ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — If this was to be David Price’s farewell start for the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, he certainly left them with something to remember.
Awash in trade rumors as the Rays wallow with the worst record in baseball, the former Cy Young Award-winner tossed a five-hit gem on Wednesday as Tampa Bay downed the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1.
In striking out 11, Price became the first since Johan Santana in 2004 to post five consecutive double-figure strikeout games. He improved to 6-7 this season, going 8 1/3 innings and walking just one.
Price departed after center fielder Andrew McCutchen turned his 120th pitch into an opposite-field homer with one out in the ninth inning.
Pittsburgh (39-39) had just two runners reach as far as second base before McCutchen’s 12th homer of the season, and saw its most substantial rally end with two aboard in the seventh as center fielder Desmond Jennings raced to the warning track to snag a drive by second baseman Neil Walker.
Pittsburgh right-hander Charlie Morton had the misfortune of the matchup, falling to 4-9 after allowing just two earned runs on four hits and a walk, with 11 strikeouts in eight innings. He retired the last 10 he faced and equaled Price after an unsteady first inning that was not all of his doing.
Tampa Bay (32-48) took a 3-0 lead in the first inning with the help of some uncharacteristically dubious fielding by the Pirates. After Jennings led off with a single, shortstop Ben Zobrist tripled off the glove of McCutchen for a 1-0 lead. The former Gold Glove Award-winner had ranged far into the right-center field gap for the ball but appeared in position for a lunging catch. Zobrist scored for a 2-0 lead when shortstop Jordy Mercer muffed third baseman Evan Longoria’s ground ball. Tampa Bay loaded the bases on first baseman James Loney’s single off Morton’s leg and left fielder Brandon Guyer being hit by a pitch and right fielder Kevin Kiermaier upped the lead to 3-0 with a sacrifice fly.
The Rays added insurance for Price in the ninth with two runs against right-hander Jason Grilli. After Zobrist and Longoria singled, Loney served a pitch to left for an RBI single, and Kiermaier summoned in the fifth run with a bunt hit.
NOTES: Pirates RHP Gerrit Cole, who has been sidelined since June 4 with right shoulder fatigue, will return to start on Saturday against the New York Mets, manager Clint Hurdle announced. The Pirates have not decided whom he will replace. … Pirates LF Starling Marte passed a concussion test on Tuesday night but was not available on Wednesday in the conclusion of a three-game series against the Rays at Tropicana Field. He struck his head on the knee of second baseman Sean Rodriguez being thrown out attempting to steal second base. … The Rays have lost 12 of their last 16 series.