KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Drew Rasmussen continued an impressive run that could lead him to the All-Star Game, and the Rays used a small-ball offense that included two squeeze bunts to score a 3-0 win over the Royals on Wednesday night.
Rasmussen allowed just two hits and two walks over five scoreless innings, improving his record to 7-5 and lowering his ERA to 2.45, eighth-best in the majors.
Over his last eight starts, Rasmussen is 6-1 with a 1.62 ERA. Pretty good for a guy who returned this season to starting — after being sidelined in May 2023 with an injury that led to a third major elbow surgery — and then rejoined the team last August as a two-inning max reliever.
“I hope he receives some strong consideration,” manager Kevin Cash said. “He’s putting up an All-Star first half, for sure. The way that he just limits hits, runs, all of that, and does it efficiently with strikeouts and limits walks.”
The Rays moved to a season-high 10 games over .500 at 45-35, improving their majors-best record since May 9 to 29-14 and since May 20 to 24-9. They won their eighth series of the last 11, tying two others. And they stayed within a game of the American League East-leading Yankees, who won at Cincinnati.
The Rays took a 3-0 lead in the second inning by playing small ball and taking advantage of Kansas City misplays.
The rally started with one-out singles by Christopher Morel and Josh Lowe, putting runners on the corners against Michael Wacha.
Jose Caballero dropped a perfectly placed bunt toward first base. Morel scored from third, Lowe went to second and Caballero ran past first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino to be safe at first.
Speedy Chandler Simpson grounded a ball to the left side and beat it out for an infield single to load the bases.
Wacha then threw a wild pitch, allowing Lowe to score and Caballero to move to third. That mattered when Danny Jansen, who hadn’t had a sacrifice bunt since 2021, squared around and pushed the ball toward first, scoring Caballero.
Kevin Kelly, Garrett Cleavinger, Edwin Uceta and Pete Fairbanks — logging his 14th save — teamed for the final 12 outs.
Yandy Diaz led off with a single to extend his hitting streak to 15 games, the longest such run in the majors. Brandon Lowe extended his streak to 12 games, and Jonathan Aranda pushed his to 10.
Thursday: vs. Royals
2:10, Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City
Probable pitchers
Rays — RH Shane Baz (7-3, 4.79); Royals — RH Michael Lorenzen (4-7, 4.81)
TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Sun; 95.3-FM, 620-AM, 106.7-FM (Spanish)
Info: raysbaseball.com
On deck
Friday: at Orioles, 7:05. Rays, RH Ryan Pepiot (5-6, 3.04); Orioles, RH Tomoyuki Sugano (5-4, 3.55)
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Saturday: at Orioles, 4:05. Rays, RH Zack Littell (6-7, 3.78); Orioles, RH Zach Eflin (6-4, 5.46)
Sunday: at Orioles, 1:35. Rays, RH Taj Bradley (5-5, 4.57); Orioles, RH Dean Kremer (6-7, 4.60)
Monday: vs. Athletics, 7:35. Rays, RH Drew Rasmussen (7-5, 2.45); A’s, TBA
Tuesday: vs. Athletics, 7:05. Rays, RH Shane Baz (7-3, 4.79); A’s, TBA
Wednesday: vs. Athletics, 12:10. Rays, RH Ryan Pepiot (5-6, 3.04)
July 3: Off