Tampa Bay 2, Baltimore 0
When: 7:10 PM ET, Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Temperature:
Indoors
Umpires:
Home -
Paul Nauert, 1B -
Mike Estabrook, 2B -
Dana DeMuth, 3B -
Toby Basner
Attendance:
13569
By The Sports Xchange
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tampa Bay starter Jake Odorizzi and three relievers combined for a three-hit shutout, giving rookie manager Kevin Cash his first career win as the Rays edged the Baltimore Orioles 2-0 on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field.
The Rays (1-2) got their first lead of 2015 -- in their 24th inning of the season -- without a hit, loading the bases on three walks, then bringing in a run when reliever Brian Matusz walked first baseman Logan Forsythe. Tampa Bay hadn't led at any point in their first two losses to Baltimore.
Odorizzi was sharp in his season debut, holding the Orioles (2-1) to two hits in 6 2/3 innings, facing just two batters over the minimum and helping the Rays avoid a season-opening three-game sweep at home.
After a third-inning single, the Rays went five innings without a hit, until third baseman Evan Longoria's double with one out in the eighth. Longoria scored on left fielder Desmond Jennings' RBI single for a 2-0 lead.
And while the Orioles couldn't stop walking batters -- seven in the first seven innings -- the Rays got seven strikeouts from Odorizzi without a walk, and three more in the eighth from reliever Kevin Jepsen.
Right-hander Brad Boxberger, getting the Rays' first save opportunity while closer Jake McGee is on the disabled list, gave up a leadoff single to left fielder Alejandro De Aza, then closed out the game, getting three strikeouts to give Rays pitchers 13 for the night.
Odorizzi was in command early, holding the Orioles to one hit in the first five innings. He struck out five and walked none through five. His only mistake a double by Orioles catcher Ryan Lavarnway in the third.
Through six, Odorizzi had still faced one more than the minimum, giving up a single to De Aza in the sixth but getting a double play to end the inning.
Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez matched Odorizzi zero for zero through five innings, getting out of jams and limiting the Rays to three hits through five.
The Rays had chances to score early. Right fielder Stephen Souza singled with one out in the first and advanced to third on a single by shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera before Longoria walked to load the bases, setting up Jennings.
Jennings hit a ground ball to short that was initially ruled an RBI fielder's choice after he beat the throw to first. But an official review overturned the call and he was ruled out, with the double play canceling the run.
The Rays had two on and two out for Longoria again in the third after designated hitter David DeJesus reached on a bunt single and Sousa walked, but Longoria struck out swinging to strand two runners.
NOTES: The Rays went into the season with major injury problems on their pitching staff and just two games into 2015 they're facing a key injury in the middle of the batting order. 1B James Loney went on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a mild right oblique strain and rookie Allan Dykstra was called up from Durham. Dykstra -- no relation to former Mets and Phillies star Lenny -- made his major league debut, batting eighth in the Rays' lineup. ... Rays DH John Jaso, out since the first inning of the season after jamming his wrist sliding into second base, did not start Wednesday, with David DeJesus leading off as the DH. Jaso is officially day to day. ... OF Travis Snider went 3-for-4 in Monday's season opener, becoming the first Baltimore player to get three hits in his Orioles debut since DH Ronny Paulino had four in April 2012.
Top Game Performances
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Hits |
HR |
TB |
Avg |
LOB |
K |
RBI |
BB |
SB |
Errors |
| Baltimore
|
3 |
0 |
4 |
.103 |
9 |
13 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Tampa Bay
|
5 |
0 |
6 |
.200 |
11 |
7 |
2 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
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