Monday, 4 a.m.
In a game this sloppy, it figures that perhaps the key play of the game was a balk. What else?
The Rays endured Sunday, taking a 10-6 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Still, it was one of those roll-your-eyes kind of victories, a game in which the Rays used seven pitchers, gave up 11 hits and six earned runs and four walks and two wild pitches.
Whew.
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The Tigers, of course, had their own problems. But the one that might linger the most came with two out in the sixth inning with Andrew Vasquez on the mound. The Tigers had closed their deficit to 6-3 at the time.
Vasquez was pitching to Harold Ramirez with runners on second and third and two out when he apparently threw a pitch to strike out Ramirez. But Vasquez was called for a balk — the Tigers did not argue — on the play, which forced in one run. Ramirez beat out an infield single for a second, and it was 8-3. Pretty much, the game was over.
The Rays won their third straight series on their road swing.
Tampa Bay’s afternoon got off to a rough start when scheduled starter Tyler Glasnow was scratched because of a back problem. The Rays indicated it wasn’t expected to be a lingering injury.
That left the game in the hands of Erasmo Ramirez and, of course, the Rays bats. Tampa Bay got 13 hits, including home runs by Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe and Wander Franco. Together, Diaz and Franco were six-for-10 with four RBI and five runs scored.
Josh Lowe and Brandon Lowe also had two hits.
The Rays trail Baltimore by three games in the AL East.
The Rays are off today, then are home at Tropicana Field on Tuesday night at 6:40 p.m. against St. Louis. Zach Eflin will pitch for the Rays against Miles Mikolas.