Shane McClanahan shoved on Wednesday, while Tampa Bay’s offense provided enough run support, as the Rays won a third straight game over the Red Sox, 4–1.
At 48-40 on the season, Tampa Bay enters play eight games over .500 and with an opportunity to get over that hump for the first time in 26 games. They are 7-2 against Boston this season, having won five straight games overall.
Shane McClanahan hurled 6.1 innings of one run on ball, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out six. McClanahan was quite efficient in the outing, throwing 57 of 85 pitches for strikes (67% strike rate). His only troublesome inning was the fifth, when he allowed the first two batters to reach base via singles. However, McClanahan minimized the damage, coaxing a 5-4-3 twin killing out of Christian Vazquez, as Bogaerts scored to make it a two-run game. The latter single was the last base runner against McClanahan, as he retired the final six batters he faced. McClanahan lowered his season ERA to 1.71 (with a 2.40 FIP) with the dominant outing, and that mark now ranks first in the majors following a rare poor outing by the previous leader, Tony Gonsolin, on the same night. McClanahan also leads the league with a 0.80 WHIP and 147 strikeouts, with a 7.74 K/BB.
After McClanahan put down the first nine batters in order, Tampa Bay took the lead in the third inning. Nate Lowe walked on four pitches before Francisco Mejía lined a single to right. After Yandy Díaz grounded into a 3-6 fielder’s choice, Ji Man Choi singled to left-center, scoring Lowe for the lead, and allowing Díaz to move up to third. Harold Ramirez followed with a broken bat bloop single to right on the very next pitch, giving Tampa Bay a two-run lead.
An inning later, Taylor Walls extended the lead with a solo shot to right-center — his fourth of the season.
The Rays capped the scoring with a run in the seventh to make it a 4-1 contest. Lowe earned a one-out walk, moved up to second on a single to right by Díaz, and came across to score when Refsnyder lobbed the ball toward second.
The New What Next
The set concludes on Thursday with Drew Rasmussen (5-3, 3.11 ERA) on the bump. He’ll pitch opposite Kutter Crawford (2-2, 4.50 ERA)
Drew Rasmussen tossed four scoreless frames against Cincinnati on Saturday, allowing four hits and two walks while punching out six. Rasmussen was effective in his second start following a recent stint on the Injured List due to a hamstring injury, but Cincinnati fouled off 24 pitches against him to help drive his pitch count up to 84 over four innings. Consequently, he was unable to go five innings for the second consecutive start since his return. Nevertheless, it was a promising outing for the right-hander, and he has now given up just one earned run over 8.2 innings since his activation. Overall, Rasmussen maintains a 3.11 ERA and 3.70 FIP, with a 1.19 WHIP, and a 2.85 K/BB across 66.2 innings on the season.
Kutter Crawford pitched five innings against the Yankees on Saturday, allowing one run on four hits and two walks while striking out six. Crawford did a good job of taming the Yankees’ offense, holding New York scoreless until Aaron Hicks launched a fifth-inning solo homer against him. It was the only extra-base hit the right-hander allowed in the ballgame. Crawford threw 5.1 scoreless innings on the fourth of July against Tampa Bay en route to a 4-0 win. Overall, he has worked 8.1 scoreless frames against the Rays this season. Crawford maintains a 4.50 ERA and 4.24 FIP, with a 2.53 K/BB, and a 1.43 WHIP across 30 innings on the season. Key Matchups: Yandy Díaz (1-2), Brett Phillips (1-4)
You can read about the series in our preview, and the starting lineup and Noteworthiness are below.
Rays 7/14/22 Starting Lineup
- Díaz 3B
- Choi 1B
- Ramirez DH
- Aranda 2B
- Bethancourt C
- J. Lowe RF
- Walls SS
- Raley LF
- Phillips CF
Noteworthiness
— Brandon Lowe played all nine innings for the Durham Bulls yesterday at second base. He will DH tonight — his third straight game — and could rejoin the Big League roster over the weekend.
— Pete Fairbanks threw a scoreless inning in the above-mentioned game, the first of back-to-back outings.
— Ben hath spoken, read his words:
— The Rays took another hit, placing RHP Shane Baz (right elbow sprain) on the 15-day Injured List, retroactive to July 13, and recalled RHP Luke Bard from Triple-A Durham.
Baz experienced right elbow discomfort while playing catch on Tuesday. The right-hander was evaluated by Dr. Keith Meister this morning, in Dallas. Baz, who was slated for the series opener against Baltimore, will receive an injection, then rest and rehabilitate for at least the next four weeks. A timeline for his return will be established based on his progression.