Cincinnati Reds vs Tampa Bay Rays Box Score on Jun 20, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jun 20, 2017

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Left-handers have been a problem for Tampa Bay this season but that did not include struggling Cincinnati rookie Amir Garrett in the Rays' 6-5 win over the Reds on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field.

The Rays (38-36) had been 8-16 this season against left-handed starters, the second-worst winning percentage in the American League. Their bats came through early and often after a disappointing 7-3 loss on Monday night.

The Reds (30-40) lost whatever momentum they had from breaking a tied score in the eighth to win the night before.

Down 6-3 in the ninth, the Reds made it interesting with three hits and two runs off closer Alex Colome to put the tying run on base with two outs, but Colome got Scott Schebler out to record his 20th save of the season.

Rays starter Alex Cobb (6-5) gave up eight hits, but held the Reds to two runs in seven innings for his third straight quality start.

Garrett (3-6) didn't survive the fourth and raised his season ERA to 7.41, among the highest in the National League.

Cobb only allowed two hits in his final four innings, one of them officially a double on a defensive miscue when a ball went off the glove of leftfielder Corey Dickerson, who had two big hits at the plate for Tampa Bay.

One night after the Rays bullpen gave up four runs in the final two innings of a tie game, there was another scare, with Cincinnati getting a run in the eighth.

Colome then gave up a solo home run to Joey Votto with two outs in the ninth -- Votto's 20th this year -- to cut the lead to 6-4. Colome gave up a double to Adam Duvall and an RBI single to Eugenio Suarez to put the tying run on base before Schebler's out.

Two Rays outfielders combined for three defensive miscues that resulted in extra-base hits and two of Cincinnati's three runs.

With two outs in the eighth, Tucker Barnhart hit a triple that got past a sliding Peter Bourjos in center field, allowing a run to score to cut the lead to 6-3. Another run score after a triple dropped between Bourjos and Corey Dickerson in the third, and Barnhart hit a double off Dickerson's glove in the sixth.

After falling behind 2-0 in the third, the Rays tagged Garrett for three runs in each of the third and fourth innings for a 6-2 lead.

Dickerson, continuing to make a case to be an All-Star, had an RBI single to start the scoring in the third and a solo home run -- his 16th this season -- to finish the scoring in the fourth.

In between, the Rays got a clutch two-run, two-out single from Logan Morrison in the third inning, and a two-run homer by backup catcher Jesus Sucre -- his third this year -- to start the scoring in the fourth.

Garrett, who had an 11.66 ERA in his last four starts, managed to make that worse, leaving after six runs in 3 2/3 innings.

Cobb had trouble getting third outs early in the game as the Reds had six two-out hits in the second and third innings, but got only two runs.

Devin Mesoraco, Barnhart and Jose Peraza had consecutive singles in the second for a 1-0 lead, and Rays outfielders Dickerson and Peter Bourjos pulled up on a deep fly ball from Adam Duvall, allowing it to drop for a triple. Eugenio Suarez followed with an RBI single for a 2-0 lead.

NOTES: Rays SS Tim Beckham did not play Tuesday after being hit in the left hand by a pitch Monday and leaving the game early. He's listed as day-to-day but will likely rest Wednesday with a day off Thursday. Tampa Bay played Daniel Robertson at shortstop on Tuesday and he had a hustle double. ... Reds RHP Homer Bailey, on the disabled list all season recovering from elbow surgery and making his third rehab start for Triple-A Louisville, gave up two earned runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings on Monday night. ... Reds RHP Asher Wojciechowski, designated for assignment Sunday, cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Louisville. He went 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in six appearances for the Reds after being cut by the Diamondbacks in March.