Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Brandon Guyer scores on a double by Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Steve Pearce n the first inning of the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, April 17, 2016. (Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times)
Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Brandon Guyer scores on a double by Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Steve Pearce n the first inning of the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, April 17, 2016. (Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times)

For the second consecutive game, Brandon Guyer helped the Tampa Bay Rays to victory, going 4-4, scoring a pair of runs and driving in the other in a 3-2 win the Chicago White Sox.

It all started with another strong outing from starter Matt Moore, who fanned 10 and limited Chicago to three hits in the front six innings. At one point he struck out eight straight batters, and ― like Erasmo Ramirez before him ― was efficient and effective by getting ahead early in the count.

I think I was doing a good job of getting ahead, getting them into swing mode, Moore said after the game. That helps my secondary pitches be more effective. I do feel strong right now, which is something that in the last 24 months has not been a word I’ve used a lot.

Tampa Bay took the lead in the first inning after Guyer, who had three hits on the day, singled with one out. Guyer eventually  scored from first on Steve Pearce’s double off the top of the center field wall.

Moore allowed his first run in an awkward third inning. The southpaw hit Avisail Garcia with an 0-2 breaking ball to start the frame, and after striking out the next two batters, Adam Eaton reached on a grounder that was wide of first. At first glance, the outfielder appeared to beat Moore to the bag. However, even a fool could see that the Rays hurler beat him to first by a half step. The Rays asked for the play be reviewed yet somehow the call stood.

How in God's name was this called safe?! MLB should be credited with the subsequent run, not Matt Moore. (Photo Credit: Cork Gaines)
How in God’s name was this called safe?! MLB should be credited with the subsequent run, not Matt Moore. (Photo Credit: Cork Gaines)

Austin Jackson followed by blooping a a run-scoring single, to right tying the game at one. Moore limited damage by striking out Jose Abreu to end the inning.

The Rays immediately answered in the bottom of the third against Jose Quintana. After missing Saturday’s contest due to an epic collision in shallow right field, Logan Forsythe led off the inning with a double to left. Logan was wild pitched to third and Guyer singled him home for a one-run advantage.

Evan Longoria helped out the cause by moving Guyer to second on a base hit. Two batters later, Logan Morrison made his best Eaton impersonation by hitting his own grounder wide of first. Quintana missed the bag on the toss over from Abreu, and Guyer scored from second, giving the Rays a two run lead.

Brando is such a huge part of our lineup, manager Kevin Cash said. It has probably taken a lot of patience on his end, sitting through this early part of the season, but it’s great these lefties got clumped in there for him. … It was nice to have the chance and show how he can highly impact our lineup like he did Sunday.

Chicago pulled within a run in the seventh, consequently chasing Moore after 107 pitches (67 strikes). The chronically annoying Brett Lawrie doubled to left with one out, then scored on Garcia’s base-hit to center.

Enny Romero entered the game in relief and retired the next two batters to end the frame. Before Alex Colome took over in the eighth, the left-handed Romero finished his stint by collecting the first out of the inning.

Colome got Austin Jackson to hit a weak nubber to third before notching an inning ending, caught-looking strikeout of Abreu. Then in the ninth, Colome allowed a one-out walk to Melky Cabrera before he coaxed a popper to second from Lawrie, and a ground ball out to short from Garcia to finish off the ChiSox — also allowing Colome to collect his, and the team’s, first save.

The New What Next

After an off-day Monday, the Rays head north for a six-game road trip through Boston and New York. They’ll face former Rays ace David Price, now with the Red Sox, on Thursday.

Noteworthiness

— In the first 10 games of the season, Tampa Bay led at the end of just eight total innings out of 90. With the early runs from Guyer this weekend, they’ve led after each of their past 16.

— Food for thought:

 

 

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