Odorizzi pitches Rays past Rangers
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Tampa Bay right-hander Jake Odorizzi capped his season with another strong start as the Rays topped the Texas Rangers 4-1.
Odorizzi (10-6) allowed just one run on three hits in his six innings of work. He struck out eight and finished his season 7-1 over his final 14 starts.
Odorizzi got the offensive support he'd need in the third inning when the Rays took advantage of an error to score four unearned runs off Texas starter Colby Lewis (6-5). Kevin Kiermaier hit a grounder with one out that kicked off the leg of Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor and rolled into right field, putting runners on second and third.
Evan Longoria's grounder scored the first run, and Lewis then walked Brad Miller. That proved to be costly as Corey Dickerson launched a three-run homer to center. That homer put the Rays up 4-0 and allowed Dickerson to match his career high in home runs with 24.
That inning was the only blemish for Lewis, who didn't allow an earned run in his 6 1/3 innings of work. He gave up five hits and struck out three.
Texas got its lone run off Odorizzi on a solo homer to center by catcher Robinson Chirinos in the sixth.
Odorizzi and three relievers combined to strike out 12 Texas batters. Alex Colome finished the game with a hitless ninth for his 37th save. The teams combined for just eight hits and no one had more than one.
Odorizzi limited Texas to just two hits through the first five frames while the Rays took advantage of a Texas miscue to score four runs in the third.
NOTES: Friday's 3-1 victory set a single-season high for wins by Texas at home. It was the 53rd victory for the Rangers, one more than they won in 1978 and 2011. ... Tampa Bay will start RHP Chase Whitley on Sunday. He'll be just the 28th starter used by the Rays since the start of 2008, the fewest of any team in the majors. ... If Tampa Bay 3B Evan Longoria plays Sunday, he'll be just the fourth active player to compete in at least 160 games in four straight seasons. Prince Fielder, Adrian Gonzalez and Ichiro Suzuki have also accomplished the feat. ... With his 12 strikeouts Friday, RHP Yu Darvish reached 812 in his 100th start. That's a major-league record, 46 more than Chicago's Chris Sale.