The Los Angeles Dodgers (64-46) defeated the Tampa Bay Rays (54-57) 5-0 on Friday night at Steinbrenner Field. With the loss, the Rays have now lost four straight games.
Freddie Freeman got the Dodgers on the board with a two-run double in the first inning. Los Angeles added two in the fourth before Freeman hit a solo homer in the fifth inning to make it 5-0, which would prove to be the final score.
Shane Baz (8-8, 4.79) took the loss, allowing five earned runs on eight hits while striking out eight and walking two in five innings of work. The Rays offense was never able to get anything off Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw (5-2, 3.29) who pitched six shutout innings in which he allowed five hits while striking out three.
The Rays will look to bounce back when they meet the Dodgers in the middle game of the three-game series on Saturday afternoon. Drew Rasmussen (8-5, 2.96) is scheduled to start for the Rays and face former Ray Blake Snell (1-0, 2.00) for the Dodgers. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 PM - Chris Adams-Wall begins pregame coverage at 12:30 PM on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620.
COVER PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES