Rays 8, Astros 0
HOUSTON -- Tampa Bay left-hander David Price made his return from the disabled list a spectacular one, pitching seven shutout innings in the Rays' 8-0 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park.
Price (2-4) was on the DL for 47 days with a left triceps strain. His last start came May 15 against the Boston Red Sox. In three May starts, Price allowed 10 earned runs in 17 innings, losing twice while posting a 5.29 ERA.
His return to health signaled a return to dominance.
Price needed just 70 pitches to complete seven innings, allowing three singles while striking out 10. He had eight called third strikes and did not allow a runner into scoring position. Price retired his last eight batters while making his second career start against Houston (30-54).
Rays center fielder Desmond Jennings finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs as Tampa Bay (45-39) saddled Houston with its second consecutive shutout loss. The Texas Rangers blanked the Astros on April 2-3.
Price faced the minimum number of batters through four innings despite allowing a leadoff single to J.D. Martinez in the second and a two-out infield single to Jimmy Paredes in the bottom of the third.
Martinez was erased when Brandon Barnes rolled into an inning-ending double play. Paredes was retired when he was caught in a rundown between first and second base.
Conversely, Astros left-hander Erik Bedard was the picture of inefficiency, needing 42 pitches to get through his first two innings and surrendering a run-scoring, first-inning sacrifice fly to Wil Myers. In the fourth, the Rays stretched their lead to 3-0 when Jennings slapped a two-run single to right field.
In the sixth, Jennings greeted right-handed reliever Josh Fields with a two-run homer to left. Bedard, who was pulled just before Jennings' at-bat, wound up charged with four runs, six hits and six walks in 5 1/3 innings.
NOTES: The Astros recalled LHP Brett Oberholtzer from Triple-A Oklahoma City, filling the roster spot of RHP Hector Ambriz, who was demoted to the RedHawks. Ambriz lost his job as the setup man for closer Jose Veras and allowed three runs, four hits and two walks on Monday night. ... The Rays' 7-8-9 hitters -- INF Ryan Roberts, C Jose Lobaton and RF Sam Fuld -- each went 3-for-5 on Monday night, marking the first time in Tampa Bay history the 7-8-9 hitters each had three or more hits.
