The Tampa Bay Rays continued their winning ways in Game 1 against the San Diego Padres Monday night with a 10-4 win. The team has now tied their franchise record for consecutive road wins at eight and are 20 games above .500 for the first time since 2013. Their 39-22 road record is the best in Major League Baseball.
Avisaíl García got things started with a towering two-run home run in the 1st inning. Statcast measured an exit velocity of 110 m.p.h. with a 41° launch angle, and distance of 388-feet. He finished the night going 2-for-5 with one home run, one double, three RBI and two runs scored.
The Padres followed with one run in each of the first two innings to tie the game at 2-2 before third baseman Matt Duffy—who went 4-4 with three RBI and a walk—singled in the first of his three RBI on the night taking a 3-2 Rays’ lead.
Austin Pruitt then worked three scoreless innings after surrendering a run in the second when he entered the game as the bulk pitcher following opener Diego Castillo.
Outfielder Guillermo Heredia led off the 7th inning with a single then stole second before being singled in by Jesus Aguilar (2-for-5, three RBI, two R). García and Duffy continued to do add on for the Rays with a double then two-run single respectively to make the game 6-2.
Tampa Bay added four more runs in the 8th off of relief pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. as he struggled mightily with his control. The former Chicago Cub issued two walks and was charged with two wild pitches.
In the 8th, Rays reliever Oliver Drake recorded his first career RBI in his second career at-bat with a grounder deep in the shortstop hole that left rookie superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. without a play. Ian Kinsler pitched the 9th inning for the Padres before hitting a two-run home run in the bottom of the 9th making the final score 10-4.
Game 2 of this three game series will get started Tuesday night at 10:10 p.m. Brendan McKay is on the mound for the Rays against Padres lefty Eric Lauer.
News and Notes
• Avisaíl García has been red hot in the month of August. He has now hit 12-for-33 with three home runs and eight RBI.
• Matt Duffy had an uncharacteristic game defensively with two errors on the night. He previously was only charged with two errors in his prior 221 innings in the field this season.
• The Rays are now 49-7 when scoring five or more runs, a mark they have hit in 11 of their last 14 games.
• Tommy Pham missed tonight’s game with an aggravation of the hand-strain he suffered in Toronto on July 28. He is day-to-day.
• Jose Alvarado could join the major leauge club as soon as tomorrow after four successful rehabilitation appearances with the triple-A Durham Bulls.
• Eric Sogard extended his consecutive games on-base streak to 24 with a pinch hit walk then followed up with a single in his next at-bat.
