Tampa Bay Rays fall to three games below .500 after getting swept by Chicago White Sox.
After 28 games into the season, one team is not supposed to provide half the wins for another. Yet, that is where we find ourselves after the Chicago White Sox completed the three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays with a 4-2 win for their sixth win in 2024.
This Rays team is talented but, once again, did not take advantage of opportunities going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Starting in the top of the first inning the Rays had runners on first and second with one out following back-to-back singles from Richie Palacios and Amed Rosario. Unfortunately, they were left stranded after Isaac Paredes hit a pop-up to foul territory for an out, and Harold Ramirez ended the half-inning with a strikeout.
The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth when the Rays took the lead momentarily when Paredes did what Paredes does best: hit a home run to left field into the bullpen, injecting some hope into this game with a 1-0 lead.
¡La puso en el bullpen!
Séptimo HR de Isaac Paredes.#MexicanPower#YoAmoElBeis pic.twitter.com/dIfQZBeN1F— MLB México (@MLB_Mexico) April 28, 2024
The lead was short-lived as the White Sox responded expeditiously in the bottom of the fourth. Gavin Sheets singled and advanced to second on a single from Eloy Jimenez. Two batters later Robbie Grossman hit a RBI-single that deflected of Curtis Mead’s glove allowing Sheets to score. A Danny Mendick RBI-single flipped the game to a 2-1 Chicago lead.
Nice at-bat by Robbie Grossman results in an equalizing RBI single
— Sox On Tap (@SoxOnTap) April 28, 2024
Zack Littell gave the Rays a quality starting performance. Aside from the two runs given up in the fourth inning, he kept the team in striking distance. He finished with 6.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K on 97 pitches.
Manuel Rodriguez made his Rays debut in the seventh inning wearing the number 39 last worn by Kevin Kiermaier. After successfully retiring the side and looking good in the seventh, the White Sox came out on full assault mode in the eighth inning with four straight singles from Tommy Pham, Sheets, Jimenez, and Andrew Benintendi. Benintendi’s two-run RBI single extended the White Sox lead to 4-1, bringing the brooms out of the closet. Rodriguez stayed in to strikeout Rafael Ortega before getting pulled for Erasmo Ramirez.
Ramirez needed just three pitches to get Danny Mendick to ground into a double play and end the inning.
The Rays had one final glimmer of hope in the ninth inning. Paredes singled on a hard groundball to right field, ending a streak of 15 consecutive Rays batters retired by Fedde. A Ramirez RBI double made it a 4-2 game, and suddenly, there was a chance of a comeback. That spark was extinguished when Jordan Leasure took the mound for the White Sox and retired the next two batters to end the game and complete the sweep.
The Rays just had no answer for Fedde’s pitching, as he pitched 8.1 IP, allowing only one run and striking out nine.
ERICK FEDDE FOR CY
8.1 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
108 pitches – 72 strikes (14 swinging)
— Sox On 35th (@SoxOn35th) April 28, 2024
Losses like this don’t feel good, especially to the worst team in baseball. There is still plenty of seasons left for this team to play to its potential, and that starts with tomorrow’s game in Milwaukee. One thing is certain, it can’t feel worse than this series did.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:40pm ET.