Snell fans 11 as Rays defeat White Sox

[April 09, 2019]  Blake Snell allowed one run in six innings and the visiting Tampa Bay Rays continued to match their best start in franchise history with a 5-1 win against the Chicago White Sox on Monday afternoon.

Snell (2-1) gave up six hits while striking out 11 and walking none.

Willy Adames had three hits, a walk and scored two runs in the No. 9 spot, and Avisail Garcia, Daniel Robertson and Yandy Diaz had two hits each for Tampa Bay, which has won eight of its first 11 games for the second time in team history.

Coming into the game, Tampa Bay starting pitchers had not allowed a run in their past 31 innings, and Snell had thrown eight straight shutout innings. He ran that streak to 12 before Jose Rondon hit a solo homer in the fifth to make it 4-1.

White Sox starter Carlos Rodon (1-2) struggled early against the Rays before leaving after 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs and eight hits with nine strikeouts and five walks on 111 pitches.

After the Rays loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning, Rodon got Garcia to strike out on a pitch outside the zone, but then walked the next batter, Guillermo Heredia, to force in a run.

Ji-Man Choi followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.

Rodon threw 39 pitches in the first inning before giving up a leadoff double to Adames to start the second. Following a strikeout, walk and double steal, Adames scored on a safety squeeze by Robertson, and Tommy Pham came home on a single by Garcia to make it 4-0.

ampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Blake Snell (4) delivers in the third inning against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

The White Sox had a runner on third with no outs in the sixth inning, but Snell struck out Jose Abreu, Welington Castillo and Yoan Moncada, the No. 3-4-5 hitters for Chicago.

The White Sox recalled reliever Carson Fulmer from Triple-A Charlotte on Monday and he relieved Rodon, nearly throwing 3 1/3 shutout innings before walking in a run with two outs in the eighth to make it 5-1.

Leury Garcia had three hits to lead Chicago.

--Field Level Media

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