Snell shines again in his 12th win for Rays

by Gary Shelton on July 8, 2018 · 0 comments

in general

Snell won his 12th game for the Rays./CARMEN MANDATO

Snell won his 12th game for the Rays./JEFFREY S. KING

Sunday, 3 a.m.

Is this what an All-Star looks like?

Perhaps. More and more, Blake Snell looks the part. The lanky left-hander left the game (after 7 1/3 innings) with a shutout intact for the fifth time this season. He is now 12-4 on the season after Saturday's 3-0 victory over the New York Mets.

Is this what a stopper looks like?

That's certain. Snell has been a rock in the Rays' rotation this year. He won his first game when the team was 1-8, and since then, he's stopped a four-game losing streak and a three-game losing streak. Saturday, the team had lost three of its previous four.

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Ramos knocked in two runs for Rays./CARMEN MANDATO

Ramos knocked in two runs for Rays./CARMEN MANDATO

Against the Mets, he spread six hits over his stint and struck out nine. Six times in the eight innings he started, the leadoff man reached, but he still got the shutout.

“We needed to find a way to get a lead and we did," said Rays' manager Kevin Cash. "We just got one, but runs have been tough to come by.

"Blake bought us some time. The way he got out of the first-inning jam ...  there were a couple of jams where  they got on base. He did a great job of keeping his calm, keeping his composure. and making his pitches when he had to."

Snell is tied for second in the American League in wins, two behind Luis Severino (14). Cory Kluber also has 12.

Catcher Wilson Ramos, also up for All-Star consideration (the teams are announced today), drove in two runs, including an insurance run in the ninth when he singled in Joey Wendle. Carlos Gomez singled in Daniel Robertson in the eighth.

For the day,  Gomez and Ramos had two hits.

Sergio Romo had his ninth save of the year for the Rays.

The Rays conclude their series today at 1:10 p.m. Nathan Eovaldi pitches against Chris Flexen.

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