Rays Beat Up On Weary Nats For Fourth Straight Win

ST. PETERSBURG (620 WDAE) -- The Washington Nationals reportedly didn't get into St. Petersburg until nearly 5:00 Monday morning.  The Tampa Bay Rays made sure their road woes continued on the diamond.

Kevin Kiermaier hit a grand slam as part of a six-run second inning, and Wilson Ramos went deep twice in support of Blake Snell, who took a no-hit bid into the seventh and combined with Austin Pruitt for a two-hit shutout in an 11-0 whitewashing of Washington Monday at Tropicana Field.

Tampa Bay took Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez's lack of command to their advantage, as the left-hander a walk to C.J. Cron, followed by double to Jake Bauers.  Carlos Gomez then walked to load the bases, and a wild pitch allowed Cron to make it a 1-0 game.

Gonzalez eventually walked Adeiny Hechavarria to re-load the bases, and a free pass to Willy Adames forces home Bauers for a 2-0 lead.  Kiermaier, who came into the game with no homers and just a single RBI on the year, then took a 3-2 pitch and sent it just over Michael A. Taylor's glove and over the center field wall for a grand slam and a 6-0 lead.

After Matt Duffy singled, Nationals manager mercifully ended Gonzalez's night after throwing 43 pitches in the second inning and failing to retire a single batter.

Tampa Bay added on in the third against reliever Justin Miller, who allowed singles to Bauers and Adames, and uncorked a wild pitch to walk Kiermaier which allowed the Rays first baseman to make it 7-0.

Ramos got into the act in the fourth against Miller, taking the first pitch he saw and sending it into the first row in the left field seats for his tenth home run of the year.

The Rays catcher also jumped on a first-pitch offering from Tim Collins in the sixth after Daniel Robertson singled in front of him, with this blast travelling an estimated 446 feet.

Bauers made it 11-0 with his fourth hit of the evening, an RBI single off Matt Grace that brought in Jesus Sucre.

Snell (10-4) walked Trea Turner and Bryce Harper to begin the game, but then retired the next 18 hitters in a row, now allowing a hit until Anthony Rendon's double leading off the top of the seventh. He finished with four walks and ten strikeouts, leaving Austin Pruitt to get the final six outs, which he did with just a single hit allowed.

TUESDAY'S MATCHUP

Tampa Bay Rays (38-40) vs. Washington Nationals (41-36), 12:10 p.m. first pitch, with coverage on WDAE beginning at 11:30 a.m.

Rays starter - RHP Nathan Eovaldi (1-3, 4.91 ERA)

Nationals starter - RHP Max Scherzer (10-3, 2.09 ERA)

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Wednesday - OFF

Thursday - Rays vs. Houston Astros, 7:10 p.m. first pitch

Friday - Rays vs. Houston Astros, 7:10 p.m. first pitch 

Saturday - Rays vs. Houston Astros, 4:10 p.m. first pitch

Sunday - Rays vs. Houston Astros, 1:10 p.m. first pitch


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