Jonny DeLuca stays hot with Homer, 4 RBIs as Rays beat Mike Clevinger, White Sox 8-2 originally appeared in NBC Sports Chicago
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Jonny DeLuca continued his hot streak with a home run and four RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays to knock Mike Clevinger and the Chicago White Sox 8-2 on Monday night, for the fourth win in a row.
DeLuca drove in 10 runs in four games after being sidelined all season with a broken right hand.
DeLuca had a two-run single in a three-run second against Clevinger, and hit Jared Shuster for two runs during a three-run fifth that made it 7-2.
“It’s pretty impressive,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “The home run was impressive. I liked the two-strike ground ball to right. It was equally beneficial for us.”
Clevinger (0-1) was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte before the game and allowed four runs, six hits and four walks with no strikeout in two-plus innings in his season debut.
“It’s just his first start, and again, it’s hard to do what he did,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “Sign late, speed up. I mean, there’s a reason there’s spring training, right? I think it is in the process of being built.”
Clevinger started late this season after finalizing a one-year, $3 million contract on April 4. He was 9-9 with a 3.77 ERA and two complete games in 24 starts with the White Sox last season before becoming a free agent.
“This has been a long time coming,” Clevinger said. “It’s really cool to come in here and feel the energy in this club again.”
Tommy Pham hit a two-run home run for the AL-worst White Sox (8-27), who have won two in a row and five of nine. Chicago won a three-game home series with the Rays from April 26-28.
Erasmo Ramírez (2-0) relieved starter Tyler Alexander with two innings and no outs in the fifth and left the contest. Ramírez also picked up the Rays’ 7-6, 10-inning victory over the New York Mets on Sunday.
“Erasmus did a tremendous job,” Cash said. “To go 2-3-4 in their lineup and hit three fly balls on six pitches was huge.”
Alexander gave up two runs and four hits in four-plus innings.
Tampa Bay’s Harold Ramírez had four hits.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: RHP Dominic Leone entered 15-day IL with lower back tightness.
Rays: OF Josh Lowe (oblique and hamstring) made his season debut and went 2-for-5.
NEXT
White Sox RHP Michael Soroka (0-3, 6.48 ERA) and Rays RHP Zach Eflin (1-4, 4.17) are Tuesday night’s starters.
