Rays' Andriese goes distance for shutout win
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- A week ago, Matt Andriese hadn't pitched in the major leagues this season, but after his second gem in six days, he's suddenly tied for the most wins by a Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher.
Andriese went the distance on Saturday and pitched a two-hit shutout in the Rays' 6-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics.
Andriese (2-0), who held the Angels to one run in seven innings in his season debut last Sunday, was even better against Oakland (15-22). He limited the A's to one hit in the first five innings, then saw the second hit erased immediately by a double play in the sixth.
Andriese has two wins in six days. Meanwhile, the Rays' top four starters have combined for four wins in 30 starts this season.
The complete game is the first for the Rays this season and just the second in Kevin Cash's two seasons as manager.
Andriese closed out the win with his fifth strikeout as the crowd of 28,158 stood in celebration.
Tampa Bay (16-18) got a two-run homer from shortstop Brad Miller, then padded the lead with two runs in the sixth to chase Oakland starter Kendall Graveman (1-5).
After allowing a single and a double off the glove of third baseman Danny Valencia, Graveman intentionally walked Logan Morrison -- hitting .125 with zero RBIs in 80 at-bats this season -- to load the bases. Tampa Bay got a sacrifice fly from Steve Pearce and a two-out RBI single from Kevin Kiermaier to extend the lead.
Oakland walked the bases loaded for the Rays in the eighth and Brandon Guyer delivered a two-run, two-out single for the final runs.
The Athletics were shut out for the first time this season and held to a season low with two hits.
Graveman also was in control of the Rays early, allowing only one hit until the third. Guyer doubled down the left-field line, then came home on a two-run homer by Miller, his fifth of the season, for a 2-0 lead.
The Rays had a leadoff triple in the second from Corey Dickerson, and Graveman followed with two walks to load the bases with no outs but got out of the jam when Pearce lined out to third and Kiermaier hit into a double play on a line drive to left.
Andriese, used as a starter and reliever last season, pitched well and got a break on the opening batter of the game. Billy Burns appeared to hit a foul ball, as replays later showed the ball bounced and hit him in the leg while he was still in the batter's box, but he thought it was a foul ball and didn't run. Andriese tagged him out while he stood behind home plate.
The play was not reviewed, despite the replay showing what should have been a foul ball.
NOTES: The Rays put 2B Logan Forsythe on the 15-day disabled list because of a hairline fracture in his left shoulder, sustained when he was hit by a pitch on Monday in a loss to Seattle. Forsythe, the leadoff hitter who ranks second on the team with a .308 batting average, is expected to miss at least a month with the injury. Rather than continue using Tim Beckham (.135) at second, the Rays shifted 1B Steven Pearce to second and had Logan Morrison (hitting .127) at first. ... A's C Matt McBride, promoted from Triple-A Nashville a day earlier, made his A's debut. He played parts of three seasons in the majors with the Rockies. ... Five of the nine batters in the Rays' starting lineup were hitting .210 or worse entering the game.