Shane McClanahan pitched 5.0 shutout innings and Randy Arozarena was a spark offensively with a homerun and a steal of home plate on Thursday night, leading the Tampa Bay Rays to a 5-0 win over the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay.
Tampa got off to a fast start against Eduardo Rodriguez, when Arozarena started the bottom of the first inning with a walk and Wander Franco doubled to left center field. Kike Hernandez bobbled the ball allowing Arozarena to score from first base. With two outs Yandy Diaz beat out an infield single to third, and it was 2-0 Rays. Boston had a chance to get it right back in the second when Hunter Renfroe led off with a single and Alex Verdugo reached on an error by Brandon Lowe. The Sox spoiled that chance when Bobby Dalbec grounded into a doubleplay and Christian Vazquez flied out to center. Manuel Margot started the bottom half of the second with a walk, and Mike Zunino nearly doubled the lead with a deep drive to center that Hernandez tracked down at the wall. Rodriguez would strike out Kevin Kiermaier for the second out, but Alex Cora made the move to the bullpen after just 1.2 innings from his starter. Tampa made it 3-0 in the third when Nelson Cruz crushed one off Nick Pivetta to left center that hit the cat walk and bounced back onto the field. By the ground rules though, it was a solo homerun. Arozarena hammered a 3-2 pitch for another solo shot to lead off the fifth inning and a 4-0 advantage. The hosts added on in the seventh and it was Arozarena again making things happen. He drew a two out walk against Pivetta, advanced to third on a Franco double, and then with Josh Taylor pitching and Lowe batting he would steal home plate. Another chance by the visitors went by the board in the eighth when Christian Arroyo singled, and then with one out Kyle Schwarber and Xander Bogaerts also singled to load the bases. Reliever J.P. Feyereisen struck out Rafael Devers and got Renfroe to pop out to end that threat and preserve the shutout sending the A.L. East Champion and defending A.L. Champion Rays to a 1-0 series lead.
McClanahan (1-0) gave up five hits and struck out three and also didn’t walk a batter on the night in his outing to get the win. He threw 82 pitches (55 for strikes). Chargois and David Robertson each pitched a shutout inning and Feyereisen threw 2.0 scoreless. Franco had two hits, while Arozarena reached base three times with two walks, a solo homer, and three runs scored. Schwarber and Bogaerts each had two hits in the loss, while Rodriguez (0-1) gave up two runs on two hits with two walks in his short outing and was charged with the defeat. Game 2 is Friday night with a 7:02 p.m. first pitch. The Sox send LHP Chris Sale (5-1, 3.16 ERA) to the hill, and the Rays counter with rookie RHP Shane Baz (2-0, 2.03).
