Rays Get Homer Happy, Pound Tigers 8-1 in Another Great Shane McClanahan Start
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — Even though Tampa Bay's bats have been quiet for the past week or so, manager Kevin Cash wasn't too worried. He knows that ruts are temporary, and that he has a roster that can still make noise.
They made lots of noise Tuesday.
The Rays got home runs from all three outfielders — Kevin Kiermaier, Brett Phillips and Randy Arozarena — and roughed up the Detroit Tigers 8-1 at Tropicana Field, evening the series at a game a piece. They'll play the rubber game on Wednesday afternoon at 1:10 p.m.
"It feels good. With Manny (Margot) and B-Lowe (Brandon Lowe) going down, we've been talking about it and working hard and grinding to find things that work,'' Phillips said. "We believe in ourselves when we're feeling good and we're getting to that point with the stuff that works. This was encouraging, and a great step in the right direction.
"Hopefully we can keep it going. The work is always going to be there. A second straight good night feels good for me, and I've just got to continue to build out of it and do whatever we can to help this team win.''
The power explosion was a wonderful sight to see for a team that had been held to three runs or less six times in the past eight games. Their 19 runs was the fewest in an eight-game stretch in more than a year.
The homers helped, especially from an outfield crew known much more for their defense.
"That was cool,'' Kiermaier said of the three outfielders all hitting homers. "We've been searching, but for all three of us to join the homer party tonight, that was a great thing. Hopefully we can provide much more in the future. Great team win for us tonight.''
The Rays were all over Detroit starter Beau Brieske right from the start. They scored single runs in three of the first four innings, and scored three times in the fifth. Kiermaier homered in the second, and drove in another run with a single in the fourth.
Phillips, who had three hits including a homer Monday night, hit his fourth of the season to lead off the fifth, and the Rays tacked on two more with three singles and a sacrifice fly.
They scored two more runs in the eighth. Arozarena led off with a homer, then Kiermaier singled, went to second on a walk and to third on a fly out. He scored on a Phillips sacrifice fly.
For the night, the three outfielders were a combined 5-for-10, with five runs scored and six RBIs.
"It shows that we're still good,'' Kiermaier said with a smile. "This game is really tough and pitchers get better year after year, It's not easy, and it's crazy how quick of a hole you can dig for yourself and a lot of us offensively who can attest to that.
"For us to do that today, I expect guys will feel good about themselves tomorrow. We need some guys to step up, we need to be better and get a little more run support for our pitchers. We've got the guys to do it. We're all working and we all care. Days like today proves just that.
All that hitting was nice but not really necessary because Rays starter Shane McClanahan was spectacular once again. He pitched seven innings and allowed just four hits and one run, a homer by Jeimer Candelario in the fifth. He's allowed only three runs in three starts in May and has a 1.39 ERA for the month.
"He's incredible. Best in the league,'' Kiermaier said of McClanahan. "I don't want anyone else on the mound other than him. It doesn't matter if it's righty or lefty, no one looks comfortable off of him. He has gotten so much better from last year to this year, and it seems like he keeps getting so much better from start to start.
"He was dangerous before, but what he's doing right now is incredible. That boy is nasty and he puts on a show. I'm glad I don't have to hit off of him.''
McClanahan was clicking with all four pitches, his high-90s fastball, and a curveball, slider and changeup, He had 18 swing-and-misses, six off of the changeup.
He had seven strikeouts on the night, and now has 206 for his career in 33 games. He's just the 29th pitcher to do that, and just the fourth lefty, joining Herb Score (1955), Al Downing (1961-64) and Cole Hamels (2006-07)
McClanahan (3-2) threw seven scoreless innings last Wednesday in Anaheim, and is in a groove, although he said after Tuesday's win that he didn't feel like he had his best stuff. He also felt like the Rays' bats were going to heat up on Tuesday night.
He was right.
"That was a good team win, a. good bounce-back after last night,'' McClanahan said. "I actually said it in the first inning. I said, 'the boys are going to come out hot today,' and I was right. I just kind of had a feeling.
"When you don't have your best stuff, you still have to fill up the strike zone and compete, and I thought I did a good job of that tonight. There's still a lot of improve upon, but I think we're in a good spot going forward.''
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Tom Brew is the publisher of Inside The Rays, and has been with the Sports Illustrated/FanNation network for three years. He is an award-winning writer and editor who has spent most of his four-decade career at the Tampa Bay Times, Indianapolis Star and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has written four books.