DRaysBay: All Posts by Gareth ReesA Tampa Bay Rays Blog: Ball on a Budgethttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48753/drb-logo-fv.png2013-10-07T22:43:35-04:00https://www.draysbay.com/authors/gareth-rees/rss2013-10-07T22:43:35-04:002013-10-07T22:43:35-04:00Rays 5, Sox 4: ICE CREAM FOR EVERYONE
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<figcaption>Mike Ehrmann</figcaption>
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<p>The Rays are on the brink of elimination, so won't you come on a 2,000 word journey with me?</p> <p>On the brink of elimination, the Rays needed a big start from <span>Alex Cobb</span> to extend their season. They also needed their bats to come alive against <span>Clay Buchholz</span>, a pitcher that has baffled them at times in the past and always pitches them tough. The Rays were obviously disappointed with their first two games of the season but if theres a team that plays their best in elimination games its this one, so it was sure to be an exiting night at Tropicana Field.</p>
<p>The sloppy defense that has plagued the Rays the entire series reared its ugly head again in the first inning. After a <span>Jacoby Ellsbury</span> groundball squirted through the infield, and an amped up Alex Cobb drilled <span>Shane Victorino</span> in the back, <span>Dustin Pedroia</span> shot a tailor-made double play grounder to Longoria at third. Longo didn't have to move at all to field the ball and fired a quick feed to <span>Ben Zobrist</span>. The usually sure-handed second-baseman took the throw and stood in as Victorino slide in hard and late, causing Zobrist's throw to first to elude Loney and skip towards the Rays dugout, sending Victorino scampering home and giving the Red Sox an early and ominous one run lead.</p>
<p>Cobb would escape the inning with no further damage despite a walk to David Ortiz.</p>
<p>In the bottom half of the inning, the Rays answered by putting their own lead off man on when <span>David DeJesus</span> singled on a blooper to shallow left. Just like the Red Sox the inning before, Ben Zobrist grounded into a potential double play with <span>Mike Napoli</span> making a nice throw to second to nail DeJesus. The return throw was not in time to get Zobrist but <span>Evan Longoria</span> and <span>Wil Myers</span> did nothing against the greasy-as-ever Clay Buchholz. The throw by Napoli was tricky but executed perfectly, in direct contrast to Zobrist's, and the difference is a run on the scoreboard for one team and a zero for the other.</p>
<p>Cobb would bounce back in the second, retiring the Red Sox with a strike out of <span>Jarrod Saltalamacchia</span>, a flyout from <span>Stephen Drew</span> and a dazzling stop on a dribbler up the third base line from Will Middlebrooks. It looked like a sure-fire infield single for the Red Sox third baseman as Longoria was playing him deep and had no chance to reach the slow roller, but Cobb was quick off the mound getting to the ball near the foul line and fired a bullet to <span>James Loney</span> to end the frame.</p>
<p>Unfortunately for the Rays, they would experience some more tough luck in the bottom half. James Loney led off the inning with a well struck double to left and then <span>Desmond Jennings</span> then hit a hard line drive to the right side that if its two inches to the left ties the game. Instead, it lands in the glove of Napoli, who then fired to second to double up a diving Loney. Matt Joyce, now batting with the bases empty, flied out to a diving <span>Daniel Nava</span> in left field to end the potential rally. A perfect example of the kind of bad luck that has plagued the Rays for the entire series and the good breaks that the Red Sox seem to have no limit of.</p>
<p>Both teams would go quietly in the third inning where a <span>Jose Molina</span> foul ball home run would be the only highlight. Shame they don't count.</p>
<p>As the the fourth inning began, TBS viewers were treated to a replay of <span>David Ortiz's</span> second home run from game 2 and Cobb apparently felt the fear in his heart and walked him for a second time. Napoli continued his great game by lining a change up into right field in front of Myers who bobbled the catch a little but got it back in in time to keep the lumbering Ortiz at second.</p>
<p>After an epic 10-pitch battle with Nava, Cobb finally induced a flyball to deep centerfield where Jennings waited under it and made the catch for the first out. Jennings must have not expected Ortiz to run but the big man tagged up and hustled into third without a throw from Jennings. If you've been watching this series, you already knew that the questionable defense would cost the Rays. However, Cobb had other ideas and struck out Saltalamacchia for a second time before making another great play on a ground ball from Drew to escape the jam.</p>
