Logan Driscoll knocked in the go-ahead run with his first career hit, Jeffrey Springs crafted six sharp innings and the Tampa Bay Rays evened their four-game series with the Minnesota Twins by eking out a 2-1 win Tuesday night in St. Petersburg, Fla.
With two outs in the fourth in a 1-all game, the lefty-hitting Driscoll smoked a two-out, one-hop single off first baseman Carlos Santana’s glove for the game-winning RBI in his major league debut.
The top-rated catching prospect for the Rays (68-70), Driscoll was promoted from Triple-A Durham before the series with the Twins (75-63) began Monday. Driscoll went 1-for-3.
Coming off his strongest start since returning from Tommy John surgery, Springs (2-2) yielded just one run on four hits in six innings while striking out four and walking two. He lowered his ERA to 3.27 in the 82-pitch outing.
In the Rays’ six-hit night, Josh Lowe was 1-for-3 with a walk and two stolen bases.
Santana was 2-for-3 with a solo homer and walk, but Minnesota also managed just six hits.
In his first career appearance against the American League East club, Minnesota’s David Festa (2-5) allowed two runs on five hits over five innings. The rookie posted seven strikeouts and one walk but lost his third straight start.
Right fielder Michael Helman was 1-for-2 with an infield single in his major league debut for the Twins. He also committed a throwing error.
Just as they did in Monday’s 5-4 win, the Twins used the long ball early for a 1-0 lead. Leading off the second inning, Santana lifted an 0-1 fastball high down the left field line. The 395-foot lob shot stayed inside the foul pole for Santana’s 19th home run.
The right-handed Festa allowed just two singles to Christopher Morel and Jonny DeLuca through the first three innings while striking out four.
The home side got to Festa in the fourth after Junior Caminero singled and Lowe walked to open the frame. Jonathan Aranda soon followed with a one-out RBI bloop single to score Caminero, but the Twins played the infield in and cut down Lowe on a fielder’s choice before Driscoll’s run-scoring hit.
In the ninth, Santana and Edouard Julien opened with singles off Edwin Uceta, but the right-hander fanned Brooks Lee and Willi Castro swinging.
Garrett Cleavinger then got a groundout from pinch hitter Christian Vazquez for his fifth save.