Matt Moore on point again as Rays take series from White Sox
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Matt Moore is two years removed from Tommy John surgery and is looking again like a top-notch starter for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Moore struck out 10 over 6 1/3 innings, Brandon Guyer tied a career high with four hits and the Rays beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2 on Sunday.
"Matt Moore was outstanding, to say the least," Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said.
Moore (1-0) allowed two runs and five hits, and improved to 4-1 with a 1.45 ERA in five career starts against the White Sox. After Enny Romero worked a perfect inning, Alex Colome got the final five outs for the Rays' first save this season.
Moore was limited to 14 starts the previous two seasons due to elbow surgery on in April 2014.
"I do feel strong right now, which is something that the last 24 months has not been a word I've been using lot," Moore said. "I still feel like there's a lot of things I'm working on."
Moore struck out Todd Frazier and Jerry Sands, Chicago's fourth- and fifth-place hitters, three times apiece.
"We've been struggling, but I don't know too many teams that would go up against Moore and do anything," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said "He was fantastic."
Frazier struck out a career-high tying four times in four at-bats overall.
Jose Quintana (1-1) gave up three runs, seven hits and had six strikeouts in six innings for Chicago, which has lost two straight after winning five in a row. The left-hander entered with a four-game winning streak dating to last season
Tampa Bay second baseman Logan Forsythe (bruised left hip and lower leg) and center fielder Kevin Kiermaier (head bruise) were both back in the lineup after missing Saturday's game. They were hurt when they collided chasing a pop fly in shallow right center during Friday night's game.
Kiermaier ended an 0-for-19 slide with a double his first time up.
Forsythe hit a leadoff double in the third, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Guyer's single. Guyer scored to make it 3-1 when Quintana was charged with an error after missing first base with his foot while covering the bag on Logan Morrison's two-out grounder.
Avisail Garcia ended Moore's day with an RBI single in the seventh that cut the Chicago deficit to 3-2.
Steve Pearce put the Rays up 1-0 on an RBI double in the first.
Austin Jackson, hitless in his previous 12 at-bats, tied it at 1 with a single in the third.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: Closer Brad Boxberger (core muscle surgery) continues a throwing program and could return in the middle of May.
NO BREAK
The White Sox were on the fifth day in a stretch of playing 19 consecutive days until an off day May 2. "You try to get some guys a day here and there," Ventura said. Both SS Jimmy Rollins and OF Melky Cabrera were out of the starting lineup. Cabrera walked as a pinch hitter in the ninth.
UP NEXT
White Sox: RHP Carlos Rodon (1-1) will face Los Angeles Angels LHP Hector Santiago (0-0) Monday night in the opener of a four-game series in Chicago.
Rays: LHP Drew Smyly (0-2) is scheduled to start against Boston RHP Joe Kelly (1-0) in the first of three games at Fenway Park Tuesday night. "Really cool environment," Smyly said. "It's always exciting. An electric atmosphere." Smyly is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA in three games, including two starts, at Fenway Park.
