before Siri struck out but reached on a passed ball.
Siri scored all the way from first when Díaz doubled to left-center.
Margot walked, yet Chavez and Toussiant combined to strike out the next two batters. But, clearly, feeling a powerful presence in the box, Paredes walked.
Taylor Walls followed with a single on the first pitch he saw, scoring two and putting Tampa Bay up by five. Yu Chang also walked before Bethancourt capped the rally with a two-run bloop hit to left.
JT Chargois, making his first appearance since Opening Day, worked a perfect eighth, inducing a pair of weak grounders — and exploding a bat — while punctuating his return with a whiffy strikeout.
Finally, the Rays capped the scoring in the bottom of the inning when Margot and Arozarena doubled in runs.
Bethancourt, a one-time hurler, was able to claim a rarity in the baseball world when he finished the contest on the mound with a scoreless ninth after mashing a homer in the same game.
The New What Next
Shane McClanahan (11-5, 2.29 ERA) will get the start Wednesday, pitching opposite Mike Mayers (1-0, 5.22 ERA).
Shane McClanahan allowed two runs on two hits while striking out eight and walking three over seven innings on Friday. After posting an ERA under two until July 26, McClanahan has regressed some since. From then on, the left-hander has allowed 13 earned runs across 23.2 innings for a 5.04 ERA, although he’s allowed just two runs in each of his last two turns. McClanahan picked up a quality start Friday — his 16th of the season. McClanahan threw 90 pitches (56 for strikes, 62% strike rate) in the game and maintains a 2.29 ERA and a 2.73 FIP (2.31 xFIP) overall, with a 5.97 K/BB, and a 0.86 WHIP across 141.1 innings.
Mike Mayers struck out four over 3.1 scoreless innings of long relief on August 7 against the Mariners, in the first game of a doubleheader. He scattered one hit and two walks in the 69-pitch outing. Mayers, who had converted to a starting role at Triple-A Salt Lake in late June, was summoned from the minors in advance of the twin bill. Overall, Mayers maintains a 5.22 ERA and a 5.94 FIP, with a 3.00 K/BB, and a 1.30 WHIP across 29.1 big league innings. The right-hander has allowed five runs on seven hits (including two home runs) over three career innings against the Rays. He relies primarily on a 94 mph four-seam fastball that has some natural sinking action and an 84 mph slider that has some two-plane movement, while also mixing in an 88 mph cutter that has some natural sink, and a firm 87 mph worm-killer changeup. Key Matchups: Randy Arozarena (1-2, 2B, RBI), Ji-Man Choi (1-1, HR, 3 RBI), Manuel Margot (2-4, 2B, RBI), David Peralta (-12, 2B), Harold Ramírez (1-1, HR, RBI), José Siri (1-1)
You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup and Noteworthiness are below.
Rays 8/24/22 Starting Lineup
- Díaz 3B
- Lowe 2B
- Ramírez DH
- Arozarena RF
- Peralta LF
- Margot CF
- Mejía C
- Choi 1B
- Walls SS
Noteworthiness
— Is Tyler Glasnow making a return this season? A post-live batting practice injury update on Glasnow’s elbow was given on the broadcast. Glasnow faced batters for the first time in his recovery from Tommy John surgery and threw 21 pitches — hitting 97 mph along the way.