Yonny Chirinos allowed four runs and nine hits./STEVEN MUNCIE
Sunday, 4 a.m.
There are days the Tampa Bay Rays look as if they belong in a pennant race.
On those days, when the pitching is sharp, and the bullpen matchups work, and the hitting is on, the Rays look young, talented and hungry.
Then there are days such as Saturday.
When they simply look overmatched.
The Minnesota Twins thwacked the Rays, 6-2 on Saturday, scoring in five straight innings on extra-base hits.The Rays scored the first run of the day, and the last, but in between, the Twins flexed their muscles.
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Kevin Kiermaier can't dome down with the ball./STEVEN MUNCIE
Yonny Chirinos, who has been solid most of the season, had a rough start. He gave up four runs and nine hits in five and one-third innings.
“I think some guys got on base and then he just lost a bit of rhythm out there," said Rays' manager Kevin Cash. "He was a pitch away both times from getting through (the 3rd and 4th innings), he just didn’t quite make it. I know he wants the pitch
Willy Adames can' chase down the ball./STEVEN MUNCIE
back to (Byron) Buxton. He gets him on two sliders to get it to 0-2 and then it’s the right pitch throwing the slider again, but just left it up that he could handle and drop it into left field in front of KK.”
It left Cash impressed with the Twins.
“Their offense is leading the American League, if not all of baseball, in a lot of categories, and there’s a reason why," Cash said. "They are balanced. They have plenty of power. We talked about it when the series started, what they are doing and hitting the ball out of the ballpark at the rate that they are and not striking out, shows that they have some really quality hitters.”
Christian Arroyo hit his first home run./STEVEN MUNCIE
Rookie Christian Arroyo had his first home run for the Rays.
"To get the first one out of the way is always nice," Arroyo said. "I tried to put a good swing on a pitch and I was fortunate enough for it to carry out. It would have been a lot better to take the third game of the series against a good Twins team. Looking at earlier in the game, I wish I could have made more out of my bases-loaded at-bat there in the 4th, but we’re going to keep grinding and come out tomorrow and even the series and leave here on the road with having a good homestand.”
Chirinos said he couldn't find his slider in the middle innings.
"The third and fourth innings were a little tough," he said. "I didn’t have much control of my sinker today, so I left it in the zone a couple times. I still tried to compete and do
José Alvarado pitched a strong inning./STEVEN MUNCIE
whatever I could out there today. There were a couple times and a couple pitches that kind of affected me. The sliders that I gave up to Gonzalez – the double and the home run. That’s just the way it happens and all I can do is just keep moving on from there.”
The Rays conclude their homestand againt the Twins today. Ryan Yarborough will pitch for Tampa Bay against Minnesota (and ex-Ray) Jake Odorizzi.
Austin Meadows tagged out on the top of the helmet./STEVEN MUNCIE
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