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The Rays snapped a four-game losing skid with a rousing 8-4 win over the Rangers on Monday. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The Tampa Bay Rays bounced back from a four-game losing skid on Monday, with a well rounded 8-4 win over the Texas Rangers. Blake Snell dominated in his longest start of the season, while Mallex Smith had another four-hit game — his second of the young season. It wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies though, as the Rays again suffered a position-player injury.

Tampa Bay took the lead in the first inning, after Matt Duffy, CJ Cron and Wilson Ramos teamed up for singles off southpaw Martin Perez. Yet there was a moment for concern, as Duffy held up on C.J. Cron’s two-out hit, gingerly making his way into third base from second. This followed a stolen base.

As it turns, Duffy suffered right hamstring strain that occurred on the steal, and was pulled from the game (more on that in Noteworthiness). He is expected to be re-evaluated, and will receive an MRI, on Tuesday.

After Duffy was pinch run for by Joey Wendle — who also took over at second while Daniel Robertson was shifted to third — the Rays continued to score over the first four innings, including a big four-run second.

In that frame, Rob Refsnyder — who entered the game with a .091 batting average, yet a .417 OBP, literally making him the Rays designated walker — and Johnny Field worked free passes, while Mallex Smith laid down a perfectly placed bunt single to load the bases. Wendle hit a grounder to short. Jurickson Profar fielded the play and stepped on the bag, yet collided with the speedy Smith and threw the ball wildly passed first, scoring two runs on the play, and giving the Rays a three-run lead. Adeiny Hechavarria and Carlos Gomez followed with singles, pushing the lead to four. Two batters later, Ramos added his second RBI on the night, giving the Rays a five-run advantage.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay scored in the third against Perez on Texas’ second error of the night, then added two more in the fourth on solo homers by Cron and Daniel Robertson.

It was nice to see Robertson lash an opposite field homer, even if it did just clear the right field fence. The infielder told Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) he was excited to hit his first home run of the season, and that he thought his teammates put together a solid approach against Perez, taking the ball to the opposite field.

In all fairness, aside from the woeful series with the Phillies, the Rays offense has been doing a much better job, showing growth in teamwide OBP, BABIP, batting average in general, and moving runners in scoring position.

Eight runs were more than enough for Blake Snell, who posted 6-1/3 solid innings. After running into a bit of trouble in a 24-pitch first, which included base hits by Jurickson Profar and Nomar Mazara, Snell fanned the heart of the order, then proceeded to dominate the Rangers until he was pulled one out into the seventh. Snell fanned eight and allowed just one run on three hits, while the only blemish during his start was a solo homer by Joey Gallo. Between the two singles in the first and the homer in the fifth, Snell retired 10 consecutive batters (six via strikeout), then retired four more in a row, and seven of his last night.

Snell departed after 6-1/3 quality innings, in favor of Chih-Wei Hu, after 103 pitches (68 strikes, 66% strike ratio).

After the game, Snell told Solondz that he was pleased he pitched a more efficient outing than he did in his previous start, and credited Ramos with helping him get in rhythm.

Hu finished the seventh for Snell, needing just five pitches to coax a pair of fly ball outs. He did allow a two-out, three-run homer to Mazara in the eighth, but had this been a closer game, Jose Alvarado or Alex Colome would have been on the mound, not Hu. After getting Adrian Beltre to pop out in foul territory to cap the Rangers scoring, Hu worked around a base hit to close out the game without a hitch.

The New What Next

The Rays will look for the series win on Tuesday with Yonny Chirinos (0-0, 0.00 ERA) toeing the rubber opposite former Ray Matt Moore (0-3, 8.76 ERA).

Yonny Chirinos allowed four hits and one walk 5-1/3 shutout innings on Wednesday against the White Sox. He fanned five. The right-hander has flummoxed big-league hitters over his first three MLB outings, throwing 14-1/3 scoreless innings against the Red Sox (twice) and White Sox lineups, and allowing just eight hits and a pair of walks, while striking out 12. His ground ball rate is a solid 50%, and his strikeout rate is a pristine 14.41 K/9 (9.00 K/BB). Should he start Tuesday — a starter for that game has yet to be officially announced — and if he again performs well, he will have made a good case for cementing himself in the starting rotation.

Matt Moore took the loss on Wednesday after he allowed three runs on seven hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out two. The former Ray threw just 57 of 96 pitches for strikes (59% strike ratio), although Wednesday’s outing was the longest of the young season. …So that counts for something, right? In no uncertain terms, Matty Moe’s 8.76 ERA and 1.29 K/BB over 12-1/3 innings were not what the Rangers hoped for when they acquired him. Key Matchups: CJ Cron (1-3), Matt Duffy (1-3, HR, RBI), Denard Span (2-6)

You can read about the series in our preview.

The New What Next: Rays vs Rangers — a series preview; Kiermaier injury update

Rays 4/17/18 Starting Lineup

Noteworthiness

— The Rays have placed Matt Duffy on the 10-day DL with a right hamstring strain. Kevin Kiermaier has been moved to the 60-day DL, and Brandon Snyder has Brenner selected from the Triple-A Durham Bulls.

— Mallex Smith went 4-4 for the second consecutive Monday, calling it the best day of the week following the game.

— Daniel Robertson made a pair of excellent plays at third base in Duffy’s absence, robbing Renato Nunez of a single, and Robinson Chirinos of extra bases:

— Following the game, the Rays optioned Chih-Wei Hu back to Triple-A Durham, and recalled RHP Hunter Wood.

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