Rays 6, Red Sox 5
Record: 61-48
Attendance: 36,412
The Rays put on a gritty performance Tuesday night to beat the Red Sox 6-5, but they had to come back from deficits of 2-0 and 5-4--and Kevin Cash's terrible decision to pull struggling starter Charlie Morton after four and two-third innings and only 85 pitches. Morton's replacement was Adam Kolarek, who immediately gave up a two-run homer to Andrew Benintende as the Red Sox took the lead 5-4. For what it's worth, Cash acknowledged the mistake after the game, and the whole thing was defused when the Rays managed to pull the game out anyway. But mistakes like this one are just as bad as the Ray's sloppy base running and the bullpen's habit of giving up late inning home runs in tight games. Cash has earned the right to be wrong now and then, but this bad decision could well have been catastrophic in a close game with playoff implications.
After Kolarek, who got the win despite giving up the homer to Benintende, came the usual sequence of relievers who come in, we are led to believe, according to batting order matchups: Castillo, Poche, Roe, Drake, and Emilio Pagan, who got the final four outs and recorded his eighth save.
Offensively, Austin Meadows drove in Matt Duffy with a triple in the third, followed by a three-run fifth inning that saw solo homers by Travis d'Arnaud (453 feet over the Green Monster and out of the park) and Avasail Garcia plus a run-scoring fielder's choice by newcomer Eric Sogard. Their last two runs came in on a Garcia double in the sixth. And that was it for scoring as the bullpens squared off for some high drama innings for the rest of the way.
It was a good win coming off the high drama against the Blue Jays, but game two will begin at 7:10 Wednesday night, so hold on to your hat for another wild ride.
No news on trades as the deadline looms at 4 PM today (Wednesday).
Monday, July 29. Off Day.
After the roller coaster weekend against the Blue Jays, the Rays are in desperate need to gather themselves, get composed, and be ready for the three upcoming games against the Red Sox in Fenway Park beginning on Tuesday. What can we expect from this team against the Bosox? God only knows. My guess is that He doesn't have a clue either.
July 31 Trade Deadline
The Rays made a couple of odd deals on Sunday. The "big" one was the addition of 33-year-old Eric Sogard from the Blue Jays for two players to be named later. He's a typical Rays all-purpose player with a solid season of offense, .300 BA, 10 HRs, 30 RBIs, but he is a middle infielder primarily and a left-handed hitter. Neither of those are priorities on this team. He will no doubt come in handy, but with Wendle, Adames, Diaz, Duffy, Lowe, Brosseau, and Robertson (now in Durham), good players will be sitting on the bench every night. And in the meantime, the team is desperate for bullpen relief and a right-handed power.bat.
They made one other deal, sending Christian Arroyo (the infielder they got for Evan Longoria in 2017) and relief pitcher Hunter Wood to the Cleveland Indians for Class A outfielder Ruben Cardenas and $250,000 of international signing money. Arroyo had begun to show signs of improved hitting before going on the IL, and Hunter had a 2.48 ERA making him a relief pitcher they ought to be seeking instead of trading. Cardenas has potential but is a long way off, which is fine, the Rays say, because the deal frees up a spot for Sogard on the 40-man roster and gives them a little more flexibility for further roster moves.
With so many teams looking for reliable relievers to add to their bullpen, the chances of the Rays getting one seem remote. Chances are even more remote for them to come up with one of the closers who are available because the number of rich teams shopping for closers is impressive. The Rays are rich in minor league talent, but it's doubtful they would be willing to give the good ones up. There is a better chance that a power hitting right-handed hitter might turn up, but don't hold your breath.
Sunday, July 28. Game 108: Rays down 7 runs, come back to win 10-9. Seriously.
Rays 10, Blue Jays 9
Record: 60-48
Attendance: 24,542
Hollywood script writers who come up with a story line having a major league team give away a seven-run lead going into the late innings and lose the game 10-9--and then reverse the story line for the very next day with the losing team coming back from a seven-run deficit to win in the ninth by the same score would be laughed out of the script-writing business. That could not happen. You have to maintain of semblance of realism in your scripts.
Real life it turns out has no such restrictions. Anything and everything is possible in a baseball game. And so the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday did indeed comeback after losing by seven in the sixth inning. They chipped away and scored the winning 10th run in the ninth.
And then to add greater drama, manager Kevin Cash called on much maligned (for good reasons) Diego Castillo to get the last two outs of the game. He got two strikeouts. The Rays had finished off the strangest two-game set in the majors this year. Or any year. Back-to-back seven-run comebacks ending in 10-9 victories, one by each team. In one sense this is evidence of the worst two games of the season--but from a different angle, they may be the two best games of the year. Certainly there was a lot of fun and frustration to go around.
In Sunday's game, Toronto jumped out to an early lead, 2-0 after two, 4-0 after three, 8-1 after five. The Rays got three back in the sixth, two more in the seventh, three in the eighth, and the final, go-ahead run in the ninth. Along the way there were homers by Willie Adames and Guillermo Heredia. Case close. Respectability restored. Red Sox in the wings.
Record: 60-48
Attendance: 24,542
Hollywood script writers who come up with a story line having a major league team give away a seven-run lead going into the late innings and lose the game 10-9--and then reverse the story line for the very next day with the losing team coming back from a seven-run deficit to win in the ninth by the same score would be laughed out of the script-writing business. That could not happen. You have to maintain of semblance of realism in your scripts.
Real life it turns out has no such restrictions. Anything and everything is possible in a baseball game. And so the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday did indeed comeback after losing by seven in the sixth inning. They chipped away and scored the winning 10th run in the ninth.
And then to add greater drama, manager Kevin Cash called on much maligned (for good reasons) Diego Castillo to get the last two outs of the game. He got two strikeouts. The Rays had finished off the strangest two-game set in the majors this year. Or any year. Back-to-back seven-run comebacks ending in 10-9 victories, one by each team. In one sense this is evidence of the worst two games of the season--but from a different angle, they may be the two best games of the year. Certainly there was a lot of fun and frustration to go around.
In Sunday's game, Toronto jumped out to an early lead, 2-0 after two, 4-0 after three, 8-1 after five. The Rays got three back in the sixth, two more in the seventh, three in the eighth, and the final, go-ahead run in the ninth. Along the way there were homers by Willie Adames and Guillermo Heredia. Case close. Respectability restored. Red Sox in the wings.
Saturday, July 27. Game 107: Rays blow a 7-run lead, suffer worst loss of the year, 10-9.
Rays 9, Blue Jays 10
Record 59-48
Attendance: 28,204
Willie Adames and Travis d'Arnaud hit three-run homers in the top of the second inning to give the Rays a 6-2 lead, which they stretched to 8-2 in the third and 9-2 in the sixth. The Blue Jays picked up their third run in the bottom of the sixth, then added two more in the bottom of the eighth to make the score 9-5 going into the bottom of the ninth, when they burst out with four runs to tie the game at 9 on a three-run homer by super-rookie Vladimir Guerrero and a solo shot by Brandon Drury, who went 4 for 6 on the night. Then in the tenth, Teoscar Hernandez won the game with a walk-off home run, his second of the night. In all the Blue Jays hit six home runs.
Who gave up all those home runs? Well, all the usual suspects. Opener Andrew Kittredge gave up one in three innings. Hunter Wood gave up two in his inning. Oliver Drake and Colin Poche each gave up one in the ninth. And Emilio Pagan served up the winning home run in the eleventh.
It was an enormous game for the Rays who had beaten the Red Sox on Wednesday and the Blue Jays on Friday, and were beginning to believe in themselves again. Then came a 9-2 lead in the sixth inning. They were thinking sweep when the bottom fell out and they allowed themselves to be beaten, allowed the Blue Jays to mount an improbable comeback that should never have happened.
What has to happen before manager Kevin Cash and the Rays' front office come to the conclusion that this bullpen they love so much is absolutely awful? They gave away a seven-run lead Saturday. Seven runs! Making matters even worse, after the sixth inning, the Rays did not get a single hit, going 0-21.
They play Toronto one more time on Sunday before a three-game set against the Red Sox in Boston starting on Tuesday the 30th. But Saturday's embarrassing loss is the last straw for this team that hasn't been able to get it right since April's excellent start. From this point to the end of this disappointing season, the Rays will be playing out the string. They should sell off some talent this week and build for next year. Let's see a few hopeful signs for 2020.
There is an upside, however, not even Montreal will want these guys.
Record 59-48
Attendance: 28,204
Willie Adames and Travis d'Arnaud hit three-run homers in the top of the second inning to give the Rays a 6-2 lead, which they stretched to 8-2 in the third and 9-2 in the sixth. The Blue Jays picked up their third run in the bottom of the sixth, then added two more in the bottom of the eighth to make the score 9-5 going into the bottom of the ninth, when they burst out with four runs to tie the game at 9 on a three-run homer by super-rookie Vladimir Guerrero and a solo shot by Brandon Drury, who went 4 for 6 on the night. Then in the tenth, Teoscar Hernandez won the game with a walk-off home run, his second of the night. In all the Blue Jays hit six home runs.
Who gave up all those home runs? Well, all the usual suspects. Opener Andrew Kittredge gave up one in three innings. Hunter Wood gave up two in his inning. Oliver Drake and Colin Poche each gave up one in the ninth. And Emilio Pagan served up the winning home run in the eleventh.
It was an enormous game for the Rays who had beaten the Red Sox on Wednesday and the Blue Jays on Friday, and were beginning to believe in themselves again. Then came a 9-2 lead in the sixth inning. They were thinking sweep when the bottom fell out and they allowed themselves to be beaten, allowed the Blue Jays to mount an improbable comeback that should never have happened.
