Rays face Pirates’ Paul Skenes with a good memory of last meeting

TAMPA — When the Rays faced Paul Skenes six weeks into his dazzling major-league debut last season, they got off to a great start.

Yandy Diaz swung at the 99.5-mph fastball Skenes opened the game with and hit it off the rightfield foul pole at PNC Park for a home run.

Skenes didn’t allow another run over his seven strong innings, though the Rays came back to win anyway.

They meet again Wednesday afternoon, and Diaz has good memories of the matchup with Skenes, who went on to start the All-Star Game, win National League Rookie of the Year honors and finish third in Cy Young voting.

“It was a great moment,” Diaz said Tuesday, via team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “He was the Rookie of the Year, so it was a beautiful experience for me. … My plan was to hit early in the count, first pitch, because it was like a 60% chance that if I went after him after the first pitch it wasn’t going to be easy for me."

As much as the Rays are confident they can beat Skenes, they also have admiration for what the 22-year-old does.

“As talented as any pitcher in baseball,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

“He’s fun to watch,” said Rays starter Ryan Pepiot. “I know (teammate Zack) Littell said he’s a once-in-a-generational arm, so just to be able to go out there and watch. But I like our guys’ chances. I like our lineup. I like the at-bats we’ve been taking so far. So I have confidence in our guys.

“But it will be a fun matchup.”

Plus, Pepiot said, they will have Diaz leading off.

“Maybe he can do it again,” he said. “Our handshake is literally a high-five and a 1-0. So hopefully he can do that again (Wednesday).”

B-Lowe for the W

Second baseman Brandon Lowe and the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay were winners of the Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation’s Giving Bowl and earned a $50,000 donation.

Lowe has been supporting the Center since 2019 and solicited more donations in the bracket-style competition than four other area pro athletes, and their causes: Erika Tymrak, Tampa Bay Sun FC, Humane Society of Tampa Bay; Bucky Irving, Bucs, After-School All-Stars; Ryan McDonagh, Lightning, First Responders Children’s Foundation; Chris Godwin, Bucs, Team Godwin Foundation.

“It was really cool for (the Mayfields) to reach out and ask me if I even just wanted to be a part of it,” Lowe said. “I figured it was a no-brainer, there was no lose in the situation. No matter what I do, whether one person donates or 200 people donate, I’m raising money for a great cause. Then you get to see the other athletes in the area that are working in the area. Obviously, Baker has his things, and technically, he did everything. He put up all the money, we just won it, which is amazing.”

Mangum style

Rays rookie outfielder Jake Mangum followed up his remarkable four-hit game on Monday with three more hits on Tuesday. In doing so, he also had a streak of seven consecutive plate appearances of reaching base. And he became the second player in major-league history to have at least seven hits and three steals in his first three games. The other was Detroit’s Frank Dillon, in 1901.

Miscellany

The Rays announced a fifth straight sellout with an attendance of 10,046. ... Reliever Mason Montgomery threw 10 fastballs that clocked from 99.3 to 102.2 mph. ... Brandon Lowe tied Aubrey Huff for third on the franchise home run list with his 128th. ... At Triple-A Durham, Joe Boyle struck out five of his first seven batters and six overall through four innings, allowing two runs, two hits, two walks. ... Friday’s game is exclusive to AppleTV+ as part of the MLB package. There won’t be a reunion with former Rays sideline reporter Tricia Whitaker however; she will be working Apple’s other game: Dodgers at Phillies. … Saturday’s game is back to FanDuel, but will be shown on the Florida network rather than the usual Sun.

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