BASEBALL: Shane McClanahan earns long-awaited win as Rays top White Sox

The Tampa Bay Rays extended their winning streak to four games with an 8-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field. Left-hander Shane McClanahan earned his first win in nearly three years, leading the Rays to the win despite a late rally from the White Sox.

McClanahan (1-1) put together a solid outing, allowing three runs (two earned) on just two hits over five innings. He walked four and struck out four, marking his first win since June 16, 2023, when he defeated San Diego. The Rays' victory sent Chicago to its sixth loss in eight games.

In the ninth inning, White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami hit a two-run home run to cut the deficit to three, but it wasn’t enough to mount a full comeback. Bryan Baker closed the game for Tampa Bay, earning his third save of the season.

The Rays took an early 3-0 lead in the first inning thanks to Ben Williamson's RBI sacrifice bunt and a throwing error by Chicago's Noah Schultz, who was making his major league debut. Schultz (0-1) struggled with command, walking two batters and allowing a two-run score on the misplayed bunt attempt. Despite settling down after the rocky start, Schultz gave up four runs (three earned) and three hits in 4 1/3 innings, walking four and striking out four.

Tampa Bay's offense was led by Williamson, who went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and Yandy Diaz, who added two hits and an RBI. Ryan Vilade also contributed with three hits, including an RBI double. Jonny DeLuca and Nick Fortes each drove in one run for the Rays.

Chicago fought back in the third inning, narrowing the score to 4-3 with a three-run home run from Everson Pereira, who had just been reinstated from the 10-day injured list. Chase Meidroth reached on catcher interference and Murakami walked to set up the blast.

After that, Tampa Bay's bullpen, consisting of Hunter Bigge, Mason Englert, and Yoendrys Gomez, limited the White Sox to just one hit over the next three innings, securing the win for the Rays.

With the win, Tampa Bay looks to continue their strong form, while the White Sox will look to bounce back after a tough stretch.

-Field Level Media/Reuters