Shane Baz made his return to a big league mound as the Rays got shut out in Texas
Coming off their fifth consecutive series win, the Tampa Bay Rays entered Friday’s contest one game over .500 looking to expand on that mark against the reigning champs. Despite a rather sharp return from Shane Baz, the Rays’ bats went quiet despite eight free passes from Texas pitching. Nine innings, three hits, and zero runs later the Rays would drop the series opener and fall back to .500.
Shane Baz got the start opposite Michael Lorenzen. For Baz, it was his first Major League start since 2022. The electric right hander tossed 6 innings, five of which were scoreless. The 25-year-old struck out six, walked one, and allowed seven hits. He surrendered the only runs of the game in the third inning. The Rangers were able to tally a trio of runs in the bottom half of the third. The 3-0 score would hold for the remainder of the game and Baz would eventually take the loss.
Lorenzen threw five scoreless frames despite five walks. He retired four batters via the strikeout and only allowed one hit, a Brandon Lowe double. LeClerc, Latz, Robertson, and Yates combined to toss the remaining four frames. LeClerc walked one and Latz walked a pair.
Rangers pitching combined for 10 punch-outs while the Rays staff struck out seven.
All of the scoring came in the bottom of the third. Lady Taveras opened the frame with a leadoff single, but was thrown out trying to steal second. Hill then struck out. But, with two outs, Ornelas and Semien singled setting up Seager with a RBI chance. The WS MVP delivered and drive in both runners on a double to the left-center gap. The shot to the gap gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead that would quickly grow to 3-0 on a RBI single off the bat of Nate Lowe.
The 3-0 lead would hold and the Rangers would eventually win by that same score.
The Rays left 11 runners on and went 0-10 with RISP. Their three hits came via Brandon Lowe (Double), Randy Arozarena (single), and Josh Lowe (Single). Palacios drew three walks and Paredes went 0-4 with a punch out.
Maton and Armstrong each tossed a scoreless inning and kept the game close. The Rays’ biggest threat came in the 5th when Lorenzen walked the bases loaded over the course of the inning, but got Brandon Lowe to strike out on a curve ball below the zone.
The Rays were unable to get the big hit or any hit of consequence for that matter and as a result were shut out by the fifth different team this year. Nonetheless, the return of Shane Baz to the Rays’ rotation was a victory in and of itself.
The Rays will try to get over .500 again tomorrow with Taj Bradley on the bump opposite Andrew Heaney.
