Tyler Glasnow and four relievers combined to throw a four-hit shutout, and Dalton Kelly drove in both Tampa Bay runs, as the Rays whitewashed the Minnesota Twins 2-0 at Hammond Stadium.
The right-hander, making his final start of the Grapefruit League before beginning the regular season April 1, threw 79 pitches in his five innings of work. He allowed three hits and a pair of walks while striking out ten Twins batters.
Rays hitters could not figure out any of the first four Minnesota pitchers, managing just three hits of their own against Cody Stashak, Brandon Waddell, Derek Law, and Alex Colomé. But Kelly managed to bring in Francisco Mejia, who doubled off Hansel Robles to start the fifth inning, with a one-out base hit to center.
Kelly added another RBI single in the top of the ninth inning, giving the Rays the breathing room they needed.
Diego Castillo worked a perfect sixth inning, while Andrew Kittredge, who was just added to the major-league roster Friday after Nick Anderson was placed on the 60-day injured list, allowed a leadoff single to Miguel Sanó, but kept the Twins off the scoreboard. Pete Fairbanks and Ryan Thompson retired the last six Minnesota hitters in a row to finish off the game.
Tampa Bay welcomes the Atlanta Braves back to Charlotte Sports Park Sunday, with Ryan Yarbrough (1-1, 5.40 ERA) takes on former Ray Charlie Morton (0-0, 0.00 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:05.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
