Cron hit two home runs to lead the Rays' victory./JEFFREY S. KING
Sunday, 3 a.m.
Who are those guys? You know, the guys with the heavy lumber? The guys scattered all over the bases? The guys who keep crossing the plate?
Could those be ... the Tampa Bay Rays?
Really?
The Rays finally showed up with their bats Saturday evening, bashing the Twins in a 10-1 victory. It was the most runs the Rays have scored all year, and it led to their third consecutive victory. The Rays are now 7-13 on the season, not worth bragging
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Snell had his third straight solid outing./JEFFREY S. KING
about, but better than the team's start.
Tampa Bay led just 2-1 going into the bottom the seventh inning, but put together a five-run at-bat. The Rays added three more in the eighth.
The win assures that the Rays will win the series from Minnesota, which will be
Wendle had three hits and a fine defensive play./JEFFREY S. KING
their third series win in their last four.
Blake Snell had his third straight impressive outing, spreading five hits and one run across seven innings. For the second straight game, he didn't walk anyone.
"Blake Snell was just outstanding for us," manager Kevin Cash said . "He’s building something pretty good from the Chicago start. When he’s convicted with his pitches, we have a pretty special pitcher on our hands."
Yes, Cash said. It's fair to assume that this will be the pitcher that the Rays have long-term. "We have some pretty special pitching on our hands," he said.
Smith's defense has improved in center field./JEFFREY S. KING
Snell had nice support in his win. First baseman C.J. Cron hit two two-run homers, Joey Wendle had three hits and Denard Span and Adeiny Hechavarria each had two. Span -- or "Mr. Clutch," as Cash calls him -- also had three RBI.
Wendle also had a nice play in the seventh. He went out on a popup, caught the ball and whirled, throwing to the plate in time to prevent the runner on third from advancing.
"We’re not going to score 10 runs every night, no one does," Cash aid. "We’ve got guys who can hit the ball out of the park, we have guys who can hit doubles, we've got guys who can spray it all over. Hopefully it so continues for a week, a month, five months."
The Rays go for the sweep against the Twins today at 1:10 p.m. Yonny Chirinos pitches for the Rays against Phil Hughes.
Denard Span knocked in three runs for Rays./JEFFREY S. KING
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