ARLINGTON, Texas _ Right-hander Tyler Glasnow finally got his first win as a Ray Monday night.
And he flirted with _ or at least winked at _ a no-hitter along the way.
With six solid innings (and only two infield hits allowed) by Glasnow, a team effort with the bats and a couple of nifty defensive plays, the Rays rolled on, beating the Rangers 3-0.
The win was their 12th in 15 September games, made them a majors-best 21-5 since Aug. 19 and pushed their record to 83-66, 17 games over .500. It also pulled them within 6{ games of the A's, who were off Monday, for the final AL playoff spot, though with only 13 games left.
"He was outstanding," manager Kevin Cash said of Glasnow. "I liked everything. ... really, really strong performance. "
After battling through a messy first inning that included a hit batter, stolen base, wild pitch and a walk, Glasnow rolled into the fifth without allowing a hit.
He got two more outs before giving one up, and it wasn't much, a slow infield bouncer by Isiash Kiner-Falefa that shortstop Willy Adames charged in and grabbed but threw late to first.
The second hit off Glasnow was even less, a roller up the first-base line he had trouble picking up, initially scored an error and changed to a hit.
Glasnow figured he'd get a ball as a memento of his first Rays win, but didn't see the need for anything special, such as the beer shower that followed his first big-league W. "Those are cold, I'm cool with doing nothing," he said. "Let's just hope I get a bunch more."
After getting only six runs of support total in his first eight Rays starts, Glasnow may have looked at Monday's three runs like a barbecue buffet.
Singles by Mallex Smith, Tommy Pham and Ji-Man Choi to open the game put them on top quickly. They made it 2-0 in the sixth on a homer by Choi, his fourth in his last nine games and eighth total since joining the Rays July 11. They added on in the seventh when Adames walked, Kevin Kiermaier, who earlier made a leaping catch, doubled and Jake Bauers delivered a sac fly.