<p>It wouldn't be a playoff game at Tropicana Field without a little catwalk controversy. In the fourth inning, Zobrist, leading off for the Rays, managed to hit not one, but two catwalks in his eight pitch walk. The first was well out of play down the right field line but the second was directly above home plate on a towering foul pop up that Saltalamacchia caught coming down. The catwalk rules turned the out into a foul ball and Zobrist got another chance, drawing a walk with his second life. The twittersphere exploded with complaints about the Trop, most vocally from the Boston media who already forgot all the fly ball outs to left that their monstrous ballpark turned into doubles in the first two games of this series.</p>
<p>With a man on first and Longoria up the Rays now had a chance to make some noise. Frustratingly, Longoria worked a long at bat before striking out on a change up right down the middle that left the face of the Rays franchise frozen with bat on shoulder. Buchholz made at least three mistake pitches to Longoria, who failed to capitalize on any of them. With one out, Wil Myers got a shot and hit the Rays' second foul home run of the night--A laser down the right field line that no doubt would have been fair around the Pesky Pole if this game were being played in Fenway. But those damn catwalks, right?!</p>
<p>With two outs now, the Rays hottest hitter in Loney stepped to the plate and promptly lined a single into right field bringing Jennings to the plate with two on. Jennings showed some great patience and worked a walk from Buchholz to load up the bases for the struggling Matt Joyce. The sold out Tropicana Field crowd rose to their feet and a "Let's go, Rays" chant resounded through the catwalks.</p>
<p>Joyce struck out on three pitches. Of course.</p>
<p>The bad breaks continued for Tampa Bay in the next frame.</p>
<p>Cobb struck out Middlebrooks for the first out of the fifth, but Ellsbury doubled on a ground ball that deflected off the glove of a diving Loney. Victorino then chopped a ball to short and Escobar had to range far to to his right to make a play. After a bobble he flipped the ball to Longoria who tagged out Ellsbury as he stepped on third. Ellsbury was out, the umpire didn't agree. Next year, instant replay might get the call reversed, but this year he was safe. A wild pitch to the next batter brought him sliding home and with it a 2-0 lead and after groundout from Pedroia, an opposite field single through the shift by Ortiz scored another.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Boston Red Sox</a>, wrought with power and beards like bikers, had been reduced to a meek-contact, ground ball machine--exactly the way Cobb drew it up--yet they led 3-0. Baseball.</p>
<p>These are the <a href="https://www.draysbay.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Tampa Bay Rays</a> thought. The cardiac kids. The game-162'ers, the game-163'ers. The team that waits until you absolutely can't help but count them out before coming alive. The team that won three straight elimination games just to be here. And they weren't done.</p>
<p>Opening the bottom of the fifth, <span>Yunel Escobar</span> legged out an infield single beating a throw from Drew with some nice hustle. Jose Molina flied out to right but David DeJesus, making his first postseason appearance this year then doubled to right field wall, putting runners on second and third with one out against a tiring Buchholz. Zobrist, mired in a tough series, stepped to the plate with a great chance to chip away a the Red Sox lead but was unable to capitalize as Buchholz forced him to pop out to shortstop. Now with two outs, Longoria would get another crack at Buccholz.</p>
<p>This time, he did not freeze.</p>
<p>Longoria launched a down and in, 0-1 change up deep into the left field stands, erupting the cheers from the Tropicana faithful and tying the ball game at three a piece. Not a bad birthday gift for Longo who always seems to have a flair for the dramatic longball.</p>
<p>Buchholz issued a walk to Myers and Loney singled yet again to continue the rally but Jennings popped out to left to end any further threat. Through five tense innings, neither team was any closer to winning this game than they were when they started it.</p>
<p>The sixth inning did little to change the outcome. <span>Alex Torres</span> relieved Cobb and worked a scoreless frame, bookended by strike outs of Nava and Middlebrooks and Buchholz returned to the mound and posted a 1-2-3 inning, getting Joyce, Escobar and Molina to all pop out. Cobb's final line of 5 IP, 94 pitches, and 3 runs was not stellar but the change up artist did a great job of keeping his team in the game while trailing for the entire time he was in there. An unearned run and some sloppy defense bellied his strong outing but his effort was surely appreciated by his teammates. Buchholz was able to work one inning deeper than Cobb, but surrendered an equal three runs on seven hits while throwing 104 pitches.</p>
<p>Neither team could score in the seventh as <span>Joel Peralta</span> worked through the heart of the Red Sox order without allowing a baserunner. In between innings, Julianna Zobrist (Ben's wife) belted out a fine version of God Bless America and in the bottom half, her husband singled with one out and got to second after a first pitch wild pitch from Red Sox reliever Junichi Tazawa. With another big spot for Longoria, electric violins stirred the crowd but Longo popped out to third base leaving a go-ahead run in the hands of embattled Wil Myers. Myers struck out swinging on a nasty change up to end the inning but the cost was higher than just an out and missed opportunity. Myers appeared to pull something on his two-strike swing and had to leave the game after his at bat, forcing Joe Maddon to move his DH, Joyce, to right field and surrender the DH--National League baseball in St. Petersburg.</p>
