Monday, 4 a.m.
Wait a minute. Is this legal?
Are the Tampa Bay Rays really allowed to win one that isn't close?
Is it okay if they get good pitching out of the bullpen? Is it permissible if they get seven hits in a row? Is it legal for them to score eight runs over two innings?
It doesn't happen much, but apparently, it was within the rules for them to coast to an 8-2 victory over the Oakland A's Sunday in a game in which they collected 15 hits and won with ease. The Rays ended a string of 21 games in 20 days with the victory.
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“Good win," said manager Kevin Cash. "We needed a win. It was goodto see the offense get rolling. I was really impressed with (Ryan Yarbrough). When he came into the game, he didn’t look very sharp. He corrected some stuff and really got efficient. The inning after we went up 3-1 to me was a massive part of the game. "
The Rays scored three times in the second (including a two-run homer by Travis d'Arnaud) and five in the third (with consecutive hits by Joey Wendle, Guillermo Heredia, Mike Zunino, d'Arnaud, Tommy Pham, Austin Meadows and Avi Garcia) to put away the game.
Yarbrough got the win, throwing six innings and allowing just five hits. Yarbrough is 6-3 on the season and 22-9 over the last two seasons.
Joey Wendle entered the game hitting only .120, but he had three hits. He finished the game hitting .164.
"He’s a really good player," Cash said. "I know, 50 at-bats in, it probably hasn’t gone the way he would like. He’s been banged up with all kinds of injuries. After what he did last year, we’ve got full confidence he’s going to get going. It might take a little bit of time. He might have an ugly batting line for a little bit, but he could erase that soon."
Avi Garcia also had three hits for the Rays, while d'Arnaud, Austin Meadows and Mike Zunino all had two. The Rays have used an opener 79 times since the start of last season and are 46-33 in those games, including 14-10 this season
The Rays finally get a day off today, then play in Minnesota on Tuesday. Blake Snell will pitch for the Rays against Kyle Gibson at 8:10 p.m.
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