ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Jonny DeLuca continued his hot stretch with a homer and four RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat Mike Clevinger and the Chicago White Sox 8-2 on Monday night for their fourth consecutive win.
DeLuca has driven in 10 runs in four games after being sidelined with a broken right hand all season.
DeLuca had a two-run single in a three-run second against Clevinger, and hit a two-run drive off Jared Shuster during a three-run fifth that made it 7-2.
“It’s pretty impressive,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “The home run was impressive. I liked the two-strike groundball to right. It was just as benefiting for us.”
DeLuca’s 10 RBIs are the most through a players’ first four games in Rays’ history.
Clevinger (0-1) was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte before the game, and allowed four runs, six hits and four walks without a strikeout over two-plus innings in his season debut.
“It’s just his first outing, and again, it’s tough to do what he did,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “Sign late, speed it up. I mean, there’s a reason why there’s a spring training, right? I just think he’s in the building process.”
Clevinger got a late start this season after finalizing a $3 million, one-year contract on April 4. He went 9-9 with a 3.77 ERA and two complete games in 24 starts with the White Sox last season before becoming a free agent.
“This was a long time coming,” Clevinger said. “It’s really cool to get in here and feel energy in this clubhouse again.”
Tommy Pham hit a two-run homer for the AL-worst White Sox (8-27), who had won two in a row and five of nine. Chicago swept a three-game home series with the Rays April 26-28.
Erasmo Ramírez (2-0) replaced starter Tyler Alexander with two on and no outs in the fifth and got out of the jam. Ramírez also got the win in the Rays’ 7-6, 10-inning win over the New York Mets on Sunday.
“Erasmo did a tremendous job,” Cash said. “To come right through the 2-3-4 of their lineup and get three flyballs in six pitches was pretty huge.”
Alexander gave up two runs and four hits in four-plus innings.
Tampa Bay’s Harold Ramírez had four hits.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: RHP Dominic Leone went on the 15-day IL with lower back tightness.
Rays: OF Josh Lowe (oblique and hamstring) made his season debut and went 2 for 5.
UP NEXT
White Sox RHP Michael Soroka (0-3, 6.48 ERA) and Rays RHP Zach Eflin (1-4, 4.17) are Tuesday night’s starters.
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