It may have taken some time to get his sea legs back, but Shane McClanahan pitched with a level of conviction we haven’t seen since before the injuries. As a result, he turned in his best outing of the season and set the table for the Rays second shutout in their last three games. His six-shutout innings were the most he has thrown in nearly three years. It was the sharpest he has looked post injuries and sight for sore eyes, especially in the wake of the news that Ryan Pepiot would be out for the remainder of the season. Having Mac back on the mound in any capacity this season would have been a positive for the Rays. To see him return to form this quickly is as good as the Rays brass could have hoped for.
Opposite McClanahan was San Franciso Giants starter, Robby Ray, who also turned in a strong performance but left trailing and took home the loss. McClanahan and Ray battled it out over the first six innings and Mac came out on top as Ray made a few costly mistakes to the big boys, Yandy and Caminero.
The first mistake, if you can even call it that, came in the bottom of the second inning when Yandy Diaz flicked a outside fastball over the wall in right field to give the Rays a 1-0 lead. His fifth homer of the year and a perfect Yandy blast at that.
Two innings later Junior Caminero turned on a high and inside fastball and deposited it deep into the left field stands. It was his ninth homer of the year and it traveled 432 feet.
Then in the sixth inning, Walls doubled to lead off the inning, quickly stole third, and scored on a Chandler Simpson sacrifice fly. The Rays took a 3-0 lead and that score would hold.
That was essentially all the action in this one. McClahanan worked quickly striking out five and walking none while scattering five hits across his six innings. Ray only allowed four hits, but three of them went for extra bases. he also struck out five and walked none.
The Rays pen did their job again as Seymour, Sulser, and Baker held the Giants scoreless and to just one hit. Baker took home the save, his eighth of the year.
The Rays staff as a whole has been fantastic over the. Across their last eight games, they have allowed a total of just eleven runs. They have gone 7-1 over that stretch. The Rays are firing on all cylinders right now. They are hitting for power, limiting runs, and the defense has improved. They are playing winning baseball at a high level and will look to continue that tomorrow and secure a third straight series win.
Following the confirmation that he will be transitioning to the rotation and following in the footsteps of Rasmussen, Springs, and Littel, Griffin Jax will make his second consecutive open/start opposite Landen Roupp of the Giants.
