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Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

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Rodney gets ERA record, Price passed for MLB ERA title

Posted Oct 4, 2012 by Roger Mooney

Updated Oct 4, 2012 at 12:45 AM

ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG Fernando Rodney set the major league record for lowest ERA by a relief pitcher by retiring the only batter he faced Wednesday night in the Rays season-ending 4-1 victory against the Orioles.

David Price’s bid to lead major league starting pitchers in ERA feel just a tad short, when Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers allowed one run in eighth innings Wednesday against the Giants.

Kershaw’s ERA dropped to 2.53, besting Price, who finished his season Sunday with an AL-low 2.56 ERA.

Rays manager Joe Maddon said before the game he didn’t want to use Rodney to ensure he would hold onto the record. But when Joel Peralta had trouble getting the final out of the night, Maddon called for Rodney.

With the fans inside Tropicana Field chanting his name, Rodney retired the only batter he faced to finish with a 0.60 ERA (minimum 50 innings pitched), besting the old record of 0.61 set in 1990 by Dennis Eckersley of Oakland.

Rodney, who finished with a career-high and team record 48 saves, allowed just five earned runs in 74 2/3 innings this season.