Jonny DeLuca stayed on fire with a home run and four RBIs, leading the Tampa Bay Rays to an 8-2 victory over Mike Clevinger and the Chicago White Sox on Monday night. It’s his fourth straight game driving in runs since coming back from a broken hand injury.
DeLuca’s big hits included a two-run single in the second inning against Clevinger and a two-run homer off Jared Shuster in the fifth.
Rays manager Kevin Cash praised DeLuca’s performance, highlighting not just his homer but also a crucial two-strike groundball to right field. With 10 RBIs in his first four games, DeLuca set a new record for the Rays.
Clevinger, making his season debut after being called up from Triple-A Charlotte, struggled, giving up four runs, six hits, and four walks without a strikeout in just two innings.
White Sox manager Pedro Grifol acknowledged the challenge for Clevinger, emphasizing the importance of a proper spring training routine.
Clevinger had a late start this year after signing a $3 million, one-year deal on April 4. Last season, he had a 9-9 record with a 3.77 ERA in 24 starts for the White Sox. Now back in action, Clevinger expressed his excitement about rejoining the team.
Meanwhile, Tommy Pham’s two-run homer boosted the struggling White Sox, who had won two games in a row and five of their last nine.
Erasmo Ramírez stepped in for Tyler Alexander in a tight spot and managed to get out of trouble, earning praise from Rays manager Kevin Cash. Alexander pitched four-plus innings, allowing two runs and four hits. Harold Ramírez had an impressive four-hit game for the Rays.
