TAMPA, Fla. – The Rays’ first series in their 2025 home of Steinbrenner Field was a rather productive one. It is not just that they took two of three from the Rockies, but how they did it. Indeed, top-shelf pitching, productive at-bats and some impressive fielding was a good way to come out of the gate.
The starting pitching, in particular, was extremely sharp. Ryan Pepiot on Opening Day, Zack Littell on Saturday, and Taj Bradley in Sunday afternoon’s 6-4 win each went six innings while combining to allow only four earned runs and one walk in their 18 innings of work.
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“Our starting pitching over the three-game series, if that is what we have to look forward to, we will be pretty happy about that,” said manager Kevin Cash.
With the score tied at two, the Rays took advantage of some shoddy Colorado fielding to score four runs in the sixth inning to take a 6-2 lead. That made a winner of Bradley, who allowed five hits and two runs and fanned seven.
“I am happy I had a quality start, the team got the win, good defense behind me, and we scored (four) runs in the sixth after I came out,” said the righthander, who threw 78 pitches in six innings.
The Rays often stung the ball but scored only once on 12 hits in Saturday’s 2-1 loss. Perhaps things evened out during Sunday’s four-run sixth with a hit batter, a walk, two infield singles, including an exceptional bunt by Jose Caballero that scored Taylor Walls, and Jonny DeLuca’s soft single to left-center. There were also a couple of stolen bases mixed in.
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“We did a good job of putting pressure on the defense,” said Cash. “Sometimes there is a lot of value to just moving the baseball like we did today, and that’s kind of how that big inning unfolded.”
Paul Skenes Coming To Steinbrenner
The Rays continue their season-opening six-game homestand with the first of three games against the Pirates on Monday night. Drew Rasmussen will be opposed by Carmen Mlodzinski. First pitch is 7:05.
Paul Skenes, who settled for a no-decision after allowing two runs and striking out seven in 5 1/3 innings at Miami on Opening Day, is slated to take the mound Wednesday afternoon (1:10) against Ryan Pepiot. The 2024 National League rookie of the year did not receive a decision in the Pirates’ 3-1 loss to the Rays in Pittsburgh last June.
The only run Skenes allowed in seven innings was a leadoff homer to Yandy Diaz. He struck out eight.
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