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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Josh Fleming started for the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, and he got knocked around a little bit, but his defense didn't help him much either.

He left in the fourth inning, trailing 5-1 but two of the runs were unearned. Here's our "Just For Starters'' daily story breaking down the Rays' starting pitcher, with cumulative numbers for all the starters, now through seven games.

Rays' Starters By The Numbers

  • Starter: Josh Fleming
  • Game: Thursday vs. Oakland A's
  • Decision: Lost, now 1-1 on the season
  • Team result: Lost 6-3, now 4-3 on the season
  • Innings pitched: 3 1/3
  • Total pitches: 67
  • Strikes: 45
  • Runs allowed: 5
  • Earned runs: 3
  • Hits allowed: 7
  • Walks allowed: 1
  • Total HBP allowed: 0
  • Total strikeouts: 6
  • Status upon departure: Fleming left with one out and two on in the fourth inning. Jeffrey Springs came on in relief. 
  • The skinny: Fleming likes to pitch to contact and rely on his defense, but he gave up several five-hop singles and his defense let him down, allowed two unearned runs on a botched ball in the outfield by Randy Arozarena. Fleming threw 67 pitches, which usually would get him through another inning. 

Season Totals for Rays Starters

  • Starters: Shane McClanahan (2), Drew Rasmussen, Corey Kluber, Luis Patino, Tommy Romero, Josh Fleming
  • Games: 7
  • Decisions: 0-2 thru Wednesday
  • Team result: 4-2 thru Wednesday
  • Innings pitched (avg.): 23.1/3.3
  • - Season high innings: 4 2/3, Corey Kluber (April 10), McClanahan (April 13)
  • - Season low innings: 2/3, Luis Patino (April 11)
  • Total pitches (avg.): 433/62.2
  • - Season high pitches: 87, Corey Kluber (April 10)
  • - Season low pitches: 13, Luis Patino (April 11)
  • Strikes (avg.): 277/39.4
  • Total strikeouts (avg.): 30/4.3
  • - Season high strikeouts: 8, Shane McClanahan (April 13)
  • Runs allowed (avg.): 14/2.0
  • Earned runs (avg.): 12/1.7
  • Hits allowed (avg.): 22/3.1
  • Walks allowed (avg.): 16/2.3
  • Total HBP allowed (avg.): 2/0.3
  • Starter ERA: 4:63