ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. _ Brandon Woodruff's first major league start was worth the wait.
Making it 52 days after he was originally supposed to in St. Louis, only to have his debut derailed after he strained his right hamstring while warming up, the right-hander turned in a gutsy 61/3 shutout innings on Friday night.
He allowed seven hits _ all singles _ and two walks while striking out six as the Milwaukee Brewers edged the Tampa Bay Rays, 2-0, at Tropicana Field.
Woodruff wasn't the only hero in this one, though.
Shortstop Orlando Arcia, celebrating his 23rd birthday, was superb as well. He finished a double short of the cycle while scoring both runs, and also turned in another outstanding defensive play when his pinpoint relay throw cut down the potential tying run at home in the seventh inning.
By virtue of their victory and a loss by the Chicago Cubs, the Brewers are now back to within a half-game of first place in the National League Central.
The shutout was the sixth of the season for Milwaukee, and first since July 25 (8-0 at Washington).
Woodruff opened his night as well as a pitcher making his debut could hope for, with a swinging strikeout of leadoff man Corey Dickerson.
Then came a bunch of high-stress pitches, as the Rays loaded the bases against him in both the first and second innings. But Woodruff was able to escape unscathed each time by inducing ground outs.
The Brewers grabbed the lead in the third, with Arcia tripling to left-center to open against Jake Faria and scoring on a single to right by Eric Thames. Interestingly, it was the first triple by Milwaukee in 41 games � a franchise record.
That was all the Brewers could manage against Faria, leaving Woodruff to face another taxing inning in the bottom half.
Logan Morrison led off with a single and moved to third on a throwing error by Travis Shaw, leaving runners on the corners with nobody out. Woodruff regained his bearings with a strikeout and flyout, then Steven Souza, Jr. was caught stealing to again let the rookie off the hook.
Woodruff settled in from there. After a leadoff single by Mallex Smith, he used a quick move to first to pick him off, then finished up by retiring nine of the final 10 batters he faced. A strikeout of Daniel Robertson on his 97th pitch ended his night.
Woodruff, whose season high was 99 pitches at Class AAA Colorado Springs coming in, got a pat on the shoulder from manager Craig Counsell as he walked off the mound.
The 24-year-old had thrown 54, 35 and 69 pitches in three rehab starts with the Sky Sox. His MLB debut was originally supposed to occur on June 13 in the first game of a doubleheader in St. Louis, but it wound up being Brent Suter who took Woodruff's place after he was injured.
Now both pitchers find themselves in the Brewers' rotation.
Woodruff became the 14th pitcher in Brewers history to record his first career victory in his first career start.
Josh Hader took over for Woodruff and issued a walk to Dickerson to open. After he fanned Lucas Duda for the second out, Evan Longoria roped a double into the left-field corner.
Dickerson was waved around third, but a picture-perfect relay from Ryan Braun to Arcia to Manny Pina cut the Rays' leadoff hitter down at the plate to end the seventh.
Arcia then opened the eighth by booming a home run to left off Sergio Romo to give the Brewers a little more breathing room.
Hader, Anthony Swarzak and Corey Knebel combined to close the game out from there, with Knebel recording his 21st save.
