Tampa Bay won the final two games to split the four-game series.
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Reliever Chris Young (3-8) followed Ventura and pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win.
That will look to change tonight when Yordano Ventura gets the ball for the Royals.
Duffy lost his bid for a ideal game when he walked Logan Forsythe to start the fourth.
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Brad Miller will likely make a transition to first base in the next few days after recently acquired infielder Matt Duffy returns from a rehab assignment.
Alex Gordon hit his eighth homer of the year off Rays starter Drew Smyly for a 2-0 lead.
Tampa Bay slugger Evan Longoria said it was disappointing to see Moore, INF Steve Pearce and OF Brandon Guyer traded in separate deals Monday that netted SS Matt Duffy from San Francisco and five prospects.
He’s made only one error since July 6, though, and while manager Kevin Cash agrees Miller has improved his fielding and throwing from the position, he also made it clear that the Rays can not afford to pass on an opportunity to get better overall.
Kansas City took a 1-0 lead in the first with a two-out single from Lorenzo Cain and an RBI single from Eric Hosmer.
“The footwork is going to be a little quicker, and I guess my mental clock is going to have to be sped up a little bit”, Duffy said, “so there’s going to be a little bit of an adjustment period”. Miller connected on his 19th homer off Soria (4-5), who gave up three of the Rays overall four hits on the day.
Strahm made a huge contribution to the relief efforts, stranding two runners by striking out two to end the seventh inning.
“I knew I wasn’t going to be able to go that deep in the game, but to get four quality innings out there, it was good”, Andriese said.
Manager Kevin Cash said the Rays don’t expect Duffy to have any issues adjusting “whatsoever” back to short, and they are thrilled with the well-rounded work he does at the plate, showing off his flat, line drive-producing swing during a Wednesday batting practice session. After all, the players talked all weekend amid the trade rumors that they hoped the team would remain intact and they would get the chance next season to prove they are capable of being a playoff contender.
Kanas City dropped to 40-2 when ahead after seven innings. Seung Hwan Oh (2-2) escaped a bases-loaded threat in the eighth, but gave up a pair of singles to start the ninth.
The Rays lost again on Tuesday night, falling 3-2 to Kansas City.
Duffy will begin that transition with the Rays’ Class A affiliate in Port Charlotte, Florida, where he was expected to play about three innings on Thursday night.
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The 27-year-old southpaw turned in one of the truly dominant outings of the 2016 campaign, allowing just one hit and one walk over eight scoreless innings. He takes a lot of pride, a lot of passion in being a major league shortstop.
