The Tampa Bay Rays rolled to a 9-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Lee Health Sports Complex on Saturday in spring training action. Kenny Piper paced the offense, going 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. Jake Woodford worked 2.0 innings on the mound, allowing 0 earned runs on 1 hit. The Rays finished with 10 hits on the day while holding the Twins to 6. The victory gives the Rays positive momentum heading into the final stretch of spring training. The coaching staff will look to build on the strong showing in the games ahead.
Key Performers
Kenny Piper was the top performer at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBI. His ability to drive the ball out of the park was the highlight of the afternoon. Performances like this give the Rays confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Justyn-Henry Malloy provided support, going 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI, Brailer Guerrero also contributed, going 1-for-1 with an RBI, and Xavier Isaac chipped in, going 2-for-2. The depth of production throughout the lineup was encouraging to see.
On the other side of the diamond, Matt Wallner led the Twins offense with a 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI day. Jose Salas also contributed, going 1-for-1 with two RBI. Josh Bell added a 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Rays pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Jake Woodford got the start, struggling with his command, working 2.0 innings while allowing 0 earned runs on 1 hit with one strikeout. He threw 40 pitches in the outing. It was a useful learning experience as the Rays evaluate their pitching depth heading into the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 6.3 innings of work, allowing 6 earned runs while striking out six. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today was an encouraging showing from the relievers. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions.
Among the relievers, Cole Sulser stood out with 1.2 innings of 1-run work, striking out two. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
The Rays struck first, scoring a run in the second inning. Twins countered with a run in the third. The Rays struck back with two runs in the fourth. Twins answered with two runs in the fifth. The Rays responded with a run in the sixth. The Rays pushed across a run in the seventh. The Rays plated four runs in the ninth. Twins answered with three runs in the ninth. The Rays spread their scoring across five different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. The Rays out-hit Twins 10-6 on the day, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 7,552 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
As the exhibition schedule nears its conclusion, the Rays can point to this game as a step in the right direction. The combination of solid pitching and timely hitting is exactly what the coaching staff hopes to see at this stage of the spring. The focus now shifts to maintaining this level of play with the regular season just around the corner.
