Rays 6, Diamondbacks 3: Highs and Lowes

Following last night’s 12-1 walloping against Arizona, the Rays hoped to seal the series win in tonight’s contest.

Ryne Stanek opened for the Rays and delivered a 1-2-3 top of the first, striking out the first two batters he faced.

For the Diamondbacks, it was rookie Taylor Clarke making his first major league start. But second baseman right fielder Brandon Lowe didn’t allow him to settle in, taking his first pitch 405 ft to dead center for his team leading 8th home run of the year.

Stanek and Clarke traded scoreless frames in the second, and the ever mysterious Jalen Beeks took over for the Rays in the top of the third for his 10 appearance of the season.

After a scoreless first frame from Beeks, the D-Backs tied the game on a double by Nick Ahmed that scored Adam Jones. But it wasn’t tied for long, as a leadoff double by Yandy Diaz and a single by Nate Lowe put runners on first and third for Daniel Robertson.

It was neither ideal nor pretty, but it was effective, and it gave the Rays the lead heading into the top of the fifth. Beeks recorded four more outs before giving way to righty Chaz Roe in the sixth. After walking Jones, Roe got out of the inning with the one run lead still in tact.

Beeks’ final line: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO

After a shaky but successful seventh by Diego Castillo, the Rays added three in the home half. Robertson got things started with a single to center, followed by a rocket double by Willy Adames to the left field wall:

With runners now on first and third with only one out, Mike Zunino drove in the first with an opposite field double off new D-Backs pitcher Yoshihisa Hirano:

Shortly after, B. Lowe drove in the second run of the inning, his second of the game:

Ji-Man Choi brought in the third, scorching a line drive single off the glove of Arizona first baseman Wilmer Flores:

Down 5-1, former Ray Matt Andriese was called upon to retire the side. But he also proved vulnerable, as Zunino came through again in the bottom of the eighth:

Just before that, Emilio Pagan came in to pitch the top half, and boy did he impress, striking out all three batters he faced and reaching as high as 96 MPH on his fastball.

Kolarek sealed the victory by pitching the ninth for the Rays. He’d put a two run dent in the team’s run differential, but hey, a win is a win is a win.

Game Notes

• With two hits tonight, Rays 1B/DH Nate Lowe has hit safely in seven if his first eight games at the major league level. He was lifted for Guillermo Heredia in a slew of defensive realignments in the seventh
• The Rays were charged with two mound visits in the fifth when both Zunino and pitching coach Kyle Snyder took trips to see Roe in the 6th. The Rays eventually got that mound visit back
• Emilio Pagan celebrated his 28th birthday today with his 9th appearance of the year. He lowered his ERA to a stellar 1.00

The Rays will attempt to complete the sweep tomorrow afternoon as Charlie Morton takes the hill for the Rays opposite Robbie Ray for the Diamondbacks.