What has to happen before manager Kevin Cash and the Rays' front office come to the conclusion that this bullpen they love so much is absolutely awful? They gave away a seven-run lead Saturday. Seven runs! Making matters even worse, after the sixth inning, the Rays did not get a single hit, going 0-21.
They play Toronto one more time on Sunday before a three-game set against the Red Sox in Boston starting on Tuesday the 30th. But Saturday's embarrassing loss is the last straw for this team that hasn't been able to get it right since April's excellent start. From this point to the end of this disappointing season, the Rays will be playing out the string. They should sell off some talent this week and build for next year. Let's see a few hopeful signs for 2020.
There is an upside, however, not even Montreal will want these guys.
Friday, July 26. Game 106: Are the Rays on a roll?
Rays 3, Blue Jays 1
Record: 59-47
Attendance: 22,767
Torn between the good feeling lingering over the team's 3-2 home win against the Red Sox on Wednesday, and Thursday's devastating news that Blake Snell is probably finished for the year, the Rays took the field against the Blue Jays Friday night and made a 3-1 statement. They're not backing off.
Austin Meadows tripled in a run in the third inning and Travis d'Arnaud singled in two runs with two outs and the bases loaded in the fifth. It was Meadows' 47th RBI and d'Arnaud's 37th. D'Arnaud is the story of course because he didn't join the team until May 10, after the other Rays' hitters had dominated baseball for the month of April. He now has 11 HRs to go with those big RBIs.
Diego Castillo, who has had enormous trouble closing games this year, was used as the opener and pitched a three-up and three-down first. Ryan Yarbrough pitched the next five and a third, giving up one run on four hits and one walk to improve his record to 9-3. Chaz Roe continued to be wild when he came in, adding two more walks to his season total of 20 in 30 innings, but he was good enough to hold the score at 3-1. Wrapping the game up was Colin Poche who finally notched his first save of he season. Without giving up a homer.
Tommy Pham may have to go to Remedial Base Running School this winter to get him to act more responsibly on the basepaths. In this game he stole second and seemed to come off the base after his slide, which prompted a review that went his way. I don't know if base running gaffes is a statistic anyone is keeping track of, but my bet is that Pham is leading the league in them, maybe the majors. Willy Adames should probably joint Pham in the remedial work. Maybe one or two others. Recall that manager Kevin Cash recently called the Rays' baserunning "atrocious."
The opener for Saturday's game is Andrew Kittredge followed by bulker Jalen Beeks.
Michael Perez, the catcher who was sent down to Durham when Travis d'Arnaud got too hot to demote, took Blake Snell's place on the roster. There are now three catching options with Perez the only lefty.
As discouraging as the season has been, the remaining weeks may still provide some exciting games--and maybe even some high drama.
Record: 59-47
Attendance: 22,767
Torn between the good feeling lingering over the team's 3-2 home win against the Red Sox on Wednesday, and Thursday's devastating news that Blake Snell is probably finished for the year, the Rays took the field against the Blue Jays Friday night and made a 3-1 statement. They're not backing off.
Austin Meadows tripled in a run in the third inning and Travis d'Arnaud singled in two runs with two outs and the bases loaded in the fifth. It was Meadows' 47th RBI and d'Arnaud's 37th. D'Arnaud is the story of course because he didn't join the team until May 10, after the other Rays' hitters had dominated baseball for the month of April. He now has 11 HRs to go with those big RBIs.
Diego Castillo, who has had enormous trouble closing games this year, was used as the opener and pitched a three-up and three-down first. Ryan Yarbrough pitched the next five and a third, giving up one run on four hits and one walk to improve his record to 9-3. Chaz Roe continued to be wild when he came in, adding two more walks to his season total of 20 in 30 innings, but he was good enough to hold the score at 3-1. Wrapping the game up was Colin Poche who finally notched his first save of he season. Without giving up a homer.
Tommy Pham may have to go to Remedial Base Running School this winter to get him to act more responsibly on the basepaths. In this game he stole second and seemed to come off the base after his slide, which prompted a review that went his way. I don't know if base running gaffes is a statistic anyone is keeping track of, but my bet is that Pham is leading the league in them, maybe the majors. Willy Adames should probably joint Pham in the remedial work. Maybe one or two others. Recall that manager Kevin Cash recently called the Rays' baserunning "atrocious."
The opener for Saturday's game is Andrew Kittredge followed by bulker Jalen Beeks.
Michael Perez, the catcher who was sent down to Durham when Travis d'Arnaud got too hot to demote, took Blake Snell's place on the roster. There are now three catching options with Perez the only lefty.
As discouraging as the season has been, the remaining weeks may still provide some exciting games--and maybe even some high drama.
Thursday, July 25. Off Day--except for bad news.
What should have been a restful day off to let Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Red Sox seep in, turned into a new 2019 nightmare. Blake Snell needs elbow surgery and if he comes back at all, it won't be until September.
Snell has not been the Cy Young pitcher everyone expected him to be this year. His overall record is 6-7 with a 4.28 ERA, but his last two starts were up to last year's standard of excellence, 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA.
Apparently, unbeknownst to anyone, Snell had been experiencing strange sensations in his pitching elbow for a long time and the pain worsened during workouts earlier this week. After announcing the problem to the team, an examination was quickly done, and surgery was scheduled for Monday morning.
Finding a way to compete for a wildcard spot over the last nine weeks of the schedule without Snell will be difficult at best. It had begun to look like a long shot even with Snell in the rotation, and now the chances are even slimmer. Making it worse, the team doesn't seem interested in shopping for a replacement arm, everyone apparently agreeing on one thing, that you can't replace Snell. Which leaves the season in considerable doubt at this point.
Snell has not been the Cy Young pitcher everyone expected him to be this year. His overall record is 6-7 with a 4.28 ERA, but his last two starts were up to last year's standard of excellence, 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA.
Apparently, unbeknownst to anyone, Snell had been experiencing strange sensations in his pitching elbow for a long time and the pain worsened during workouts earlier this week. After announcing the problem to the team, an examination was quickly done, and surgery was scheduled for Monday morning.
Finding a way to compete for a wildcard spot over the last nine weeks of the schedule without Snell will be difficult at best. It had begun to look like a long shot even with Snell in the rotation, and now the chances are even slimmer. Making it worse, the team doesn't seem interested in shopping for a replacement arm, everyone apparently agreeing on one thing, that you can't replace Snell. Which leaves the season in considerable doubt at this point.
Wednesday, July 24. Game 105. Charlie Morton to the rescue. Again.
Rays 3, Red Sox 2
Record: 58-47
Attendance: 24,161
It didn't seem much different from so many Rays games decided by a single run. They were playing the surging division rival Boston Red Sox, who sent David Price to the mound. The way things have been going for the Rays recently, another one-run loss would have been routine.
Except that's not the script for Wednesday's game. Charlie Morton outpitched Price, going seven strong innings and giving up only five hits and two runs over 105 pitches. He struck out 11 and walked none. And then, amazingly given the way the bullpen has been giving up runs and games of late, Adam Kolarek and Chaz Roe worked a clean eighth and gave the ball to Emilio Pagan, who pitched the ninth and earned his seventh save.
So clean and neat it might have been April all over again.
They got a run from Tommy Pham's homer in the fourth and then two more runs in the fifth, one scoring on a Joey Wendle single, and the other coming home on Guillermo Heredia's double. And that was it for scoring. Both teams were held to five hits, but as it turned out, that was all the Ray's needed.
The victory kept the Rays from being swept, and it was especially welcome, needed even, for their collective egos, as they have a day off tomorrow to savor the win before starting a three-game set against Toronto on Friday. The Red Sox loom again on Tuesday the 30th, so the Rays had better find a way to get better fast.
Record: 58-47
Attendance: 24,161
It didn't seem much different from so many Rays games decided by a single run. They were playing the surging division rival Boston Red Sox, who sent David Price to the mound. The way things have been going for the Rays recently, another one-run loss would have been routine.
Except that's not the script for Wednesday's game. Charlie Morton outpitched Price, going seven strong innings and giving up only five hits and two runs over 105 pitches. He struck out 11 and walked none. And then, amazingly given the way the bullpen has been giving up runs and games of late, Adam Kolarek and Chaz Roe worked a clean eighth and gave the ball to Emilio Pagan, who pitched the ninth and earned his seventh save.
So clean and neat it might have been April all over again.
They got a run from Tommy Pham's homer in the fourth and then two more runs in the fifth, one scoring on a Joey Wendle single, and the other coming home on Guillermo Heredia's double. And that was it for scoring. Both teams were held to five hits, but as it turned out, that was all the Ray's needed.
The victory kept the Rays from being swept, and it was especially welcome, needed even, for their collective egos, as they have a day off tomorrow to savor the win before starting a three-game set against Toronto on Friday. The Red Sox loom again on Tuesday the 30th, so the Rays had better find a way to get better fast.
Tuesday, July 23. Game 104 Welcome back Matt Duffy!
Rays 4, Red Sox 5
Record: 58-47
Attendance: 24,161
Having Matt Duffy back at third, two-thirds of the way into the season, was a reminder of how much better he is than the revolving door of third basemen used by manager Kevin Cash this season. He's a pro, offensively and defensively.
But he is also fragile, losing all of the 2017 season to injuries. In 2018 he shined, playing in 132 games, hitting .294 over 503 at-bats. This year, however, he has had foot and hamstring problems until Tuesday night's debut performance when he went 2 for 3 with a walk. It was a pleasure watching him go about his business.
Of course, he could not change the Rays drift to the middle of the pack and out of post-season contention. Yonny Chirinos wild-pitched a run in in the first then allowed a run-producing single. In the bottom of the third, Travis d'Arnaud homered with a man on to tie the game. The Red Sox took a one-run lead on a Christian Vazquez home run off Colin Poche. Diego Castillo had a disappointing outing, surrendering two runs on two hits and a walk without registering a single out in the eighth.
