HOUSTON’S Luis Garcia spun six sharp innings and the Astros produced four doubles in a five-run fifth inning to beat Tampa Bay 5-0 on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) in St. Petersburg, Florida the Rays’ first home loss this season.
The result snapped Tampa Bay’s 14-game home winning streak to start the season– a modern-era record (since 1901). The all-time mark is the 21-0 home start by the 1880 Chicago White Stockings, the precursor to the Cubs.
In his second consecutive win, Garcia (2-2) yielded just three hits and two walks to the Rays while striking out seven over a season-high 97 pitches. Jeremy Pena and Corey Julks notched a double, a single, a run and an RBI apiece, and Julks added a stolen base. Jake Meyers and Kyle Tucker each had two hits and an RBI.
Tampa Bay’s Drew Rasmussen (3-2) cruised through four innings before Houston racked up six hits in the fifth. He surrendered five runs on nine hits, struck out five and walked two in 4 2/3 innings. Wander Franco doubled for one of Tampa Bay’s five hits as the club went homerless for the second straight game after going deep in each of the first 22 contests.
In other games, it was the Dodgers 8, Pirates 7; Red Sox 8, Orioles 6; Blue Jays 7, White Sox 0; Rockies 5, Guardians 1; Reds 7, Rangers 6; Mariners 5, Phillies 3; Nationals 5, Mets 0; Braves 7, Marlins 4; Tigers 4, Brewers 3; Twins 6, Yankees 2; Cubs 6, Padres 0; Giants 5, Cardinals 4; Angels 5, Athletics 3; and Royals 5, Diamondbacks 4.
