Aug 22, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Tampa Bay Rays beginning pitcher Jeffrey Springs (59) delivers a pitch in opposition to the Oakland Athletics in the course of the first inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Obligatory Credit score: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports activities The Tampa Bay Rays are merely operating out of time.
Needing a powerful conclusion to their seven-game homestand, the Rays misplaced for the third time in 4 outings Monday and can look to even it up in opposition to the Minnesota Twins within the second sport of their four-game set Tuesday evening in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The opener Monday began with fireworks as Minnesota constructed a 4-2 lead behind a three-run laser from Trevor Larnach, whose fifteenth homer gave the American League Central membership some separation.
After starter Simeon Woods Richardson, who pitched into the fourth inning, the Twins’ bullpen zipped by means of 4 1/3 innings and gave up only one run — a solo homer to Jonny DeLuca within the eighth — earlier than turning to nearer Jhoan Duran.
The fireballer locked it down with an ideal ninth, getting the foremost’s high prospect Junior Caminero with an offspeed pitch for a check-swing strikeout to finish the fourth assembly between the groups.
Minnesota squared the season sequence at 2. All 4 contests have been determined by one run.
Often very strong in one-run video games, the Rays (67-70) had been doomed by unsuccessful at-bats with runners in scoring place, ending 1-for-9.
Tampa Bay supervisor Kevin Money mentioned earlier than the sport that his membership needed to get “hotter than sizzling” over the ultimate 25 video games for a wild-card spot, however Monday was simply extra of the identical.
“It is powerful, little question,” Money mentioned after his group fell three video games beneath .500 for the primary time since June 22. “We talked concerning the significance of this sequence. It is a problem. We have to discover a technique to come again, win tomorrow and see the place the following couple of video games go.”
The Twins (75-62) gained a sport within the hunt for the second wild-card spot because the Kansas Metropolis Royals (75-64) misplaced for the sixth straight time, 4-2, to the Cleveland Guardians.
Minnesota supervisor Rocco Baldelli, who earned his 450th profession win, mentioned the matchup shortly grew to become a bullpen sport.
His relievers allowed 4 hits, struck out eight and did not stroll a batter.
“It ought to be a confidence increase for our group,” Baldelli mentioned of his aid corps. “There have been numerous calls to the bullpen, greater than most video games. … I advised them it is principally going to be a bullpen form of battle between each groups.
“Our (relievers) had been nice. A few of them had been contemporary, a few of them had been removed from contemporary. However we bought the win, and that is an important factor.”
Tampa Bay’s Jeffrey Springs will make his seventh begin because the left-hander continues to regain his kind after Tommy John surgical procedure 16 months in the past.
In his most up-to-date outing final Tuesday in Seattle, Springs (1-2, 3.67 ERA) made his greatest begin of 2024. He allowed only one hit in 5 shutout innings with 9 strikeouts and two walks, however needed to accept a no-decision.
Over one begin and one aid look in opposition to the Twins, Springs is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 6 1/3 innings. Minnesota has managed simply two hits and two walks in opposition to him, with six strikeouts.
Rookie right-hander David Festa (2-4, 4.89) will seem in his tenth sport for the Twins and make his ninth profession begin and first in opposition to the Rays.
The Seton Corridor product has misplaced his final two begins to the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals.
–Discipline Degree Media