CLEVELAND (AP) — Zack Littell shut down Cleveland for six innings and rookie Logan Driscoll hit his first career homer, a two-run shot, sending the Tampa Bay Rays to a 3-1 win over the AL Central-leading Guardians on Friday night.
Littell (7-9) allowed just two hits in his second straight strong start. He blanked Baltimore for five innings last week and has thrown 13 consecutive scoreless frames. The right-hander is 4-0 in his career against the Guardians.
Littell’s performance followed Tampa Bay’s bullpen shutting out Cleveland over the final seven innings in Thursday’s series opener.
The Guardians had only two hits and didn’t score until the eighth, when rookie Jhonkensy Noel and David Fry hit back-to-back doubles off Mason Montgomery. Fry’s shot to left missed being a two-run homer by inches.
Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash brought in Edwin Uceta, returning from his two-game suspension for throwing at Philadelphia’s Nick Castellanos, to get two outs in the eighth. Uceta then worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save.
Cleveland’s loss coupled with Kansas City’s win reduced the Guardians’ division lead to three games.
Driscoll connected in the third inning off Tanner Bibee (11-8), who had an up-and-down outing. Bibee gave up two homers and finished with nine strikeouts after striking out the side in two innings.
Jonathan Aranda also homered for the Rays, who are facing three division leaders — Baltimore, Philadelphia and Cleveland — on a 10-game trip.
Driscoll’s shot into the right-field seats in the second came moments after Jose Siri narrowly missed a homer with a blast to center field that hit the yellow line marking the top of the wall.
With Siri on third following a triple, Driscoll, who drove in the winning run in his MLB debut on Sept. 3, homered. He received a warm welcome in Tampa Bay’s dugout as the Rays raised their arms to form a tunnel for him to run through.
Aranda’s homer in the fourth to put the Rays up 3-0.
The Guardians played without All-Star left fielder Steven Kwan, who was scratched from the starting lineup.
The team said Kwan was out with “body fatigue.” He was sidelined earlier this season with a hamstring injury and has battled hamstring issues throughout his career, dating to his time at Oregon State.
Kwan has struggled in the season’s second half after leading MLB in batting average at the All-Star break. He entered Friday’s game in a 6 for 39 skid over his last 11 games.
Rookie Daniel Schneemann took Kwan’s leadoff spot and in left.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rays: LF Christoper Morel was replaced after hitting a single in the third inning. The team said he had right Achilles tendon discomfort. Morel accidentally got stepped on by Cleveland’s Brayan Rocchio on Thursday night and appeared to be favoring his foot on two plays in the field.
Guardians: RHP Ben Lively (bruised thigh) threw a bullpen session and is on track to start Sunday’s series finale. Lively was lucky to not be more seriously hurt after being hit with a line drive in Chicago.
UP NEXT
Guardians rookie LHP Joey Cantillo (1-3, 5.96 ERA) starts Saturday in his first game since taking a perfect game into the seventh inning against the White Sox. The Rays have not yet named their starter.