Losing 5-2 going into the bottom of the ninth, the Rays put on a rally that fell short by a run. This wasn't the worst game the Rays have lost during June and July, but in the end they lost their seventh of their last ten.
And they need so much help that it seems unlikely any deals that can be made before the July 31 trade deadline can solve the problems that have been showing themselves nightly over the last two months.
Perhaps Charlie Morton will be able to stop the bleeding tomorrow.
Record: 58-47
Attendance: 24,161
Having Matt Duffy back at third, two-thirds of the way into the season, was a reminder of how much better he is than the revolving door of third basemen used by manager Kevin Cash this season. He's a pro, offensively and defensively.
But he is also fragile, losing all of the 2017 season to injuries. In 2018 he shined, playing in 132 games, hitting .294 over 503 at-bats. This year, however, he has had foot and hamstring problems until Tuesday night's debut performance when he went 2 for 3 with a walk. It was a pleasure watching him go about his business.
Of course, he could not change the Rays drift to the middle of the pack and out of post-season contention. Yonny Chirinos wild-pitched a run in in the first then allowed a run-producing single. In the bottom of the third, Travis d'Arnaud homered with a man on to tie the game. The Red Sox took a one-run lead on a Christian Vazquez home run off Colin Poche. Diego Castillo had a disappointing outing, surrendering two runs on two hits and a walk without registering a single out in the eighth.
Losing 5-2 going into the bottom of the ninth, the Rays put on a rally that fell short by a run. This wasn't the worst game the Rays have lost during June and July, but in the end they lost their seventh of their last ten.
And they need so much help that it seems unlikely any deals that can be made before the July 31 trade deadline can solve the problems that have been showing themselves nightly over the last two months.
Perhaps Charlie Morton will be able to stop the bleeding tomorrow.
Monday, July 22. Game 103: Daily displays of ineptitude
Rays 4, Red Sox 9
Record: 57-46
Attendance: 10,966
The Rays' summer swoon continues with just an occasional victory now and then to show for a season that started with a ton of promise but is ending with daily displays of ineptitude. It is now the red hot Red Sox turn to bash the locals, and they did so on Monday night with the flare and firepower of a battleship taking down a fishing boat. It wasn't pretty.
The Rays started bulk man Jalen Beeks, who sailed through the first two innings, but fell apart in the third giving up three homers. He got two outs in the fourth but was pulled after giving up another run, making it 8-0. The Rays managed to score four runs late in the game (it was long over by then), but it is worth pointing out that Travis d'Arnaud (2 for 4 with an RBI) and Austin Meadows (1 for 3 with an RBI) continued their hot hitting. Both of them walked and scored a run too.
But the occasional bright spot cannot get this team to respectability. The bullpen is overtaxed, their best opener Ryne Stanek is on the IL, Snell and Morton can't carry the burden, their defense is not rock solid, their base running, in Manager Kevin Cash's word is "atrocious," and clutch hitting is nearly non-existent. Oh, yeah, their center fielder is on the IL again with a jammed thumb from sliding into first, which he knows better than to do, but which he can't keep himself from doing. He says he blacked out on the way to first. You can't make this stuff up.
It's so bad that instead of buying talent at the trade deadline to make a post season run, the Rays may well sell off their assets for next year. Maybe Stu Sternberg and his sabermetric subordinates are laying the groundwork for a real run at the pennant when the team moves to Montreal.
Maybe they're just toying with us. I wouldn't be surprised if they were. What else can explain their unwillingness to shore up the current team with bullpen relief, a closer, and a quality right hand bat?
Tonight, Chris Sale against Yonny Chirinos
Record: 57-46
Attendance: 10,966
The Rays' summer swoon continues with just an occasional victory now and then to show for a season that started with a ton of promise but is ending with daily displays of ineptitude. It is now the red hot Red Sox turn to bash the locals, and they did so on Monday night with the flare and firepower of a battleship taking down a fishing boat. It wasn't pretty.
The Rays started bulk man Jalen Beeks, who sailed through the first two innings, but fell apart in the third giving up three homers. He got two outs in the fourth but was pulled after giving up another run, making it 8-0. The Rays managed to score four runs late in the game (it was long over by then), but it is worth pointing out that Travis d'Arnaud (2 for 4 with an RBI) and Austin Meadows (1 for 3 with an RBI) continued their hot hitting. Both of them walked and scored a run too.
But the occasional bright spot cannot get this team to respectability. The bullpen is overtaxed, their best opener Ryne Stanek is on the IL, Snell and Morton can't carry the burden, their defense is not rock solid, their base running, in Manager Kevin Cash's word is "atrocious," and clutch hitting is nearly non-existent. Oh, yeah, their center fielder is on the IL again with a jammed thumb from sliding into first, which he knows better than to do, but which he can't keep himself from doing. He says he blacked out on the way to first. You can't make this stuff up.
It's so bad that instead of buying talent at the trade deadline to make a post season run, the Rays may well sell off their assets for next year. Maybe Stu Sternberg and his sabermetric subordinates are laying the groundwork for a real run at the pennant when the team moves to Montreal.
Maybe they're just toying with us. I wouldn't be surprised if they were. What else can explain their unwillingness to shore up the current team with bullpen relief, a closer, and a quality right hand bat?
Tonight, Chris Sale against Yonny Chirinos
Sunday, July 21. Game 102. Rays win. Finally,.
Rays 4, White Sox 2
Record: 57-45
Attendance: 14,587
The Rays have won another game, 4-2 over the White Sox, but it took Travis d'Arnaud's heroics once again, to win the day. He hit a grand slam HR, his 10th four-bagger of the year, in the second, and then the Rays had to hang on to squeeze out their 57th win of the year. They managed a grand total of three hits for the afternoon. The White Sox, however, managed two runs in the seventh and must have been looking forward to their last two innings against the Rays very generous bullpen.
Blake Snell's six-inning stint was impressive--three hits, two walks, 10 Ks, and 109 pitches. He improved his record to 6-7. Andrew Kittredge gave up two runs in the seventh, but Emilio Pagan and Adam Kolarek (who got his first save) shut the White Sox down the rest of the way--and the Rays finally won their 57th game after losing five in a row.
Kevin Kiermaier jammed his thumb on a head-first slide Saturday (when will he learn?) and was put on the 10-day IL on Sunday. Maybe someone should tell the 29-year-old center fielder that for the good of the team he should dial it back now and then. He's been out too long and too often to justify his play as aggressive and 100%, going "above and beyond," as he puts it. It's just as important to stay off the IL as it is to run out ground balls.
In his own defense, Kiermaier told the Tampa Bay Times that on his way to first, "I wasn't thinking about sliding at all." But once he got up around the bag, "I just blacked out for a second and I just did it. . . .I didn't want to do it. I did it. I regret it." See how far that lame excuse gets you in court some day.
Tomorrow the Red Sox.
Record: 57-45
Attendance: 14,587
The Rays have won another game, 4-2 over the White Sox, but it took Travis d'Arnaud's heroics once again, to win the day. He hit a grand slam HR, his 10th four-bagger of the year, in the second, and then the Rays had to hang on to squeeze out their 57th win of the year. They managed a grand total of three hits for the afternoon. The White Sox, however, managed two runs in the seventh and must have been looking forward to their last two innings against the Rays very generous bullpen.
Blake Snell's six-inning stint was impressive--three hits, two walks, 10 Ks, and 109 pitches. He improved his record to 6-7. Andrew Kittredge gave up two runs in the seventh, but Emilio Pagan and Adam Kolarek (who got his first save) shut the White Sox down the rest of the way--and the Rays finally won their 57th game after losing five in a row.
Kiermaier Blacks Out
Kevin Kiermaier jammed his thumb on a head-first slide Saturday (when will he learn?) and was put on the 10-day IL on Sunday. Maybe someone should tell the 29-year-old center fielder that for the good of the team he should dial it back now and then. He's been out too long and too often to justify his play as aggressive and 100%, going "above and beyond," as he puts it. It's just as important to stay off the IL as it is to run out ground balls.
In his own defense, Kiermaier told the Tampa Bay Times that on his way to first, "I wasn't thinking about sliding at all." But once he got up around the bag, "I just blacked out for a second and I just did it. . . .I didn't want to do it. I did it. I regret it." See how far that lame excuse gets you in court some day.
Tomorrow the Red Sox.
Saturday, July 20, 2019. Game 101. Thud
Rays 1, White Sox 2
Record: 56-45
Attendance: 16,338
It wasn't thunder you heard at the end of the Rays' game on Saturday night, just an enormous thud as the Rays landed on their backsides yet again.
They went into the ninth inning up 1-0, the result of Ryan Yarbrough's six innings of two-hit baseball, and Avasail Garcia's monster, 459-foot homer against his former team. This time Yarbrough was the starter, not the opener, not the bulkman, just the plain, old-fashioned starter, and he did a hell of a job, picking up right where he left off on July 14, when as the bulk man, he pitched six innings of perfect baseball against the Orioles.
But then the bullpen brigade took over, teasing us with two and a third innings of good work before the ball was put in the hands of Emilio Pagan, who seemed to be doing well himself until All Star catcher James McCann put an off-balance swing on a ball sweeping away from him and got just enough of it to clear the left field wall. Game tied going into the 10th. And the 11th, when Yoan Moncada led off with a walk off Adam Kolarek. When he tried to steal second, Jose Abreu dribbled a grounder to right, so Moncada kept running--all the way home. And that's how it ended, 2-1 White Sox.
And that's the thud you heard at quarter of ten last night from Tropicana Field.
The question now has to be, will they ever win another game?
Record: 56-45
Attendance: 16,338
It wasn't thunder you heard at the end of the Rays' game on Saturday night, just an enormous thud as the Rays landed on their backsides yet again.
They went into the ninth inning up 1-0, the result of Ryan Yarbrough's six innings of two-hit baseball, and Avasail Garcia's monster, 459-foot homer against his former team. This time Yarbrough was the starter, not the opener, not the bulkman, just the plain, old-fashioned starter, and he did a hell of a job, picking up right where he left off on July 14, when as the bulk man, he pitched six innings of perfect baseball against the Orioles.
But then the bullpen brigade took over, teasing us with two and a third innings of good work before the ball was put in the hands of Emilio Pagan, who seemed to be doing well himself until All Star catcher James McCann put an off-balance swing on a ball sweeping away from him and got just enough of it to clear the left field wall. Game tied going into the 10th. And the 11th, when Yoan Moncada led off with a walk off Adam Kolarek. When he tried to steal second, Jose Abreu dribbled a grounder to right, so Moncada kept running--all the way home. And that's how it ended, 2-1 White Sox.
And that's the thud you heard at quarter of ten last night from Tropicana Field.
The question now has to be, will they ever win another game?
Friday, July 19. Game 100 Have the Rays just become a seller at the trade deadline, not a buyer?
Rays 2, White Sox 9
Record: 56-44
Attendance: 16,971
The Rays got trounced Thursday night 9-2 by the lowly Chicago White Sox, a team that had lost its last seven in a row. It was another embarrassing display of bad hitting, bad pitching, and bad defense. It's one thing to be beaten senseless by the Yankees, who are "savages" in the batter's box, as their manager Aaron Boone likes to say, but they are supposed to snap back and begin beating the teams they are supposed to beat.
What we have here is the sound of the bottom falling out of the season. There are 62 games left, plenty of time to sort out the problems and make an assault on a wild card berth in the playoffs, but if Thursday's game is any indication, the season may be over. And if it is, the Rays front office will become sellers at the July 31 trade deadline, giving their best players to real contenders and stockpiling young, inexpensive talent.
That may have been their plan from the outset. Begin building a team that won't come to maturity until 2023 when Stu Sternberg's Tampa Bay franchise may be playing most of its games out of the country in Montreal, Canada. That is one way to understand the maddeningly slow effort to improve this team that had so much promise once upon a time.
Eleven days to go.
Record: 56-44
Attendance: 16,971
The Rays got trounced Thursday night 9-2 by the lowly Chicago White Sox, a team that had lost its last seven in a row. It was another embarrassing display of bad hitting, bad pitching, and bad defense. It's one thing to be beaten senseless by the Yankees, who are "savages" in the batter's box, as their manager Aaron Boone likes to say, but they are supposed to snap back and begin beating the teams they are supposed to beat.
What we have here is the sound of the bottom falling out of the season. There are 62 games left, plenty of time to sort out the problems and make an assault on a wild card berth in the playoffs, but if Thursday's game is any indication, the season may be over. And if it is, the Rays front office will become sellers at the July 31 trade deadline, giving their best players to real contenders and stockpiling young, inexpensive talent.
That may have been their plan from the outset. Begin building a team that won't come to maturity until 2023 when Stu Sternberg's Tampa Bay franchise may be playing most of its games out of the country in Montreal, Canada. That is one way to understand the maddeningly slow effort to improve this team that had so much promise once upon a time.
Eleven days to go.
Thursday, July 18. Double header. Games 98 and 99. The less said the better.
Game 1 Yankees 6, Rays 2
Game 2 Yankees 5, Rays 1
Record after being swept two games: 56-43
Attendance: 40,504
Tampa Bay can't keep up with New York, not this year. The Yankees have too much fire power for Rays pitching to overcome. And Rays' hitters don't deliver in the clutch, which puts the pitchers in an even worse position.
Dropping a double header to the Yankees put the Rays 8 games back, and though they are still in second place, the Red Sox are lurking only 10 games out. It's a good bet the Rays will right the ship and make a good comeback, but they will not be able to match up against the Yankees without trading for more hitting and pitching before the July 31 trade deadline.
Austin Meadows continues to show signs he is ready to carry his weight in the offense, hitting a first-inning homer in the first game, which was followed by a Yandy Diaz homer, but that's all the Rays could do against Domingo German, and the Yankees scored five against Yonny Chirinos in five innings. Game, set, match.
In game two, Charlie Morton, whose record fell to 11-3, had a 1-1 tie going into the sixth inning when the wheels came off, including a bases loaded balk. That's the sort of day the Rays had. They were outhit, outpitched, outmanaged, and totally demoralized. The season could conceivably go right down the drain without reinforcements. The Yankees will certainly deal for a pitcher, so the Rays need to keep up--otherwise they will be be out-front-officed by the Yankees too.
Game 2 Yankees 5, Rays 1
Record after being swept two games: 56-43
Attendance: 40,504
Tampa Bay can't keep up with New York, not this year. The Yankees have too much fire power for Rays pitching to overcome. And Rays' hitters don't deliver in the clutch, which puts the pitchers in an even worse position.
Dropping a double header to the Yankees put the Rays 8 games back, and though they are still in second place, the Red Sox are lurking only 10 games out. It's a good bet the Rays will right the ship and make a good comeback, but they will not be able to match up against the Yankees without trading for more hitting and pitching before the July 31 trade deadline.
Austin Meadows continues to show signs he is ready to carry his weight in the offense, hitting a first-inning homer in the first game, which was followed by a Yandy Diaz homer, but that's all the Rays could do against Domingo German, and the Yankees scored five against Yonny Chirinos in five innings. Game, set, match.
In game two, Charlie Morton, whose record fell to 11-3, had a 1-1 tie going into the sixth inning when the wheels came off, including a bases loaded balk. That's the sort of day the Rays had. They were outhit, outpitched, outmanaged, and totally demoralized. The season could conceivably go right down the drain without reinforcements. The Yankees will certainly deal for a pitcher, so the Rays need to keep up--otherwise they will be be out-front-officed by the Yankees too.
Tuesday, July 16. Game 97. Yankees retake momentum.
Yankees 8, Rays 3
Record: 56-41
Attendance: 40,401
There was a lot of speculation that the Rays's miracle win against the Yankees on Monday night behind Travis d'Arnaud's three homers might signal a change of direction in the Yankee-Ray rivalry this year. The Yankees used their signature win on Tuesday to disabuse Rays fans of any such hope.
The script was familiar. The Rays took a 3-2 lead into the eighth. Colin Poche walked the leadoff hitter (driving manager Kevin Cash a little crazier than usual considering how much he has preached about not walking the leadoff hitter)--and then after two outs, he served up a home run to Aaron Judge, putting the Yankees up 4-3.
It was still a manageable game at that point, but Poche proceeded to give up a single, double, and an intentional walk before grooving a ball to Didi Gregorius that ended up in the right center field bleachers. And there you have it, 8-3 New York. School yard bully C. C. Sabathia managed to provoke a near-brawl, but that was just an annoying side issue to the game the Rays let get out of hand in the eighth inning.
The fact is that the Rays have a good enough bullpen to compete with most of the league, but the Yankees present unique problems with their ability to hit for average, HRs, and runs scored. And there's no telling a single new bullpen arm can change that around. Maybe two could. And another big, reliable bat, good for long balls and RBIs would help give the Rays bigger leads going into the late innings.
There is reason for hope as the trade deadline of July 31 creeps up, but unless they are active in a significant way, the Rays will not be able to compete down the stretch when all the best teams will be turning on the afterburners. That's what the Rays need, a few more afterburners.
Record: 56-41
Attendance: 40,401
There was a lot of speculation that the Rays's miracle win against the Yankees on Monday night behind Travis d'Arnaud's three homers might signal a change of direction in the Yankee-Ray rivalry this year. The Yankees used their signature win on Tuesday to disabuse Rays fans of any such hope.
The script was familiar. The Rays took a 3-2 lead into the eighth. Colin Poche walked the leadoff hitter (driving manager Kevin Cash a little crazier than usual considering how much he has preached about not walking the leadoff hitter)--and then after two outs, he served up a home run to Aaron Judge, putting the Yankees up 4-3.
It was still a manageable game at that point, but Poche proceeded to give up a single, double, and an intentional walk before grooving a ball to Didi Gregorius that ended up in the right center field bleachers. And there you have it, 8-3 New York. School yard bully C. C. Sabathia managed to provoke a near-brawl, but that was just an annoying side issue to the game the Rays let get out of hand in the eighth inning.
The fact is that the Rays have a good enough bullpen to compete with most of the league, but the Yankees present unique problems with their ability to hit for average, HRs, and runs scored. And there's no telling a single new bullpen arm can change that around. Maybe two could. And another big, reliable bat, good for long balls and RBIs would help give the Rays bigger leads going into the late innings.
There is reason for hope as the trade deadline of July 31 creeps up, but unless they are active in a significant way, the Rays will not be able to compete down the stretch when all the best teams will be turning on the afterburners. That's what the Rays need, a few more afterburners.
Monday, July 15. Game 96: A More Perfect Game
Rays 5, Yankees 4
Record: 56-40
Attendance: 43,173
Okay, Sunday's near-masterpiece came closer to 27 up, 27 down, a perfect game, than Sunday's come-from-behind thriller that beat the Yankees, 5-4. But from a Rays' point of view, this may have been the most perfect game they've ever played.
Travis d'Arnaud batting leadoff started the game with a home run to right center off Yankee starter James Paxton, and then in the third he did it again. It looked like an instant replay. Two nothing Rays. Edwin Encarnacion got one back with a line drive homer to left, making it 2-1. Then in the seventh, Gio Urshela tied it up with another homer.
As if to put their customary stamp of victory on the game, the Yankees got a two-run blast from Encarnacion in the bottom of the eighth, 4-2 Yankees. But in the top of the ninth, with the Yankees calling on their ace closer Aroldis Chapman, the game got interesting. Kevin Kiermaier singled. So did Guillermo Heredia. But Chapman struck out Willy Adames and Joey Wendle. Two out and two on and up comes d'Arnaud, who already had two homers and two walks, one of the best performances in his career.
Chapman attacked d'Arnaud with fastballs that reached 101 on the radar gun and off-speed pitches that fell in and around the strike zone at 84 MPH. D'Arnaud took close pitches and fouled off the hundred mile an hour fastballs. And then on a 3-2 pitch, d'Arnaud took an off-speed pitch to right, a high-arching ball that landed in the third row of the short porch in Yankee Stadium. And suddenly the Rays were ahead 5-4. They held on in the bottom of the ninth and won the game. Just perfect.
And as if to put a point on it, Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano reminded us in Tuesday's paper that there is a wide disparity in the payrolls of the Yankees and Rays, who have the lowest payroll in all of Boston. "New York's payroll is about 360 percent higher than Tampa Bay's."
The July 31 trade deadline is creeping up and both clubs will make deals--but the Yankees will find front-line players who will add big numbers to their 2019 pennant run while the Rays will settle for little known middle relievers who fit the bullpen profile.
Record: 56-40
Attendance: 43,173
Okay, Sunday's near-masterpiece came closer to 27 up, 27 down, a perfect game, than Sunday's come-from-behind thriller that beat the Yankees, 5-4. But from a Rays' point of view, this may have been the most perfect game they've ever played.
Travis d'Arnaud batting leadoff started the game with a home run to right center off Yankee starter James Paxton, and then in the third he did it again. It looked like an instant replay. Two nothing Rays. Edwin Encarnacion got one back with a line drive homer to left, making it 2-1. Then in the seventh, Gio Urshela tied it up with another homer.
As if to put their customary stamp of victory on the game, the Yankees got a two-run blast from Encarnacion in the bottom of the eighth, 4-2 Yankees. But in the top of the ninth, with the Yankees calling on their ace closer Aroldis Chapman, the game got interesting. Kevin Kiermaier singled. So did Guillermo Heredia. But Chapman struck out Willy Adames and Joey Wendle. Two out and two on and up comes d'Arnaud, who already had two homers and two walks, one of the best performances in his career.
Chapman attacked d'Arnaud with fastballs that reached 101 on the radar gun and off-speed pitches that fell in and around the strike zone at 84 MPH. D'Arnaud took close pitches and fouled off the hundred mile an hour fastballs. And then on a 3-2 pitch, d'Arnaud took an off-speed pitch to right, a high-arching ball that landed in the third row of the short porch in Yankee Stadium. And suddenly the Rays were ahead 5-4. They held on in the bottom of the ninth and won the game. Just perfect.
And as if to put a point on it, Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano reminded us in Tuesday's paper that there is a wide disparity in the payrolls of the Yankees and Rays, who have the lowest payroll in all of Boston. "New York's payroll is about 360 percent higher than Tampa Bay's."
The July 31 trade deadline is creeping up and both clubs will make deals--but the Yankees will find front-line players who will add big numbers to their 2019 pennant run while the Rays will settle for little known middle relievers who fit the bullpen profile.
Sunday, July 14. Game 95: Shift allows dribbler to ruin perfect game
Rays 4, Orioles 1
Record: 55-40
Attendance: 14,082
The story, in case you missed it, was the nearly perfect game Ryne and Ryan put together to beat the Orioles Sunday afternoon. That would be Stanek and Yarbrough, if you aren't up on first names. Ryne was the opener and set the Orioles down, 1,2,3 in the first and second innings. Then Ryan came in and put the Orioles down 1,2,3 for the next six innings. Yes, a perfect game.
And then came the bottom of the ninth and right-hand hitting Hanser Alberto, who is hitting.303 with very little power (4 HRs, 26 RBIs), but he tilted the sabermetric scale, which prompted Manager Kevin Cash to overload the left side of the infield. Now, the result of this sabermetric strategy was a wide open hole between first and second base with only the first baseman to range all 90 feet. And Alberto trickled a soft grounder through the hole into right field. Its exit speed didn't even register on the machinery.
Two more base hits followed and Baltimore managed to get on the scoreboard in a game they seemed destined to lose as a combination perfect game. They almost made history.
On the offensive side, cold-as-ice All Star Austin Meadow managed a home run for the first time since May 28, a span of 143 at bats. Mike Brosseau, making a bid for a roster spot, hit his fourth. Nate Lowe did not homer but had two hits on the day, which was enough to put him over the top in voting for AL Player of the Week. His totals: .471, 3 HRs, 6 runs scored, 7 RBIs, and a walk. It will be an act of franchise suicide to keep Lowe on the bench or in the minors after his barrage of bombs and base hits.
But no matter what happens to the roster in the next few days, the big bad Yankees are waiting in the Bronx for the Rays to show up for four games. We'll know more about your Rays come Thursday night.
Record: 55-40
Attendance: 14,082
The story, in case you missed it, was the nearly perfect game Ryne and Ryan put together to beat the Orioles Sunday afternoon. That would be Stanek and Yarbrough, if you aren't up on first names. Ryne was the opener and set the Orioles down, 1,2,3 in the first and second innings. Then Ryan came in and put the Orioles down 1,2,3 for the next six innings. Yes, a perfect game.
And then came the bottom of the ninth and right-hand hitting Hanser Alberto, who is hitting.303 with very little power (4 HRs, 26 RBIs), but he tilted the sabermetric scale, which prompted Manager Kevin Cash to overload the left side of the infield. Now, the result of this sabermetric strategy was a wide open hole between first and second base with only the first baseman to range all 90 feet. And Alberto trickled a soft grounder through the hole into right field. Its exit speed didn't even register on the machinery.
Two more base hits followed and Baltimore managed to get on the scoreboard in a game they seemed destined to lose as a combination perfect game. They almost made history.
On the offensive side, cold-as-ice All Star Austin Meadow managed a home run for the first time since May 28, a span of 143 at bats. Mike Brosseau, making a bid for a roster spot, hit his fourth. Nate Lowe did not homer but had two hits on the day, which was enough to put him over the top in voting for AL Player of the Week. His totals: .471, 3 HRs, 6 runs scored, 7 RBIs, and a walk. It will be an act of franchise suicide to keep Lowe on the bench or in the minors after his barrage of bombs and base hits.
But no matter what happens to the roster in the next few days, the big bad Yankees are waiting in the Bronx for the Rays to show up for four games. We'll know more about your Rays come Thursday night.
Saturday, July 13. Day-night double header. Game 93 (day): hits and runs hard to come by .
Game 1. Rays 1, Orioles 2
Record: 53-40
Attendance: 22,596. Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Game 2. Rays 12, Orioles 4
Record: 54-40
Attendance: 24,810. Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Payback was indeed a bitch in the first game of Saturday's day-night double header against the Orioles as the Rays went from Friday night's 16-run, 20-hit assault to one run on three hits. They got another good performance from prized rookie Brendan McKay, but it was wasted when the Rays couldn't get their bats in motion. He left with a 1-0 lead after five innings and 86 pitches. Colin Poche looked good in his inning and a third until he gave up a two-run homer to Stevie Wilkerson, and suddenly he had a blown save and a loss to add to his resume.
The Orioles had made a statement. The Rays went into the three-hour between-game break with a lot to think about.
But then game 2 began, and suddenly it was Friday night all over again: 12 runs, 15 hits, including six homers. Michael Brosseau hit two of them, as did the smokin' hot Nate Lowe. The other homers came from Yandy Diaz and Tommy Pham. And the recipient of this long-ball largesse was All Star pitcher Charlie Morton, who improved his record to 11-2 (six innings, two runs, six hits, one walk, and six K's). His ERA is a sweet 2.35.
As bad as the Orioles are this year, they still drew 47,406 fans split between the two games. St. Pete and Tampa have too many retirees and snowbirds to support the team at this level. The retirees and snowbirds have their own lifetime habit of rooting for their former hometown teams. The Rays haven't been able to crack that mentality, though they came close once upon a time when Joe Madden was beloved by the senior population--and then left them in the lurch when he abandoned the area and earned his nickname, Traitor Joe. And now we have Montreal breathing down our necks.
Record: 53-40
Attendance: 22,596. Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Game 2. Rays 12, Orioles 4
Record: 54-40
Attendance: 24,810. Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Payback was indeed a bitch in the first game of Saturday's day-night double header against the Orioles as the Rays went from Friday night's 16-run, 20-hit assault to one run on three hits. They got another good performance from prized rookie Brendan McKay, but it was wasted when the Rays couldn't get their bats in motion. He left with a 1-0 lead after five innings and 86 pitches. Colin Poche looked good in his inning and a third until he gave up a two-run homer to Stevie Wilkerson, and suddenly he had a blown save and a loss to add to his resume.
The Orioles had made a statement. The Rays went into the three-hour between-game break with a lot to think about.
But then game 2 began, and suddenly it was Friday night all over again: 12 runs, 15 hits, including six homers. Michael Brosseau hit two of them, as did the smokin' hot Nate Lowe. The other homers came from Yandy Diaz and Tommy Pham. And the recipient of this long-ball largesse was All Star pitcher Charlie Morton, who improved his record to 11-2 (six innings, two runs, six hits, one walk, and six K's). His ERA is a sweet 2.35.
As bad as the Orioles are this year, they still drew 47,406 fans split between the two games. St. Pete and Tampa have too many retirees and snowbirds to support the team at this level. The retirees and snowbirds have their own lifetime habit of rooting for their former hometown teams. The Rays haven't been able to crack that mentality, though they came close once upon a time when Joe Madden was beloved by the senior population--and then left them in the lurch when he abandoned the area and earned his nickname, Traitor Joe. And now we have Montreal breathing down our necks.
Friday, July 12. Game 92: Off and running: 16 runs and 20 hits
Rays 16, Orioles 4
Record: 53-39
Attendance: 22,422
A wee bit of the drama was squeezed out of Friday night's Rays-Orioles game when the Rays scored seven runs in the top of the first. They tacked on another couple in the second, one more each in the fourth and sixth--and then five pile-on runs in the seventh. Final score 16-4. Going into Saturday's day-night double-header, I doubt the Orioles will forget the merciless drubbing they received on Friday, so beware of karma, Rays. Payback's a bitch.
But on the surface, everything looks good for the Rays going into Saturday's games. Phenom Brendan McKay will pitch the first game at 1:05, and All-Star Charlie Morton will get the ball for the nightcap at 7:05. Manager Kevin Cash will be hoping for another opportunistic and relentless hitting display, but even at hitter-friendly Camden Yards, Friday's production is not likely to bleed into Saturday's games. But as we turn to game two of the rest of the season, hope can't be contained. This could be the start of something big.
As to the heroes of Friday night's slaughter, you have to start with Nate Lowe, who homered, doubled, and hit two balls off the right field wall that came back into play so quickly that Lowe was held to two singles. Tommy Pham also homered, his 14th, and the rest of the team got hit after hit, 20 in all. And on the pitching end, Yonny Chirinos came through with seven efficient innings (two runs, four hits, no walks, eight Ks) to pick up his eighth win of the year. Mop-up work went to newly arrived Durham pitcher Ian Gibaut, who pitched a clean eighth, but a messy ninth. And then it was over. A grand start to the second half of the season.
Record: 53-39
Attendance: 22,422
A wee bit of the drama was squeezed out of Friday night's Rays-Orioles game when the Rays scored seven runs in the top of the first. They tacked on another couple in the second, one more each in the fourth and sixth--and then five pile-on runs in the seventh. Final score 16-4. Going into Saturday's day-night double-header, I doubt the Orioles will forget the merciless drubbing they received on Friday, so beware of karma, Rays. Payback's a bitch.
But on the surface, everything looks good for the Rays going into Saturday's games. Phenom Brendan McKay will pitch the first game at 1:05, and All-Star Charlie Morton will get the ball for the nightcap at 7:05. Manager Kevin Cash will be hoping for another opportunistic and relentless hitting display, but even at hitter-friendly Camden Yards, Friday's production is not likely to bleed into Saturday's games. But as we turn to game two of the rest of the season, hope can't be contained. This could be the start of something big.
As to the heroes of Friday night's slaughter, you have to start with Nate Lowe, who homered, doubled, and hit two balls off the right field wall that came back into play so quickly that Lowe was held to two singles. Tommy Pham also homered, his 14th, and the rest of the team got hit after hit, 20 in all. And on the pitching end, Yonny Chirinos came through with seven efficient innings (two runs, four hits, no walks, eight Ks) to pick up his eighth win of the year. Mop-up work went to newly arrived Durham pitcher Ian Gibaut, who pitched a clean eighth, but a messy ninth. And then it was over. A grand start to the second half of the season.
Sunday, July 7. Game 91: Rays find a way to split series with Yankees. Morton, 10-2.
Rays 2, Yankees 1
Record: 52-39
Attendance: 20,091
Saturday's miracle win--that was Travis d'Arnaud's walkoff home run in the bottom of the ninth--was repeated in a much less dramatic fashion on Sunday. The Rays managed to score two in the first, Tommy Pham driving home d'Arnaud with a double and Avisail Garcia driving in Pham with a ground ball force out to third. The Yankees answered with a solo homer from Brett Gardner in the top of the second. And that was it for scoring, the Rays holding on for a 2-1 win. That's a lot of holding on against the Yankees, but the Rays did it, making it two miracles in two days.
But here's the thing: dramatic miracles or not, Sunday's win gave the Rays a split in the series, which hardly seemed possible after the way they lost games one and two in the four-game set by three-run homers, one in the top of the ninth and one in the eleventh. Serious fans were bailing ship.
Charlie Morton got the win on Sunday for five and two-thirds innings (one run, five hits, one walk, one HR, and 10 Ks). He ran his All-Star record to 10-2, with a league-leading ERA of 2.32. Then the bullpen came through with three and a third innings of flawless work, Emilio Pagan picking up his fifth save in the ninth, when he struck out two. Miracle, miracle, miracle.
We are now officially at the All-Star break, real games beginning again on Friday July 12 at the Orioles in Baltimore, followed by four more games against the Yankees in the Bronx. It's good thee Rays get a long breather between now and Yankees II. They need it.
Record: 52-39
Attendance: 20,091
Saturday's miracle win--that was Travis d'Arnaud's walkoff home run in the bottom of the ninth--was repeated in a much less dramatic fashion on Sunday. The Rays managed to score two in the first, Tommy Pham driving home d'Arnaud with a double and Avisail Garcia driving in Pham with a ground ball force out to third. The Yankees answered with a solo homer from Brett Gardner in the top of the second. And that was it for scoring, the Rays holding on for a 2-1 win. That's a lot of holding on against the Yankees, but the Rays did it, making it two miracles in two days.
But here's the thing: dramatic miracles or not, Sunday's win gave the Rays a split in the series, which hardly seemed possible after the way they lost games one and two in the four-game set by three-run homers, one in the top of the ninth and one in the eleventh. Serious fans were bailing ship.
Charlie Morton got the win on Sunday for five and two-thirds innings (one run, five hits, one walk, one HR, and 10 Ks). He ran his All-Star record to 10-2, with a league-leading ERA of 2.32. Then the bullpen came through with three and a third innings of flawless work, Emilio Pagan picking up his fifth save in the ninth, when he struck out two. Miracle, miracle, miracle.
We are now officially at the All-Star break, real games beginning again on Friday July 12 at the Orioles in Baltimore, followed by four more games against the Yankees in the Bronx. It's good thee Rays get a long breather between now and Yankees II. They need it.
Saturday, July 6. Game 90: Travis d'Arnaud, walkoff homer!
Rays 4, Yankees 3
Record: 51-39
Attendance: 21,477
You might think at first the Ray's victory over the Yankees is a signal that the team has finally turned the corner, found a way to counteract the Yankee curse on them. But you'd be wrong.
Fact is, the Rays recent assault on decent baseball has been all about pitching, relief pitching in the late innings, to be exact. Somehow they have managed to turn close games into lopsided defeats because the high-leverage guys melt down and give up three-run homers. Yesterday, Aaron Hicks hit a top-of-the-ninth, two-out, two-strike pitch into the left field bleachers to tie the game at three. It was another pitching collapse--this time aided by Manager Kevin Cash, who took out smooth-sailing Oliver Drake and replaced him with Colin Poche, who promptly gave up the home run to Hicks.
It was going to take a miracle to rewrite the Yankee victory script that seemed inevitable. And lo and behold, they got one in the person of Travis d'Arnaud, who hit a two-out homer to the opposite field for a walkoff victory celebration. It was dramatic enough to turn the season around, but we shouldn't forget the late-inning pitching is just the same today as it has been for the last four games when opponents have had home run explosions. Don't get your hopes too high.
Apart from the egregious error in allowing Hicks to homer in the ninth, the Rays played a good game. D'Arnaud collected three hits and two RBIs, and newly recalled Nate Lowe, who had his first home run as a Ray the night before, hit his second, a two-run blast off C. C. Sabathia that gave the Rays a 3-2 lead in the seventh.
Blake Snell was pressed hard for five innings (93 pitches) with tough matchups and runners forcing him to make good pitches in the clutch. Which he did except for the home run he allowed to Brett Gardner in the second.
Chaz Roe pitched an inning (one walk), and then in the seventh, Cash brought in Jose Alvarado, who was as dismal as ever allowing two singles, giving up a wild pitch, and after being responsible for the then-tie-breaking run, he collapsed with a right oblique strain that will probably put him on the IL for six weeks. If he hadn't been actually hurt, it would have been a good idea to stage an injury just to get him out of the way.
And yes, this is the right place to wonder out lout once again how long it will take the Rays front office to find us a pitcher or two.
After Alvarado left, Jake Faria walked two in a third of an inning, followed by Oliver Drake, who pitched a fine inning and two-thirds, striking out two before Colin Poche came in to give up the game-tying homer to Hicks. And for that stellar performance, he got the win.
From one point of view, this was a great game to watch, but for Rays' fans it was pure torture
The series against the Yankees ends today with the surprising possibility (considering how much they have been manhandled by the Yankees) that they can split the four games. To do that, they will put the ball in Charlie Morton's hands. Could be worse.
Record: 51-39
Attendance: 21,477
You might think at first the Ray's victory over the Yankees is a signal that the team has finally turned the corner, found a way to counteract the Yankee curse on them. But you'd be wrong.
Fact is, the Rays recent assault on decent baseball has been all about pitching, relief pitching in the late innings, to be exact. Somehow they have managed to turn close games into lopsided defeats because the high-leverage guys melt down and give up three-run homers. Yesterday, Aaron Hicks hit a top-of-the-ninth, two-out, two-strike pitch into the left field bleachers to tie the game at three. It was another pitching collapse--this time aided by Manager Kevin Cash, who took out smooth-sailing Oliver Drake and replaced him with Colin Poche, who promptly gave up the home run to Hicks.
It was going to take a miracle to rewrite the Yankee victory script that seemed inevitable. And lo and behold, they got one in the person of Travis d'Arnaud, who hit a two-out homer to the opposite field for a walkoff victory celebration. It was dramatic enough to turn the season around, but we shouldn't forget the late-inning pitching is just the same today as it has been for the last four games when opponents have had home run explosions. Don't get your hopes too high.
Apart from the egregious error in allowing Hicks to homer in the ninth, the Rays played a good game. D'Arnaud collected three hits and two RBIs, and newly recalled Nate Lowe, who had his first home run as a Ray the night before, hit his second, a two-run blast off C. C. Sabathia that gave the Rays a 3-2 lead in the seventh.
Blake Snell was pressed hard for five innings (93 pitches) with tough matchups and runners forcing him to make good pitches in the clutch. Which he did except for the home run he allowed to Brett Gardner in the second.
Chaz Roe pitched an inning (one walk), and then in the seventh, Cash brought in Jose Alvarado, who was as dismal as ever allowing two singles, giving up a wild pitch, and after being responsible for the then-tie-breaking run, he collapsed with a right oblique strain that will probably put him on the IL for six weeks. If he hadn't been actually hurt, it would have been a good idea to stage an injury just to get him out of the way.
And yes, this is the right place to wonder out lout once again how long it will take the Rays front office to find us a pitcher or two.
After Alvarado left, Jake Faria walked two in a third of an inning, followed by Oliver Drake, who pitched a fine inning and two-thirds, striking out two before Colin Poche came in to give up the game-tying homer to Hicks. And for that stellar performance, he got the win.
From one point of view, this was a great game to watch, but for Rays' fans it was pure torture
The series against the Yankees ends today with the surprising possibility (considering how much they have been manhandled by the Yankees) that they can split the four games. To do that, they will put the ball in Charlie Morton's hands. Could be worse.
Friday, July 5. Game 89: Deja vu all over again.
Yankees 8, Rays 4 (11 innings)
Record: 50-39
Attendance: 22,189
For three consecutive nights, the Rays have given away games, one in the 9th inning, one in the 10th, and now one in the eleventh, all because they don't have a late inning closer. Three nights ago it was Jose Alvarado who melted down and gave up six runs in the top of the ninth. Two nights ago it was Oliver Drake and Emilio Pagan who dished up five runs in the tenth. Last night it was Ryne Stanek who gave up four runs in the eleventh. Each one of those late-inning collapses featured a three-run homer. The Rays can maybe get away with some of these high-leverage losers against the lower tier clubs, but against the good ones, the Rays don't stand a chance. It's a weakness that has become a full-scale laugh-out-loud embarrassment.
Going into extra innings, the Rays looked respectable last night. Brendan McKay pitched five good innings (three runs, six hits, no walks), Newcomer Michael Brosseau continued to impress with three hits, including an off-the-wall double to left. Kevin Kiermaier drove in two with a single that upped his RBI total to 41 on the year. And there were home runs from Mike Zunino and Nate Lowe, his first ever.
But then came the 11th and all the good went down the drain when Stanek gave the game away. With Alvarado and Diego Castillo both unreliable at the moment (they are both young and both learning from their losses), and no one else in the bullpen who can tolerate the pressure of late-inning, lead-protecting situations, the Rays either have to write the season off--or go into the market before the July 31 trade deadline. Makes sense.
It also makes sense that they are going to have to give up some of their prized minor league talent to get the closer they need. Tit for tat. I say bite the bullet. Give up a promising player or two to get the sort of pitcher who can turn things around. Shop for a life line and save the season.
Record: 50-39
Attendance: 22,189
For three consecutive nights, the Rays have given away games, one in the 9th inning, one in the 10th, and now one in the eleventh, all because they don't have a late inning closer. Three nights ago it was Jose Alvarado who melted down and gave up six runs in the top of the ninth. Two nights ago it was Oliver Drake and Emilio Pagan who dished up five runs in the tenth. Last night it was Ryne Stanek who gave up four runs in the eleventh. Each one of those late-inning collapses featured a three-run homer. The Rays can maybe get away with some of these high-leverage losers against the lower tier clubs, but against the good ones, the Rays don't stand a chance. It's a weakness that has become a full-scale laugh-out-loud embarrassment.
Going into extra innings, the Rays looked respectable last night. Brendan McKay pitched five good innings (three runs, six hits, no walks), Newcomer Michael Brosseau continued to impress with three hits, including an off-the-wall double to left. Kevin Kiermaier drove in two with a single that upped his RBI total to 41 on the year. And there were home runs from Mike Zunino and Nate Lowe, his first ever.
But then came the 11th and all the good went down the drain when Stanek gave the game away. With Alvarado and Diego Castillo both unreliable at the moment (they are both young and both learning from their losses), and no one else in the bullpen who can tolerate the pressure of late-inning, lead-protecting situations, the Rays either have to write the season off--or go into the market before the July 31 trade deadline. Makes sense.
It also makes sense that they are going to have to give up some of their prized minor league talent to get the closer they need. Tit for tat. I say bite the bullet. Give up a promising player or two to get the sort of pitcher who can turn things around. Shop for a life line and save the season.
Thursday, July 4. Game 88: High leverage bullpen failure, again
Yankees 8, Rays 4 (10 innings)
Record: 50-38
Attendance: 21,974
Wednesday night the Rays gave up six runs to the lowly Orioles in the ninth inning, and lost. Thursday night they gave up five runs to the mighty Yankees in the tenth inning, and lost again. Wednesday Jose Alvarado had a monumental meltdown. Thursday the damage was split between Oliver Drake and Emilio Pagan, who managed one out between them, giving up a collected five runs, three hits, and two walks, the big blow being a three-run homer by Gary Sanchez off Pagan. Reports were that it traveled 461 feet, but it looked more like 661 feet.
The loss pushed the second place Rays 7 and a half games behind the Yankees, and there is no indication the Yanks are planning a return to earth to play human-sized baseball any time soon.
Friday's game will feature Brendan McKay, looking to prove he is as good as his first game against the Rangers, but again, he's got to deal with the Yankee super heroes. Good luck with that Brendan. And to make matters worse, he will be facing off against Masahiro Tanaka, who has made a career beating the Rays, including twice this year giving up one earned run over 22 innings. Maybe they should just phone in a forfeit.
If they do play, Manager Cash had better have a better idea about what to do in high leverage situations than he's had for the last two nights.
Okay. Bring it on. Let's see what happens. How can you love baseball and hate it at the same time? Right now I'm praying for a strong W, but if it's another heartbreaking loss to the hated Yankees, I'll be offering to help the Rays pack tonight for Montreal. Damn their traitorous hearts.
Record: 50-38
Attendance: 21,974
Wednesday night the Rays gave up six runs to the lowly Orioles in the ninth inning, and lost. Thursday night they gave up five runs to the mighty Yankees in the tenth inning, and lost again. Wednesday Jose Alvarado had a monumental meltdown. Thursday the damage was split between Oliver Drake and Emilio Pagan, who managed one out between them, giving up a collected five runs, three hits, and two walks, the big blow being a three-run homer by Gary Sanchez off Pagan. Reports were that it traveled 461 feet, but it looked more like 661 feet.
The loss pushed the second place Rays 7 and a half games behind the Yankees, and there is no indication the Yanks are planning a return to earth to play human-sized baseball any time soon.
Friday's game will feature Brendan McKay, looking to prove he is as good as his first game against the Rangers, but again, he's got to deal with the Yankee super heroes. Good luck with that Brendan. And to make matters worse, he will be facing off against Masahiro Tanaka, who has made a career beating the Rays, including twice this year giving up one earned run over 22 innings. Maybe they should just phone in a forfeit.
If they do play, Manager Cash had better have a better idea about what to do in high leverage situations than he's had for the last two nights.
Okay. Bring it on. Let's see what happens. How can you love baseball and hate it at the same time? Right now I'm praying for a strong W, but if it's another heartbreaking loss to the hated Yankees, I'll be offering to help the Rays pack tonight for Montreal. Damn their traitorous hearts.
Wednesday, July 3. Game 87: Jose Alvarado: Rays killer
Orioles 9, Rays 6
Record: 50-37
Attendance: 21,545
This game was just another ho-hum affair, a 3-3 tie going into the ninth. I had to miss the first few minutes of the top of the inning, but by the time I resumed my seat with a cold drink in hand, the score was 9-3 Baltimore.
Wait. What just happened? The long and short of it is that Jose Alvarado happened. As miserable as he has been even before his recent sabbatical, this was certainly his worst outing of the year: six runs (five earned), 4 hits, a three-run homer, and one walk in two-thirds of an inning. He took the loss, bringing his record down to 0-5.
In the bottom of the ninth the Rays put together a three-run rally bringing the tying run to the plate in the person of Tommy Pham--who took a third called strike to end the game, finally. 9-6. It played way more like a missed opportunity than a standard L in the long course of the season.
As yet no mention in any news outlets of Alvarado heading to the minors to learn how to pitch again. But I'd be surprised if we didn't here something like that any day now. Heads should roll if Alvarado plays at all in the Yankee series that begins tomorrow, July 4.
File this under "Finally Some Good News": Brandon Lowe was named to the All-Star team even though his shin injury will keep him from playing. His stat line: .276 BA, .339 OBP, 40 runs, 16 HRs, 49 RBIs. A well-earned honor for the slightly built second baseman who hits 500-foot homers. Congratulations.
Record: 50-37
Attendance: 21,545
This game was just another ho-hum affair, a 3-3 tie going into the ninth. I had to miss the first few minutes of the top of the inning, but by the time I resumed my seat with a cold drink in hand, the score was 9-3 Baltimore.
Wait. What just happened? The long and short of it is that Jose Alvarado happened. As miserable as he has been even before his recent sabbatical, this was certainly his worst outing of the year: six runs (five earned), 4 hits, a three-run homer, and one walk in two-thirds of an inning. He took the loss, bringing his record down to 0-5.
