Luke Raley homered twice, and Drew Rasmussen threw six shutout innings to earn his first win of 2023 as the Tampa Bay Rays improved to 4-0 for the first time in franchise history with a 6-2 win over the Washington Nationals Monday at Nationals Park.
Raley’s first home run came in the top of the first inning off Nationals starter Trevor Williams, and followed Randy Arozarena beating out a ground ball to shortstop C.J. Abrams to extend the inning.
Luke Raley CRUSHES one!
WATCH ➡️ https://t.co/8glNrzBbZJ#MLB | #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/3IH4CMTztj
— Bally Sports Sun: Rays (@BallyRays) April 3, 2023
Tampa Bay extended their lead in the second, as a pair of inield singles by Josh Lowe and Manuel Margot, coupled with a Williams throwing error, were followed by a sacrifice fly off the bat of catcher Francisco Mejia.
Isaac Paredes would make it 4-0 in the fourth, leading off the inning with a solo shot off Williams, his first of the year.
Isaac Paredes with a solo shot!
WATCH ➡️ https://t.co/8glNrzBbZJ#MLB | #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/dcJG4kXNqA
— Bally Sports Sun: Rays (@BallyRays) April 3, 2023
Rasmussen (1-0) needed just 66 pitches to get through six full innings, and while facing 20 batters on the evening, threw just 16 pitches outside the strike zone.
Washington was able to manufacture a run in the seventh off reliever Garrett Cleavinger, but the Rays responded with Raley’s second homer of the night in the top of the eighth, and another sacrifice fly, this time by Margot, in the ninth.
Jeimer Candelario homered off Calvin Faucher in the bottom of the ninth, but the right-hander would limit the damage to just the home run and finish out the game.
Josh Fleming (2-5, 6.43 ERA) will get the opportunity to give the Rays their fifth consecutive victory to start the year and earn a second straight series win Tuesday in Washigton, taking on Chad Kuhl (6-11, 5.72 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05.
Highlights
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.
