Indians at Rays
Mired in an ugly offensive slump, the Tampa Bay Rays put an end to a pair of painfully inept streaks in the opener of a four-game series against the Cleveland Indians. The Rays scored as many runs in Thursday's 4-1 win as they had in their previous five games combined and hope to carry the momentum into the second of the four-game set on Friday night.
Corey Dickerson snapped an 0-for-21 drought in dramatic fashion, clubbing a tiebreaking three-run homer in the eighth inning Thursday to pull Tampa Bay within 2 1/2 games of the New York Yankees for the top wild card. Prior to Dickerson's heroics, Logan Morrison had an RBI single, which was more noteworthy because it ended the Rays' 0-for-31 nightmare with runners in scoring position. Cleveland has lost four of five after dropping the opener of an 11-game road trip and leads Minnesota by 3 1/2 games atop the American League Central. Right fielder Jay Bruce, acquired in a trade with the New York Mets on Wednesday, did not arrive on time to be in the starting lineup but popped out as a pinch hitter in his debut for the Indians.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, STO (Cleveland), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Carlos Carrasco (10-5, 4.06 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jake Faria (5-2, 2.81)
Carrasco remained winless since the All-Star break after giving up five runs over 5 2/3 innings against the New York Yankees last time out -- the third time in five starts he has allowed five runs. The Venezuelan lasted only 1 2/3 innings in his previous start at Boston but he has been solid overall on the road with a 7-2 record and 3.44 ERA. Evan Longoria is only 3-for-21 against Carrasco.
Faria was a hard-luck loser in a 2-0 setback versus Milwaukee in his last start, but he permitted only one run and four hits while matching his season high with nine strikeouts over six innings. It marked the sixth time in 11 career starts that Faria allowed just one run. He has his shortest outing in his previous turn at the Yankees, but still racked up eight strikeouts in his four-inning stint.
WALK-OFFS
1. Dickerson was hitless in his last 34 at-bats at home before delivering his go-ahead homer.
2. Indians 2B Jason Kipnis (hamstring tightness) left Thursday's game. He went on the disabled list before the All-Star break with the same injury.
3. Rays RHP Tommy Hunter has not allowed a run in 18 of his last 19 appearances.