Shane McClanahan crafted his second straight scoreless start, Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero homered, and the Tampa Bay Rays opened a six-game homestand with a 3-0 win over the struggling San Francisco Giants on Friday night at St. Petersburg, Fla.
In a season-longest six inning, the left-handed McClanahan (3-2) allowed five hits, struck out five and did not issue a walk. He pitched five scoreless against the Minnesota Twins in his previous outing,
McClanahan was aided by two double plays to end his final two innings.
Diaz slugged a solo home run in the second, but the designated hitter left the game for a pinch hitter in the seventh. Caminero added a massive solo in the fourth.
Taylor Walls was 2-for-3 with a double, run and stolen base, though the Rays were outhit 6-5 by the visitors.
Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray (2-4) allowed just four hits in 6 1/3 innings, but three runs came across. He struck out five without a walk.
Luis Arraez doubled for the club’s only extra-base hit as they lost their fourth straight game and were shutout for a majors-high seventh time.
Leading off the bottom of the second and facing a 2-0 offering from Ray, Diaz belted his fifth homer to right on Ray’s four-seam fastball, taking it the other way an estimated 364 feet.
The Giants failed to muster much against McClanahan through the first time through the order, but overaggressive baserunning by Arraez trying to turn his double into a triple led to right field Jake Fraley and shortstop combining to toss out the three-time batting champ at third base.
Just as Diaz did two frames prior, Caminero opened the fourth with a 432-foot rocket to left on another four-seamer from Ray for a 2-0 lead.
After Walls doubled to lead off the sixth and stole third, Chandler Simpson lifted a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 advantage.
Over the seventh and eighth inning, respectively, Tampa Bay relievers Ian Seymour and Cole Sulser kept the Giants off the board.
Closer Bryan Baker pitched a perfect ninth with a strikeout for his eighth save in 10 chances for the staff’s second shutout.
–Field Level Media
