Tampa Bay Rays defeat Minnesota Twins 5-2 – MLB Update
Tampa Bay Rays put in a good performance as they defeated Minnesota Twins 5-2 at Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg on Friday, April 15.
Although Tampa Bay has lost 8 of their 13 games, this performance will provide a boost. The game would hardly offer a lot in terms of striking thrill if it were not for Wade Davis flawless execution as starting pitcher.
Davis ventured into this game pitching for Tampa Bay, as he was faced by Denard Span, Matt Tolbert and Jason Kubel, none of whom could go for any hit. Sam Fuld was the first batter from Tampa Bay to face Nick Blackburn who came out to pitch for Minnesota.
The first inning remained scoreless following which Davis once again remained unplayable. Tampa Bay could not open the account either in the second inning.
It was the Twins’ Danny Valencia who doubled to deep centre in the fifth inning where Jim Thome scored to give the Twins a 1-0 lead. Rays’ batters could not play Blackburn of Minnesota who was pitching fast. The Twins, the team that remains the AL Central
Champions, could not contain Johnny Damon and B.J. Upton. Damon singled to centre where Reid Brignac scored the first run for the Rays. Upton was impressive, as he doubled to left where Damon scored and Matt Joyce, increasing the Rays’ lead to 3-1.
Rays came back hard in the seventh inning when Kelly Shoppach homered to left, as Johnson scored. This took the score to 5-1. When the lead had taken its toll, Davis had a strong reason to render the Twins’ batters incapable of hitting. The Twins kept putting
efforts to make a comeback in the game. However, none of these efforts bore fruit.
Their last attempt to avert defeat was in the ninth inning when Jim Thome ground into fielder’s choice to third and Delmon Young got out at second, Jason Kubel to third and then scored on a throwing error. Cesar Ramos did not allow any other Twins’ batter
to change the complete map of the game by hitting hard. Ramos succeeded and secured a win for the Rays.
It will be interesting to see how the Rays carry their winning momentum into their next match-up. The Twins put in a decent performance, but it was not enough to contain the Rays’ offence this time around.
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