The Tampa Bay Rays will head into their first off day of the Grapefruit League season on a high note, battering the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-4 on Sunday. Joey Wendle led off the game with a home run, while Avisail Garcia homered and drove in four runs.
Wendle saw just two pitches before he gave the Rays a one-run lead on a line drive homer to left.
When all was said and done, it took just four batters to give Tampa Bay a grand slam lead. Garcia, who singled to center to score the second run of the game, belted a three-run homer to left, extending the Rays lead to seven runs.
I’m happy to get back to what I used to do. The timing is there. I’ve got to keep working and try to stay healthy.
— Avisail Garcia
The Rays took advantage of eight walks and two hit batters — Willy Adames was hit by one of those pitches. Both benches were consequently warned after Adames was hit.
Things just got heated up. Just standing there to see what was going to happen. I don’t know, I can’t tell if it was on purpose. But they threw two pitches close to me. … I was like, what’s going on over here. It’s weird in spring training, you’re not expecting that.
— Willy Adames
Rays manager Kevin Cash took exception, yelling at the Pirates dugout after Clay Holmes hit Adames with two outs in the fourth.
Didn’t like that Willy got thrown up and in. I’m glad nobody got hurt. That’s it.
— Kevin Cash
Meanwhile, Ryne Stanek opened the game, and threw 1-1/3 scoreless innings, hitting one batter and striking out another. Stanek previously threw two relief outings prior to this, his first opening assignment of the Spring.
It kind of felt normal.
— Ryne Stanek
Oliver Drake, Jalen Beeks, Jake Faria, Colin Poche, and Casey Sadler also pitched for Tampa Bay. Beeks worked a pair of innings and allowed one run on four hits and a walk while fanning three. Faria pitched three solid innings and gave up just a single tally.
Rays skipper Kevin Cash was impressed by Faria’s outing.
Just how efficient he was in the zone. Stuff looked good. Breaking ball off the fastball looked good. He’s had a nice spring so far. That’s really, really encouraging. That’s something that we focused on in the offseason and kind of the messaging to him, that last year is last year, and he’s taken that and kind of run with that and really done some good things for us.
— Kevin Cash
Poche fanned three of the four batters he faced, allowing one batter to reach on a
The Rays will follow their off-day on Monday with a pair of games on Tuesday. Tampa Bay will face the Twins in game three of the Knutson Cup, not to mention will play an exhibition game against USF with Blake Snell on the mound.