McClanahan gets MLB-best 11th win, Arozarena has HR and 4 RBIs in Rays' 6-2 win over Padres

Updated Jun. 17, 2023 1:39 a.m. ET

Associated Press

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Shane McClanahan pitched into the seven inning to get his major league-leading 11th win, Randy Arozarena homered and drove in four runs, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the San Diego Padres 6-2 on Friday night.

Tampa Bay is now 51-22 (.699 winning percentage) — easily the best record in baseball, seven wins more than the Atlanta Braves. The Rays have won 11 of their last 14 games and are 15-7 in interleague play.

McClanahan (11-1) came into the game with the majors' second-lowest ERA at 2.18. After allowing just one run and three hits with five strike outs in 6 2/3 innings, he lowered that to 2.12. The Padres' only damage against him was a solo home run by Nelson Cruz in the seventh when the Rays had a 6-0 lead.

Tampa Bay reliever Pete Fairbanks came in to work out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the ninth to earn his seventh save by getting Fernando Tatis Jr. to hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

The Rays teed off on San Diego starter Yu Darvish (5-5), who gave up six runs, eight hits — including two home runs — in five innings. He struck out five.

With Tampa Bay leading 3-0 in the fifth, Arozarena hit Darvish's 94 mph sinker 402 feet into the left-field bleachers for a 6-0 advantage.

Isaac Paredes hit a solo homer to left off Darvish in the first inning to put the Rays ahead 1-0.

Tampa Bay added a run in the fourth before scoring four in the fifth. In the fourth, Luke Raley doubled and scored on Arozarena's single to make it 2-0. Taylor Walls doubled to lead off the fifth and scored on Jose Siri's RBI single. Raley doubled again with two outs before Arozarena's three-run homer.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: LHP Ryan Weathers was optioned to Triple-A El Paso after he allowed 12 runs across only 6-1/3 innings in his past three starts. Weathers will continue to get regular starts with El Paso. ... LHP Tom Cosgrove (left hamstring strain) was placed on 15-day IL. Cosgrove felt his hamstring flare up while facing the Guardians on Thursday, though he was able to finish his outing. Over his first month-plus in the majors, Cosgrove posted a 0.53 ERA in 16 outings -- including a franchise-record 14 straight scoreless appearances to start his career. ... RHP Nabil Crismatt (left hip strain) was reinstated from 15-day IL. ... LHP Ray Kerr was recalled from Triple-A El Paso, after registering a 3.63 ERA with 28 strike outs in 22 1/3 innings.

UP NEXT

Rays: RHP Zach Eflin (8-2, 3.28) goes for his ninth win Saturday.

Padres: LHP Blake Snell (2-6, 3.78) takes the mound in the second game of the series.

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