Erasmo Ramirez collected an efficient 5-2/3 scoreless innings in his first start of the season on Saturday, while the Tampa Bay Rays amassed a season-high for runs in a 7-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
It all began with Ramirez, who surrendered just three hits and hit a batter, while fanning four. The righty had no problem moving back from the ‘pen to the rotation, giving the Rays exactly what they needed over a remarkably efficient 66 pitch outing ― one over the limit set by Rays Manager Kevin Cash.
The key to Erasmo’s game was pitch execution and attack of the strike-zone, which he did effectively with all of his pitches (excepting of his curveball). 
Another facet of his game was staying in good counts. Ramirez only fell behind five times, and even then he got into just one three-ball count all night.
His only trouble came in the fourth when Jose Abreu was hit by a pitch with two outs. Todd Frazier followed with a towering popper into shallow right-field that fell in for a double when Tim Beckham and Steven Souza Jr. had difficulty picking up the ball in Tropicana Field’s roof. Yet Ramirez was able to get out of the jam when Melky Cabrera fouled out to Evan Longoria, who made a terrific catch, leaning into the stands to end the threat and maintain a one-run lead.
.@Evan3Longoria reached into the stands to help Erasmo. He was very pleased. #RaysUp
WATCH: https://t.co/K0LFq4XP1Apic.twitter.com/3cU9bBkI7I — Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 17, 2016
Not to diminish Alex Cobb’s importance to the team, and not to question who may be better, however, Erasmo has now allowed just two runs in 11-2/3 innings of work this season ― both out of the bullpen and in the starting rotation. This comes after a 2015 when he posted an 11-6 record with a 3.75 ERA/3.76 FIP. He has proven to be an incredibly versatile and dependable hurler. File that under #JustSaying.
When they already tell you what your pitch limit is when you start the game, you just think about attacking, Ramirez said. “For sure. You don’t think about how many pitches you have at that moment, you just want to execute any pitch you are throwing and get deeper, as deeper as you can.
You can hear the rest of his interview, courtesy of Rays Radio, below:
The Rays initially took a 1-0 lead with two outs in the third, when Brandon Guyer lined a 1-0 pitch into the 162 Landing for his first homer of the season. Guyer reached base four times.
The Rays offense erupted in the fourth inning, and it all started with Longoria. The third baseman kicked off the rally with a single to center field. After Corey Dickerson flew out to deep right, Desmond Jennings worked a free pass after an eight-pitch battle with John Danks. Souza followed with an an RBI base hit, putting Tampa Bay up by a pair. Unfortunately Jennings was thrown out on the play trying to go to third. However, Brad Miller followed by belting a two-run homer to right center ― his first with Tampa Bay.
Mired in a miserable start to the season, collecting just two hits in his first 28 at-bats, Miller was playing Saturday against a left only because Beckham moved over to the right side of the field to fill in for Forsythe. Miller made the best of that opportunity.
I think it’s just wanting, sometimes wanting too much or trying too hard, Miller said. I think the biggest thing is being a new guy, you want to contribute, you want to earn your teammates’ and your coaches’ respect by how you go about your business and going out there battling. …The biggest thing was that it felt good to reward their confidence in me, for sure. And everybody was kind of picking each other up (Saturday night). It was a lot of fun.
Trailing by four runs in the seventh, Chicago mounted a mini rally for their only runs of the game. Melky Cabrera started the rally with a one out single to left off Steve Geltz, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Brett Lawrie followed with a two-run shot off the catwalk, cutting the Rays lead in half. Cash had seen enough, and called upon Xavier Cedeno to get the last out of the inning. He went on to retire the side in the eighth.
Not content with a two run lead, the Rays added another in the bottom of the seventh. They loaded the bases on three consecutive walks with one out, bringing the Lakeland Launcher to the plate. And though Steve Pearce hit a popper to right, it was too shallow to score a run. Longoria came through, however, lining a single to left off Jake Petricka (who entered the game in relief of Danks); plating a run for a 5-2 advantage.
They tacked on two more in the eighth on a Jennings homer (his first) and another on a Miller double.
Danny Farquhar finished with a scoreless ninth. All told, Tampa Bay collected 10 hits, two each by Longoria, Jennings, Souza and Miller.
The New What Next
Matt Moore will toe the rubber match against Jose Quintana and Chicago. Moore is 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two 2016 starts. He’s 3-1 with a 1.09 ERA in four career starts against the White Sox, his lowest ERA against any opponent. Quintana allowed one run on four hits over six innings on Monday. He’s 1-1 with a 3.43 ERA and 18 strikeouts in four career starts against the Rays (1-0 with a 1.64 ERA in two starts at the Trop). You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.
Rays 4/17/16 Starting Lineup
Forsythe 2B
Guyer RF
Longoria 3B
Pearce 1B
Jennings LF
Morrison DH
Casali C
Kiermaier CF
Miller SS
Moore LHP
Noteworthiness
― It bears mentioning… Using the rationale that the Rays inability at the plate is Shelton’s fault, it’s clear to anyone who watched the 7 R/10 H breakout, that the team’s batting coach is clearly the reason for last night’s success ― NOTHING ELSE. Little is the faith I put in Shelton, however, I find it hard to believe that ― should be be fired ― Tampa Bay will be 100% fixed at the plate, and will score as many runs (if not more than) Toronto. In the end, blaming Shelton for LoMo or Miller’s hitting slump is akin to blaming Hickey for Archer’s 0’fer and bloated ERA/FIP over his last nine plus starts.
Shelton is a lightning rod for criticism, and I’m certain some of it is warranted. However, the team’s MO for player development under the Sternberg/Friedman/Silverman regime has been pitching and defense, not developing hitters. In a nutshell, we are expecting Shelton to, in a manner of speaking, polish a turd. Yes, the team has acquired hitters with more pop, and yes they’ve adopted a more aggressive approach at the plate. However, the new players on this team are still acclimating to one another, and to new surroundings. It’s almost unfair to expect them to be barnburners right out the gate.
I distinctly remember the 2013 squad not gelling right off the bat. That squad also started the season with a 4-7 record. If you recall, that was the year Maddon called the shaman to the Trop (among other things) to get them back on track. That incarnation ultimately made it to the division series, although getting there was neither pretty nor easy. In the end, ALL teams go through offensive blackouts at some point. Let’s just hope for the Rays this is theirs.