<p>The top of the eighth would see some unnecessary drama unfold after Ortiz walked to lead off the inning and was replaced by pinch runner Quintin Berry. The speedster, Berry, is on the Red Sox roster simply for his baserunning and wasted little time attempting to swipe second on Jake McGee. Unfortunately for Berry, Molina had him dead to rights with a perfect throw to a Zobrist, who applied the tag to Berry's back before his hand touched second. The umpire however, decided that one blown call was not enough and called Berry safe. Replay confirmed the real-time suspicions that Berry was out and Joe Maddon trotted out to argue the call to no avail.</p>
<p>McGee got Napolit to ground out to short and Escobar held Berry at second before firing to first. The Rays then elected to intentionally walk pinch hitter <span>Jonny Gomes</span>, preferring instead to challenge Saltalamacchia from the right side. The move paid off as McGee overpowered the Red Sox catcher with heat and struck him out and finished the inning with a pop up from Drew. It was a relief to not have the human element lead to another run but a situation that the Rays should never have had to deal with in the first place.</p>
<p>With the momentum swinging back their way, the Rays looked to go ahead in the bottom of the eighth and found themselves in good shape right away as the already 3 for 3 James Loney drew a lead off walk. Maddon elected to pinch run with <span>Sam Fuld</span> despite his dwindling outfield depth and Jennings stepped to the plate with the Rays fans standing. Jennings laid down a perfect bunt up the first base line that all of the Napoli, Pedroia and pitcher trio converging on it and leaving no one covering firstbase and allowing Jennings to be safe. With two on and no outs, Joyce entered the batters box in a perfect sacrifice bunt situation but whiffed on his first attempt and fouled out on the second. Escobar would pick Joyce up however, as he hit a slow grounder over the mound that both Drew and Pedroia dove for but couldn't come up with in time to get any outs--bases loaded.</p>
<p>Enter <span>Delmon Young</span>.</p>
<p>Did you know that Young has the game winning RBI for his team in their last 5 postseason wins? True facts. Well Young wanted to make it six and swung away first pitch, crushing a ground ball down to firstbase that Napoli managed to stop with a dive. Napoli popped up quickly but had no play at home as Sam Fuld was speeding down the line. The Rays never had a ball leave the infield in the inning but they had their first lead of the night at 4-3 and Delmon Young was yet again the playoff magician.</p>
<p>So we would go to the ninth, and there would be nothing to worry about as the Rays had the ever reliable <span>Fernando Rodney</span> warming up... Ooops.</p>
<p>Rodney immediately came out wild, missing the zone by quite a large margin and walking the number nine hitter on just five pitches. Ellsbury followed up with a bloop single to left that put two runners on. Victorino did exactly what Joyce could not do an inning earlier and put down a sacrifice bunt moving both runners up. For some bizarre reason Maddon decided to let Rodney pitch to Pedroia despite first base open and Ortiz removed from the game earlier, and the move did not end well as Pedroia grounded out to shortstop but forced a run home to tie the game at four. Rodney, the rollercoaster closer all season, could not make this easy for Rays fans and picked the biggest stage to have his biggest meltdown. Mercifully, Rodney was able to retire <span>Mike Carp</span> on strikes to end the frame and keep the Rays tied.</p>
<p>Ughhhhhhhh.</p>
<p>But hey, walk offs are more fun, right? (This is called foreshadowing)</p>
<p>With Boston's "unhittable" closer coming in the ninth, the Rays were looking for some magic. Zobrist grounded out on the first pitch, and Longoria lined out two pitches later. The last chance in the ninth for the Rays would be backup catcher <span>Jose Lobaton</span> who entered the game on a double switch in the previous inning. What happened next was unbelievable.</p>
<p>Swing and a drive.</p>
<p>Deep right field.</p>
<p>Splashdown!</p>
<p>A walk-off home run into the Rays tank, and we will see you tomorrow night. God, I love baseball.</p>
https://www.draysbay.com/2013/10/7/4814150/rays-red-sox-ALDS-evan-longoria-jose-lobaton-walkoff-game4-ALDSGareth Rees2013-09-25T22:48:08-04:002013-09-25T22:48:08-04:00Rays 8, Yankees 3: Longoria powers Rays past Yanks
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<figcaption>Mike Stobe</figcaption>
