Rays 4, Cubs 0
Yunel Escobar drove in three runs and Jake Odorizzi struck out nine in six innings as visiting Tampa Bay defeated Chicago for the second consecutive day.
Evan Longoria scored twice and had an RBI for the Rays, who have won three straight contests to remain 5 1/2 games of Kansas City for the American League’s second wild-card spot. Ben Zobrist went 2-for-3 and scored twice.
Odorizzi (8-9) gave up three hits and walked none while winning for the sixth time in eight decisions. Kirby Yates fanned three in two perfect innings and Jake McGee struck out three while giving up two hits in the ninth.
Longoria stroked a run-scoring double into the left-field corner off Edwin Jackson (6-12) in the fourth and he scored on Escobar’s two-out single to right. Two walks and error by Chicago second baseman Javier Baez allowed the Rays to load the bases in the sixth and Escobar sent a ground single to center to drive in two and make it a four-run margin.
Odorizzi recorded nine of his strikeouts in the first four innings, including five straight over the first and second innings. Jackson allowed four runs (three earned) and five hits in six innings while losing for the fifth time in six decisions.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Escobar has four two-hit outings over his last eight games. … Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo had an infield hit in the ninth and is 2-for-17 over his last four contests. … Rays OF Wil Myers (wrist) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Durham on Saturday that will last at least one week.