Friday, 4 a.m.
Why pondering the Tampa Bay Rays starting pitching rotation for the post-season, is it too late to consider one more name?
How about Dietrich Enns, the overnight success who spent a decade before arriving?
Enns was sharp once again Thursday night, throwing another four-inning outing and allowing just three hits as the Rays beat Detroit, 5-2. Enns, now 2-0, threw four innings of no-hit baseball against Detroit earlier.
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Enns has allowed one run in his last three appearances, spanning 11 innings pitched after yielding seven runs (six earned) in his first four appearances spanning nine innings.
"Ennsy kind of picked up right where he left off," said Rays' manager Kevin Cash. " He drove fastballs in the zone. The cutter, the breaking ball. He creates some challenging at-bats and gets some awkward swings. It just tells you his stuff is really good."
Enns, out of baseball for a while, followed Louis Head to the mound and was very good, allowing just one earned run.
"Really, the last three appearances he's made for us have really stood out," Cash said. "Once he got comfortable and committed to the zone, he's been really sharp."
Is it enough for a post-season start. Probably not, but it's enough that he could give the Rays multiple innings as a bulk pitcher.
The Rays won their 91st game against the Tigers. Yandy Diaz and Mike Zunino both homered for Tampa Bay, but the key run came when Kevin Kiermaier scored from second on a ground ball. He was trying to steal third when Manny Margot grounded to third, then came home on the throw to first.
The Rays, whose magic number is now seven, will play the Tigers again tonight at Tropicana Field at 7:05 p.m. Luis Patino will pitch for the Ryas against Casey Mize.