ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — David
Price made sure Tampa Bay rebounded quickly after its latest game
without a hit.
Price pitched eight strong
innings to become the American League's first 11-game winner, and the
Rays bounced back from Edwin Jackson's no-hitter to beat the Arizona
Diamondbacks 5-3 on Saturday.
"Pretty electric," Arizona
manager A.J. Hinch said. "We didn't really have an answer for it. He's a
good one."
Sean Rodriguez and Jason Bartlett
both had two RBIs for the Rays, held hitless Friday night for the third
time in the past 12 months. Price (11-3) allowed two runs and seven
hits while walking one and matching his career high with 11 strikeouts.
"Yesterday was rough," Price
said. "We played good ball today. We got runs whenever we needed them.
That's what we've got to do."
Rodriguez keyed a three-run sixth
that made it 4-1 by driving in a pair with a single off reliever Sam
Demel. Carlos Pena added an RBI grounder.
Arizona's bid for consecutive
no-hitters ended when Matt Joyce singled off a wild Ian Kennedy (3-6) to
load the bases with no outs in the second. Jackson threw 149 pitches
and walked eight in a 1-0 win Friday night over Tampa Bay, his former
team.
Justin Upton and Chris Young
homered for the Diamondbacks, who have lost 16 of their last 18 road
games. Young hit a solo shot off Rafael Soriano, who pitched the ninth
for his 18th save in 19 chances.
The Rays went up 1-0 in the
second on Bartlett's sacrifice fly. He had a run-scoring bunt single in
the seventh.
Tampa Bay scored just once –
going 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position – during the first three
innings even though Kennedy walked five, hit a batter with a pitch and
allowed two hits.
"We've seen a ton of pitches
over the last two days and I cannot bemoan that fact," Tampa Bay manager
Joe Maddon said. "We've hit without any real luck but overall I like
the idea we're maintaining our patience."
The Rays are 6 for 47 with
runners in scoring position over the last five games.
Kennedy, winless in his last
seven starts dating to May 19, gave up four runs and two hits. He walked
a career-high nine and struck out seven in 5 1-3 innings.
"I have no idea how I go from my
last outing not walking anybody to everybody," Kennedy said. "It's very
frustrating. I need to figure it out by my next start."
Kennedy's previous high for
walks in a game was five. The nine walks by the right-hander Saturday
set a team record, breaking the mark set one day earlier by Jackson.
Arizona's starting pitcher has
walked seven or more in three straight games. The Diamondbacks walked 11
and hit two batters overall Saturday.
"We got what we deserved," Hinch
said.
Arizona tied it at 1 on Upton's
fourth-inning homer. The Diamondbacks loaded the bases with one out in
the fifth but failed to score when Kelly Johnson fouled out and Tony
Abreu flied out.
Chris Snyder pulled Arizona to
4-2 on a run-scoring double in the seventh.
Diamondbacks third baseman Mark
Reynolds struck out in all four at-bats and leads the majors with 107
strikeouts this season. He has fanned 25 times in his last 11 games.
NOTES:
The Diamondbacks are leaning toward pushing Jackson's next start back
from Wednesday to Friday or Saturday. … Tampa Bay LF Carl Crawford was
out of the lineup for the second straight game with a sore left
shoulder and remains day to day. Crawford said the shoulder has "gotten a
little better" even though he felt additional discomfort after sliding
as a pinch-runner Friday. … Arizona SS Stephen Drew (sore left knee)
and C Miguel Montero (back soreness), both battling minor nagging
injuries, were rested. … Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Webb (right
shoulder) threw off a bullpen mound but isn't ready to face hitters yet.