The Texas Rangers (41-22) defeated the Tampa Bay Rays (48-19) 8-4 on Saturday evening at Tropicana Field. The loss snaps the Rays winning streak at seven games.
The Rangers tagged Rays rookie Taj Bradley (4-3, 4.19) for three runs, two of them earned, in the second inning. Texas chased him from the game with another three-run outburst in the fourth inning to build a 6-0 lead.
Former Ray Nathan Eovaldi (9-2, 2.49) got the win for Texas, allowing four earned runs on seven hits while striking out six and walking three in six and one-third innings of work.
The Rays answered in the bottom of the fourth - after Luke Raley hit a RBI doubl, Francisco Mejia hit a three-run blast to pull the Rays within 6-4. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, that was as close as they would get - Texas added two in the sixth to make it a 8-4 final.
The Rays and Rangers now meet in the rubber game of the three game series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:40 PM - Neil Solondz begins pregame coverage with This Week In Rays Baseball at high noon on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620.
PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES