Rays beat White Sox, improve to 13-0 at home

By
Field Level Media
We may earn a commission from links on this page.
Apr 23, 2023; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin (24) throws in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Tropicana Field.
Apr 23, 2023; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin (24) throws in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Tropicana Field.
Image: Dave Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

Luke Raley and Harold Ramirez each connected on home runs, and the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Chicago White Sox, 4-1, on Sunday in St. Petersburg, Fla

The Rays completed the three-game sweep in a brisk 2 hours, 2 minutes, and they remained perfect at home at 13-0

Advertisement

Backed by the two homers from Raley and Ramirez, the Rays provided enough run support for Zach Eflin (3-0) to enjoy a successful return to the rotation

Eflin was reinstated from the injured list where he had been out with low back tightness, and he made his first start since April 7.

Advertisement
Advertisement

In five innings, Eflin gave up one run on three hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Of his 67 pitches, 45 were strikes.

Yonny Chirinos tossed three scoreless, hitless innings of relief for Tampa Bay. Pete Fairbanks polished off the ninth for his third save.

The Rays limited the White Sox to three hits

Lucas Giolito (1-2) worked seven innings for the White Sox, giving up four runs and five hits. He had five strikeouts and walked two

Advertisement

The Rays extended their MLB-record home run streak to open a season to 22 games on Raley's two-run blast in the second inning

As a team, the Rays have a league-leading 48 homers

In the Rays' three-run second inning, Isaac Paredes was hit by a pitch, and Raley followed with a long drive to right center. Tampa Bay made it a three-run inning on Yandy Diaz's RBI groundout, which scored Christian Bethancourt, who doubled

Advertisement

The Rays used the long ball again to take a four-run lead. In the third inning, Ramirez delivered his fifth of the season

Chicago broke through off Eflin for a run in the fourth inning, courtesy of a couple of doubles. Andrew Benintendi led off with a two-base hit, and Eloy Jimenez's one-out RBI double trimmed the White Sox deficit to 4-1

Advertisement

The only other hit the White Sox had was Luis Roberts' single to lead off the game

--Field Level Media