Rays 9, Astros 2
HOUSTON -- Right-hander Erasmo Ramirez pitched effectively under duress and benefited from an early offensive surge courtesy of second baseman Tim Beckham as the Tampa Bay Rays clubbed the Houston Astros 9-2 on Monday night at Minute Maid Park.
Ramirez (10-4) became the third Tampa Bay pitcher to record 10 wins in a season after he was acquired via trade, joining Mark Hendrickson (2004) and Matt Garza (2008). He joined that duo by stranding three baserunners over his first two innings and working around a pair of one-out singles in the fifth, departing with two outs in the sixth up 6-2.
The Rays (59-59) provided Ramirez ample run support early and piled on with three additional runs in the ninth inning. The right-handed tandem of Steve Geltz and Brandon Gomes combined to work 2 1/3 hitless innings with four strikeouts to keep the Astros (64-55) at bay.
From the beginning of his start to his departure with one out and runners on the corners in the sixth inning, Astros left-hander Scott Kazmir labored.
Kazmir recorded two quick outs in the first inning before Rays third baseman Evan Longoria beat the defensive shift with an opposite-field single to right field that ignited the Rays' four-run frame. Beckham, the fourth consecutive batter to reach with two outs, capped the outburst with a three-run home run, his sixth, to left field on an 0-2 count.
Even after retiring the Rays in order in the second and fourth innings and inducing a double play to escape trouble in the third, Kazmir kept scuffling. Rays shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera launched a sacrifice fly to left-center field in the fifth inning to score right fielder Brandon Guyer, and pinch hitter John Jaso greeted Astros right-hander Josh Fields with an RBI single to left after Kazmir allowed a pair of baserunners to reach to open the sixth inning.
Kazmir departed trailing 6-2 and failed to escape the sixth inning for a third consecutive start after working 14 2/3 scoreless innings over his first two appearances with Houston. And despite several opportunities, the Astros couldn't muster the offensive might against Ramirez to take Kazmir off the hook.
NOTES: The Rays optioned rookie 3B/OF Richie Shaffer to Triple-A Durham and recalled LHP Enny Romero. After making his major-league debut on Aug. 3, Shaffer hit .263/.391/.579 with two home runs and two RBIs over eight games. Adding Romero (7.84 ERA in five games) allows the Rays to feature a more traditional seven-man bullpen. ... Astros manager A.J. Hinch reiterated his commitment to slumping CF Carlos Gomez, who entered Monday mired in an 0-for-17 slump and batting .183/.210/.267 in 15 games since his trade deadline acquisition. Gomez has just three hits in 40 plate appearances since posting three multi-hit games in a four-game stretch Aug. 1-4. ... Monday night marked the seventh game this season in which Rays manager Kevin Cash opposed a starting pitcher he had caught during his career, a list that includes Astros LHP Scott Kazmir, Red Sox RHP Justin Masterson and Red Sox RHP Clay Buchholz (all twice), and Mets RHP Bartolo Colon.