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.
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