Logan Driscoll has memorable debut, delivering decisive run in Rays win over Twins
Published in Baseball
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Logan Driscoll’s parents came down from their northern Virginia home on Saturday, when he first joined the Tampa Bay Rays after a call-up from Triple-A Durham, and had to stick around a few days waiting for his debut, which came Tuesday.
He at least made it worth their while.
Driscoll delivered his first major-league hit in his second at-bat, a single with two outs in the fourth inning that scored the go-ahead run in the Rays’ 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
The Rays improved to 68-70 and stayed within at least seven games of the Royals, who hold the No. 3 American League wild-card spot and played later Tuesday. The game drew a Tropicana Field season-low announced crowd of 10,531.
A few other Rays had a hand in the win.
Lefty Jeffrey Springs had another solid start in his return from April 2023 Tommy John elbow surgery, working a season-high six innings, holding the Twins to one run and four hits, striking out four and walking two while throwing 82 pitches (54 strikes).
Drew Rasmussen, also returning from 2023 elbow surgery, worked two perfect innings in relief, with Edwin Uceta — after opening the ninth by allowing two singles — getting the 25th and 26th outs, and Garrett Cleavinger coming on for No. 27.
And shortstop Jose Caballero made another dazzling play, going to his right to make a sliding stop of Brooks Lee’s fourth-inning grounder, then popping up to make a one-bounce throw to first.
The Twins, who went into play holding the No. 2 wild-card spot, took a 1-0 lead on a second-inning homer by Carlos Santana. But that was all Springs, or the others, allowed.
The Rays scored twice in the fourth.
Rookie Junior Caminero led off with a single, and Josh Lowe followed with a walk. Jonathan Aranda blooped a single to left with one out to score Caminero. Lowe then got thrown out at the plate on a grounder by Caballero.
Driscoll delivered with two outs, a hard grounder that went off Santana at first base. An errant throw gave the Rays a chance for more, but Jose Siri struck out.
Driscoll, 26, was drafted 73rd overall by the Padres in 2019 out of George Mason. He was traded to the Rays (with Manuel Margot for reliever Emilio Pagan) in February 2020 and dealt with injuries and inconsistencies for most of four years in their minor-league system.
After switching to a more contact-oriented approach this season, the lefty swinger hit.292 with an .840 OPS in 70 games at Triple-A Durham.
He had his own cheering section at Tropicana Field Tuesday — his wife, Isabel; parents Nancee and Kevin; sister, McKenna; and brother, Garett — plus many other friends and former teammates keeping track.
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©2024 Tampa Bay Times. Visit at tampabay.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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