The Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays haven't been around long enough to build the most impressive of record books, but they can go ahead and make room in it for Ben Zobrist, as the utility player drove in a team-record eight RBI in a 15-3 blasting of the Minnesota Twins in the first game of a Thursday doubleheader.
Rays Vs. Twins: Ben Zobrist Explodes For Eight RBI In Tampa Bay Blowout
For Ron Gardenhire and the Twins, the nightmare started early. The Rays jumped on Nick Blackburn for two runs in the top of the first, as B.J. Upton and Zobrist each came through with RBI singles.
The Twins' hitters couldn't do a whole lot against Jeremy Hellickson, and after the first inning the Rays just kept piling on. Casey Kotchman homered(!) in the second. Kelly Shoppach and Kotchman drove in runs in the third. Johnny Damon and Upton drove in runs in the fourth. By the time the Twins got on the board with a Michael Cuddyer solo homer, this was a 7-1 ballgame.
And it would only get worse. Zobrist hit a three-run homer in the sixth, he added two-run doubles in the seventh and the ninth, and by the end of it all, the Twins had absorbed a 12-run loss while the Rays stayed red hot.
Hellickson earned his second win by pitching into the seventh, while Blackburn was removed in the fourth and the Minnesota bullpen didn't fare much better. With the lineup struggling, the Twins need their normally dependable pitching staff, but lately it's gone missing. They can't rely on anything. A team that was supposed to be carried by stars Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Francisco Liriano and Jim Thome is instead being carried by no one, and pulled down by just about everybody.
Thursday night, the second game matches Jeff Niemann against Anthony Swarzak.
For more on the Rays and Twins, please check out team blogs DRays Bay and Twinkie Town.
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