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Posted: 07/17/2012
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Matt Moore won despite control issues, Carlos Pena homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Indians 4-2 on Tuesday night.
Moore (6-6) allowed two runs and three hits, but walked five in five-plus innings. The rookie left-hander was coming off a five-walk -- in 4 2-3 innings -- loss at Cleveland on July 7.
Pena hit a two-run homer and Luke Scott had an RBI triple off Josh Tomlin (5-6) as the Rays took a 3-0 first-inning lead.
Tomlin gave up four runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings.
Moore was pulled after giving up a leadoff walk in the sixth to Carlos Santana. Wade Davis entered and got three quick outs, including Shelley Duncan's double play.
Davis and Joel Peralta each threw 1 1-3 hitless innings. Burke Badenhop got an out before Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his 27th save and completed the four-hitter.
Rodney gave up a two-out single to Casey Kotchman, but then got a fly to right from pinch-hitter Travis Hafner on the first pitch.
Asdrubal Cabrera, mired in a 1-for-26 slide, opened the fourth with single for the Indians' first hit. After Moore issued consecutive walks to Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley, Jose Lopez cut the deficit to 3-1 on a sacrifice fly.
The Rays starter avoided further damage by striking out Santana and getting a flyball from Duncan.
Kipnis made it 3-2 on a run-scoring single in the fifth. Later in the inning Lopez hit a high fly to left after Cleveland had loaded the bases with two outs.
Desmond Jennings stole second on a close play with two outs in the sixth and then scored to make it 4-2 on Jose Lobaton's RBI single.
NOTES: Moore threw 90 pitches, two-thirds after the third inning. ... Tampa Bay activated OF Matt Joyce from the 15-day disabled list and optioned INF Will Rhymes to Triple-A Durham. Joyce, who went 0 for 4, missed 23 games because of a left oblique strain. ... Cleveland RHP Zach McAllister was fine one day after being hit on the top of the right forearm by a batted ball. "No issues," Indians manager Manny Acta said. ... Rays OF Sam Fuld, sidelined all season after right wrist surgery, could join the team soon from a minor league rehab assignment.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Matt Moore is the first A.L. pitcher under the age of 24 since Babe Ruth in 1917 to start a season 8-0.