Wednesday, 4 a.m.
This time, the bullpen struck back.
One game after being shelled in a 12-9 loss to Chicago (a game the Rays had a four-run lead in the ninth), the relief corps of the Rays held down the second-best team in baseball, beating Pittsburgh 4-1.
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The Rays used seven pitchers to get through the game, and only Josh Fleming (who left after being hit in the leg) went more than one inning. The Rays allowed only five hits, although they also walked six.
Colin Poche got the win to improve his record to 3-0.
Harold Ramirez got two hits, a single to right to drive in one run and a 430-foot homer to left-center for another. Ramirez is hitting .381 in his last 19 games.
The Rays also scored on a double steal, with Wander Franco taking second, and as soon as the catcher threw down, Jose Siri stole home.
"That:’s not a play that we design," Rays' manager Kevin Cash said. "We don’t talk about that. We were fortunate right there to pick that run up."
The Rays play Pittsburgh again tonight at 6:40 p.m. Shane McClanahan will start for Tampa Bay against Mitch Keller.