Rays tie franchise record with 19-run outburst to hammer Twins
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Jake Bauers homered for the second straight game and drove in four runs, Carlos Gomez homered and had two RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Ray scored 15 times in the final three innings to rally past the Minnesota Twins 19-6 on Saturday.
C.J. Cron hit a two-run homer and Jesus Sucre, who entered in the sixth for injured catcher Wilson Ramos, drove in two runs for Tampa Bay. The Rays posted season-highs in runs and hits (20) after entering the game 2-34 this season when trailing after six innings.
Jamie Schultz (1-0) walked three batters in 2 2/3 hitless innings as Tampa Bay overcame a short start by Chris Archer.
Zach Duke (3-3) gave up three runs and managed to retire just two batters in relief of Minnesota starter Jose Berrios. Eddie Rosario had three hits and two RBIs, but the Twins fell for the second time in nine games on their current homestand.
Berrios, who is headed to his first All-Star game next week, gave up six runs for the second time in four starts.
Matt Duffy, Mallex Smith and Adeiny Hechavarria all had three hits for the Rays. Duffy later left the game after twisting his ankle on a swing in the eighth.
Archer threw 93 pitches in his second start off the disabled list after missing a month with a left abdominal strain. He gave up two runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts.
RAMOS LEAVES EARLY
Ramos, named the starting catcher for the American League in next week's All-Star game, left the game in the sixth inning with left hamstring tightness. Ramos grounded out to third and didn't run with full effort to first.
He was met by an athletic trainer and manager Kevin Cash as he walked back to the dugout. The team announced Ramos will be evaluated again Sunday.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: INF Christian Arroyo (10-day disabled list, left oblique strain) was expected to be back in the lineup on Saturday for his rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham. Arroyo had left Thursday's game with discomfort in his left hand.
Twins: OF Byron Buxton was put on the Triple-A disabled list with a strained left wrist after an MRI showed inflammation in the wrist. ... RHP Ervin Santana is scheduled to start Sunday for Triple-A Rochester as he works his way back from finger surgery. ... Manager Paul Molitor said 1B Logan Morrison might not need a rehab assignment as he recovers from a left hip impingement. Molitor said RHP Addison Reed could need a rehab assignment and that the reliever might need more than the 10 days for his right triceps tightness.
UP NEXT
Neither team has announced its Sunday starter for the final game before the All-Star break. Cash said the team was likely to go with Ryne Stanek (1-2, 1.93 ERA), who has served as the team's ''opener'' when it plans a bullpen day. Minnesota could turn to Aaron Slegers (1-1, 5.68), who made the last start in the spot of the rotation. Slegers had been temporarily moved to the bullpen after his last start when he gave up five runs in 1 1/3 innings.
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