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A day after seeing former Cy Young winner David Price give up eight runs in six innings, Rays rookie starter Jake Odorizzi was hoping to pick up the slack and deliver a solid start. Unfortunately, the young right-hander was chased from the game for the second straight time before completing five innings of work and the Tampa Bay Rays lose to the Chicago White Sox 7-3 on Monday.
Odorizzi was given a 2-0 lead to start the game, and responded by setting the White Sox down in order in the bottom of the first. However, success didn’t last long as he gave up a game-tying two-run home run to Alejandro De Aza in the bottom of the second. Odorizzi would later give up two more runs in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI triple by Alexei Ramirez and an RBI double by Marcus Semien.
The Rays were able to jump out to an early lead in the top of the first inning courtesy of a sac-bunt by Desmond Jennings that allowed Ben Zobrist to score due to an errant throw by White Sox starter Andre Rienzo. Jennings would then score on a sac-fly off the bat of Matt Joyce. David DeJesus chimed in later in the top of the fourth to break a 2-2 tie with an RBI double.
But, coupled with pitching not executing very well and just running into a White Sox team that’s now won six of its last nine proved to be the downfall for the Rays. The Rays have now lost five of their last six games, although manager Joe Maddon says this stretch is nothing to worry about.
“That happens in the course of a baseball season. And then there’s going to be a part where you win five out of six, and even more than that. I don’t want the guys to get down on themselves, it’s just how things are going right now,” he said.
In other action around MLB:
Former Vanderbilt Commodore Sonny Gray continued his strong season by throwing a complete game shutout against the Rangers in Arlington in a 4-0 win. Yu Darvish lasted only three and one-third innings, giving up four earned runs on six hits. Josh Donaldson got the A’s on the board in the third inning with a two-run single, then Josh Reddick hit an RBI triple in the fourth, along with a Daric Barton sacrifice fly.
The Milwaukee Brewers continued their hot start to their season, beating the defending National League champion St. Louis Cardinals 5-3 in 12 innings. Yovani Gallardo pitched six innings for the Brewers giving up three runs on seven hits, while Michael Wacha continued to mow down hitters as he struck out nine batters in six innings, giving up three runs for the Cardinals. Brewers outfielder Khris Davis came up big in the top of the 12th, hitting a two-run triple to give the team a 5-3 lead.
Troy Tulowitzki smacked two of the Rockies’ six doubles, and hit a go-ahead home run in the sixth as the team beat the Diamondbacks 8-5. D-Backs starter Wade Miley gave up seven runs in six innings pitched, the first time in 11 games the Rockies were able to beat him. Justin Morneau hit his sixth home run of the season for the Rockies.
A three-run, slump-busting home run by Carlos Santana was not enough as the Indians fell to the Angels 6-3. The game was tied headed into the eighth, then a costly error by Nick Swisher gave the Angels momentum, as Mike Trout hit a g0-ahead single to give the team the lead.
Backup catcher Rene Rivera drove in a career-high five RBIs with a two-run double and a three-run home run as the Padres beat the Giants 6-4. Tyson Ross gave up four runs in five and a third innings pitched for the Padres, while Madison Bumgarner gave up four earned runs in five innings for the Giants. The loss ends the Giants four-game winning streak.
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