In the bottom of the ninth the Rays put together a three-run rally bringing the tying run to the plate in the person of Tommy Pham--who took a third called strike to end the game, finally. 9-6. It played way more like a missed opportunity than a standard L in the long course of the season.
As yet no mention in any news outlets of Alvarado heading to the minors to learn how to pitch again. But I'd be surprised if we didn't here something like that any day now. Heads should roll if Alvarado plays at all in the Yankee series that begins tomorrow, July 4.
File this under "Finally Some Good News": Brandon Lowe was named to the All-Star team even though his shin injury will keep him from playing. His stat line: .276 BA, .339 OBP, 40 runs, 16 HRs, 49 RBIs. A well-earned honor for the slightly built second baseman who hits 500-foot homers. Congratulations.
Tuesday, July 2. Game 86. Rays win. Morton sharp, again.
Rays 6, Orioles 3
Record: 50-36
Attendance: 20,925
One point of value: The Rays were sold by Vince Naimoli to a group headed by Stu Sternberg in 2004 for $200 million, according to Forbes, which places the team value at $1 billion today. Sternberg's initial investment has picked up $800 million in 15 years, an incredible return that most people, though not Sternberg and company, would be thrilled with. Adding icing to Sternberg's cake, Forbes also reports that the team's new contract with Fox Sports will yield them this year (and for the next 14) $87 million, an increase of $52 million a year over the previous earnings. And still the Rays cry poor and blame the population for not showing up in high enough numbers for Rays games. Their profit margin has to be higher--or they will move to Montreal. It's pure greed, not very pretty, that motivates Sternberg and Co. I say good riddance. We deserve a franchise that can figure out how to fill seats without making fans feel they are depriving poor Stu from the profits he deserves. Take responsibility for your failures, Stu.
Tuesday's game was a cookie-cutter duplication of Monday's game, hardly worth pausing over. It didn't even have the curiosity level of seeing Brendan McKay DHing. Charlie Morton did win his ninth game and Rays pitching did combine for 17 strikeouts. And Brandon Lowe did go 3 for 3 with a home run. But in the end this one, like yesterday's game, went according to pregame analyses, and didn't do much to keep fans glued to their seats.
Record: 50-36
Attendance: 20,925
One point of value: The Rays were sold by Vince Naimoli to a group headed by Stu Sternberg in 2004 for $200 million, according to Forbes, which places the team value at $1 billion today. Sternberg's initial investment has picked up $800 million in 15 years, an incredible return that most people, though not Sternberg and company, would be thrilled with. Adding icing to Sternberg's cake, Forbes also reports that the team's new contract with Fox Sports will yield them this year (and for the next 14) $87 million, an increase of $52 million a year over the previous earnings. And still the Rays cry poor and blame the population for not showing up in high enough numbers for Rays games. Their profit margin has to be higher--or they will move to Montreal. It's pure greed, not very pretty, that motivates Sternberg and Co. I say good riddance. We deserve a franchise that can figure out how to fill seats without making fans feel they are depriving poor Stu from the profits he deserves. Take responsibility for your failures, Stu.
Tuesday's game was a cookie-cutter duplication of Monday's game, hardly worth pausing over. It didn't even have the curiosity level of seeing Brendan McKay DHing. Charlie Morton did win his ninth game and Rays pitching did combine for 17 strikeouts. And Brandon Lowe did go 3 for 3 with a home run. But in the end this one, like yesterday's game, went according to pregame analyses, and didn't do much to keep fans glued to their seats.
Monday, July 1. Game 85. Brendan McKay, DH: 0-4
Rays 6, Orioles 3
Record: 49-36
Attendance: 20,441 Boosted by $2.00 tickets, peanuts, and soft drinks. But pay attention, Stu, people will show up.
The Orioles aren't very good, even though they dismantled the Cleveland Indians twice over the weekend, both 13-0 shutouts. But then they lost the Sunday game 2-0 before heading to the Trop where they lost 6-3 on Monday.
It was an "opener" day for the Rays, so there were seven pitchers overall. Among the more noteworthy were Chaz Roe, who took two giant steps backward, giving up two hits and two runs in two-thirds of an inning. Adam Kolarek got the win for his third of an inning. And Jose Alvarado, finally back from his sabbatical, got his seventh save of the year, even though Jonathan Villar doubled off him in the ninth.
Offensively, the Rays had 10 hits, but the big one was a three-run homer to center by Kevin Kiermaier, his 10th of the year, in the sixth, opening the game up.
And so now the Rays have a modest three-game winning streak going.
If it sounds boring, it pretty much was. There were a couple of moments, but mostly it was a chore to sit through. Except for the batting debut of the Rays new two-way rookie Brendan McKay, who wasn't enough to keep me from napping: four groundouts and a pick off on second. He's clearly not up to speed as a hitter or base runner
Record: 49-36
Attendance: 20,441 Boosted by $2.00 tickets, peanuts, and soft drinks. But pay attention, Stu, people will show up.
The Orioles aren't very good, even though they dismantled the Cleveland Indians twice over the weekend, both 13-0 shutouts. But then they lost the Sunday game 2-0 before heading to the Trop where they lost 6-3 on Monday.
It was an "opener" day for the Rays, so there were seven pitchers overall. Among the more noteworthy were Chaz Roe, who took two giant steps backward, giving up two hits and two runs in two-thirds of an inning. Adam Kolarek got the win for his third of an inning. And Jose Alvarado, finally back from his sabbatical, got his seventh save of the year, even though Jonathan Villar doubled off him in the ninth.
Offensively, the Rays had 10 hits, but the big one was a three-run homer to center by Kevin Kiermaier, his 10th of the year, in the sixth, opening the game up.
And so now the Rays have a modest three-game winning streak going.
If it sounds boring, it pretty much was. There were a couple of moments, but mostly it was a chore to sit through. Except for the batting debut of the Rays new two-way rookie Brendan McKay, who wasn't enough to keep me from napping: four groundouts and a pick off on second. He's clearly not up to speed as a hitter or base runner
Sunday, June 30. Game 84. Overcoming a 12,000-foot homer
Rays 6, Rangers 2
Record: 48-36
Attendance: 11,234
The 2-1 series win against the Rangers was the Rays first series win in the last five, going back to June 9. And they have their Number One Cy Young Award Winner Blake Snell to thank for it. He pitched six innings, 12 Ks, no walks, and only two runs scored on three total hits and only 80 pitches. But the two runs came in on Joey Gallo's "12,000-foot homer," in the words of the Times' Martin Fennelly. Ernest Hooper of the Times called it a "mammoth home run that struck the Trop's D-ring catwalk above rightfield." Majestic and breathtaking come to mind. And still Snell's record improved to 5-7.
Manager Kevin Cash was tossed in the second inning for arguing strike calls against slumping Avisail Garcia, trying it seemed to improve the strike-calling to help his struggling right fielder. So the game was managed by bench coach Matt Quatraro, who had the real Blake Snell to lean on, though the decision to lift Snell was questionable considering his low pitch count and 4-2 lead. It's hard to imagine Kevin Cash wasn't managing from the clubhouse via text messaging, and that he had no input in shutting down Snell after six.
Either way, Chaz Roe, Colin Poche, Adam Kolarek, and Emilio Pagan combined for three innings of one-hit ball, just as spectacular in their way as Snell and McKay in theirs.
The signs were good for two games in a row, including Tommy Pham's solo blast in the fifth, his 13th, and a two-run add-on courtesy of a run-producing triple from Kevin Kiermaier, who scored on a passed ball. Finally back-to-back games to build hope on.
Rays All-Stars both slumping. Austin Meadows and Charlie Morton will represent the Rays at the All-Star game, though neither one is playing well at the moment. Morton has lost his last two outings, and Meadows has lost nearly 50 points on his BA in June. There have been sensational performances from both in April and May, however, and it's good that no one has forgotten. Congratulations are in order.
Record: 48-36
Attendance: 11,234
The 2-1 series win against the Rangers was the Rays first series win in the last five, going back to June 9. And they have their Number One Cy Young Award Winner Blake Snell to thank for it. He pitched six innings, 12 Ks, no walks, and only two runs scored on three total hits and only 80 pitches. But the two runs came in on Joey Gallo's "12,000-foot homer," in the words of the Times' Martin Fennelly. Ernest Hooper of the Times called it a "mammoth home run that struck the Trop's D-ring catwalk above rightfield." Majestic and breathtaking come to mind. And still Snell's record improved to 5-7.
Manager Kevin Cash was tossed in the second inning for arguing strike calls against slumping Avisail Garcia, trying it seemed to improve the strike-calling to help his struggling right fielder. So the game was managed by bench coach Matt Quatraro, who had the real Blake Snell to lean on, though the decision to lift Snell was questionable considering his low pitch count and 4-2 lead. It's hard to imagine Kevin Cash wasn't managing from the clubhouse via text messaging, and that he had no input in shutting down Snell after six.
Either way, Chaz Roe, Colin Poche, Adam Kolarek, and Emilio Pagan combined for three innings of one-hit ball, just as spectacular in their way as Snell and McKay in theirs.
The signs were good for two games in a row, including Tommy Pham's solo blast in the fifth, his 13th, and a two-run add-on courtesy of a run-producing triple from Kevin Kiermaier, who scored on a passed ball. Finally back-to-back games to build hope on.
Rays All-Stars both slumping. Austin Meadows and Charlie Morton will represent the Rays at the All-Star game, though neither one is playing well at the moment. Morton has lost his last two outings, and Meadows has lost nearly 50 points on his BA in June. There have been sensational performances from both in April and May, however, and it's good that no one has forgotten. Congratulations are in order.
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