Zach Eflin pitched seven innings for the Tampa Bay Rays against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, allowing only one run and six hits. The Rays won 5-1, marking their fifth consecutive victory.
Randy Arozarena and Isaac Paredes hit home runs for the Rays, helping them improve to a 19-18 record. Eflin, who is now 2-4 for the season, gave up his only run when Paul DeJong hit a home run with two outs in the seventh inning.
“Zach had really good stuff tonight, and his command was impressive,” said Rays manager Kevin Cash. “He made some crucial pitches when needed.”
Eflin faced a tough situation in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and two outs but managed to get Gavin Sheets to fly out on a 3-0 pitch. He also handled another tricky situation in the seventh inning by retiring Sheets on a grounder with two runners on base.
“It was a bit surprising that Sheets swung at the pitch, but I’m glad he did,” Eflin commented on the fifth-inning play. “I threw a good sinker, and it resulted in a flyball to right field that got me out of trouble.” This win was Eflin’s first since April 2, following three consecutive losses.
The Chicago White Sox, currently the worst team in the American League with an 8-28 record, lost their second consecutive game in this series, putting them 20 games below .500, matching their season low. They had previously swept the Rays in a three-game series at home in late April.
Despite the recent struggles, White Sox manager Pedro Grifol emphasized the importance of having a short-term memory in baseball, whether winning or losing.
