ST. PETERSBURG -- Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen pitched six dominant innings and the bullpen preserved a 1-0 win against the White Sox on Saturday in a battle of American League division leaders at Tropicana Field.
Rasmussen (10-5) allowed four hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts, including striking out the side in his final inning. He faced only one trouble spot, the fifth, when the White Sox got runners to second and third, their only occasion all game with runners in scoring position. But Rasmussen coaxed leadoff batter Sam Antonacci into an inning-ending lineout to right field.
The Rays earned the victory with just five hits, all singles, and six total baserunners. In the fifth, against bulk pitcher Noah Schultz (who followed opener Jordan Hicks), the Rays scored the game’s only run. Jonny DeLuca led off with a single to left field, then stole second. One out later, DeLuca moved to third on Ben Williamson’s grounder, then scored on Nick Fortes’ RBI single, which cleared the leaping attempt of shortstop Colson Montgomery.
That was all the Rays needed.
For the 23rd straight game, dating back to last season, Rasmussen had an outing with two walks or fewer. Ironically, he walked Antonacci to lead off the game, but he was nabbed on a stolen-base attempt. Rasmussen then struck out the next five White Sox batters.
After allowing a leadoff single to pinch-hitter Randal Grichuk in the seventh, Rays left-hander Cam Booser got the next two outs, then right-hander Kevin Kelly struck out Chase Meidroth to end the inning. Kelly and lefty Garrett Cleavinger worked a perfect eighth, then closer Bryan Baker finished the White Sox off in the ninth, earning his MLB-leading 31st save.