Talk about sneaky good. Tampa Bay Rays righty Zack Littell has been next to automatic across his past eight starts with a filthy 1.41 ERA and 0.85 WHIP while holding opposing hitters to a ...

ST. PETERSBURG — For much of his previous six seasons, Zack Littell was happy for any time he got to spend in the big leagues and whatever innings he was given, pitching usually out of the bullpen.

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays didn’t necessarily know what to expect when they shifted Zack Littell out of the bullpen and into their rotation last summer. They made that move out of necessity, betting ...

Garrett Cleavinger worked a 1-2-3 ninth to get his sixth save in seven chances. “I don’t think we could have predicted the amount of success, the workload,” Cash said of Littell.

Littell (8-9), who made his team-leading 28th start in his first full season as starter, struck out seven and did not issue a walk. After Edwin Uceta pitched a perfect eighth, Garrett Cleavinger ...

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zack Littell delivers to the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a baseball ... Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) 1 of 12 ...