Ramirez, 3 Homers Help Rays Stop White Sox, 7-2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Guyer homered to end Tampa Bay's scoreless drought, Brad Miller added a two-run shot and the Rays stopped Chicago's five-game winning streak Saturday night with a 7-2 victory over the White Sox.
Desmond Jennings also hit his first home run of the year for Tampa Bay, and Erasmo Ramirez pitched 5 2/3 shutout innings. In his first start of the season, Ramirez (2-0) gave up three hits and no walks while striking out four, becoming the first Rays starter to win in 2016.
Guyer's home run off Chicago starter John Danks in the third halted Tampa Bay's streak of 21 scoreless innings.
Miller's two-run drive in the fourth gave the Rays a 4-0 lead after an RBI single by Steven Souza Jr. Evan Longoria singled home a run in the seventh.
Jennings led off the eighth with a homer against Zach Putnam, and Miller added an RBI double.
Brett Lawrie hit his first homer for Chicago, a two-run shot off reliever Steve Geltz in the seventh.
Danks (0-2) gave up five runs on six hits and three walks over 6 1/3 innings. He is 0-5 with a 6.92 ERA over his last five starts, dating to last season.
The Rays managed only six runs in their four previous games and took a .196 team batting average into this one.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: Gold Glove CF Kevin Kiermaier (head bruise) and 2B Logan Forsythe (bruised left hip and lower leg) were available off the bench one day after colliding while pursuing a pop fly. Kiermaier said he went through the concussion protocol and "passed with flying colors." Rays manager Kevin Cash didn't rule out both being back in the lineup Sunday.
ROLLINS RUNNING
White Sox manager Robin Ventura was impressed with Jimmy Rollins for tagging up and advancing from first base to second on Friday night, which was followed by Melky Cabrera's single that drove in the only run of the game. "Jimmy's got some savvy to him, and that ends up winning you a game," Ventura said. "Nobody taught him necessarily how to do that. That situation had to happen and it all had to add up in his brain for him to do it. It's a smart baseball play."
UP NEXT
The series finale Sunday is a matchup of left-handers. Matt Moore (0-0) pitches for the Rays, and Jose Quintana (1-0) will become the third straight lefty to start for the White Sox.
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