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<p>The Rays keep rolling, winning their sixth straight.</p> <p>What looked early on to be a a back and fourth matchup turned into a one sided affair as Evan Longoria launched two home runs and lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 8-3 victory over the New York Yankees, eliminating them from playoff contention and keeping the Rays in control of the first wildcard slot ahead of the surging Cleveland Indians.</p>
<p>Having scratched C.C. Sabathia earlier in the week, the Yankees opted for the struggling Phil Hughes on the mound and the Rays took advantage of the downgrade on the hill in quick fashion. In the first inning, Wil Myers doubled off the right field fence and was driven home by a James Loney double into the right field gap, giving the Rays an early 1-0 lead. The Yankees responded in the home half, with a pair of doubles of their own from Eduardo Nunez and Robinson Cano to tie the score.</p>
<p>It appeared that this sparring match would continue as the after the Rays tallied two more runs in the third and knocked Hughes from the game, the Yankees immediately answered with a run of their own with Nunez again doing the damage, this time with a solo shot to left off Rays starter David Price. However, Price settled down and found his groove.</p>
<p>Over the next four innings, Price did not allow another run and finished the evening with eight strike outs and no walks to just six hits, as well as the two earned runs. Price was in clear control of everyone in the Yankee order except Nunez. Price made Alex Rodriguez look silly with a couple of looking strikeouts with a pair of nasty cut fastballs ending both at bats. Alfonso Soriano and Brendan Ryan also struck out three times as Price worked through seven innings.</p>
<p>Price would get some much needed run support in the sixth inning after a slow turn by Cano allowed Wil Myers to avoid an inning ending double play. Loney followed Myers with a two-out single to center and Longoria then launched his first home run of the night to deep left field off Yankees reliever David Huff, a three run shot that gave Price and the Rays a comfortable 4 run lead. David DeJesus then ended Huffs night by launching his own home run to right field on the first pitch of the next at bat.</p>
<p>With the Rays now leading 7-2, Maddon turned to the dynamic duo of Brandon Gomes and Alex Torres to work the eighth and ninth innings. Gomes got himself into trouble, loading up the bases before getting yanked for Joel Peralta. Maddon most likely would have liked to have spared Peralta from working this evening but Gomes gave him little choice as he struggled on the mound. Peralta entered and walked pinch-hitter Lyle Overbay to cut the lead to four but then retired Curtis Granderson on a groundball to Loney.</p>
<p>The Rays would get the run back in the ninth inning on Longoria's second homer of the night, an opposite field shot to right, before Torres entered and worked a quick one-two-three ninth. Looks a little bit like a team peaking at just the right time.</p>
<p>The Rays have now won six straight games and in the process eliminated the Yankees from playoff contention. The Cleveland Indians defeated the Chicago White Sox tonight so the Rays maintain just a one game lead over the Tribe with four left to play.</p>
<p>There are a few issues of concern for the Rays, however. Yunel Escobar sat out after hurting his ankle Tuesday night and Desmond Jennings, who is working his way back from a hamstring issue, pinch hit in the game but was immediately removed for pinch runner Sam Fuld after singling.</p>
https://www.draysbay.com/2013/9/25/4772022/longoria-homers-twice-as-rays-rout-yankees-in-bronx-8-3-hold-on-to-alGareth Rees2013-09-18T23:58:35-04:002013-09-18T23:58:35-04:00Rays 4, Rangers 3: Rays rally past Rangers.
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<figcaption>Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>What a crazy game!</p> <p><span>Desmond Jennings</span> taketh; Desmond Jennings giveth.</p>
<p>After the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.draysbay.com/">Rays</a>' centerfielder's miscue led to two <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> runs, Jennings earned redemption with a walk off single in the bottom of the twelfth inning to propel his club past the Rangers 4-3, and back into the top wildcard slot.</p>
<p>Rays starter <span>Chris Archer</span> surrendered just two runs over six innings, both coming on a two-out fly ball to centerfield that carried over Jennings' head after he initially broke in on the drive. The play was ruled a triple for <span>Leonys Martin</span> but Jennings should have made the play to end the second inning. Instead, the Rays found themselves trailing early and facing the possibility of losing their grasp on the second wildcard spot.</p>
<p>Countering Archer, <span>Derek Holland</span> started out on fire, surrendering the first seven batters he faced before a <span>Jose Molina</span> single in the third inning. Holland would hold the Rays in check throughout the first five frames before finding himself in a spot of trouble in the sixth inning as <span>Wil Myers</span> singled on a groundball with one out. Unfortunately for the Rays, Demon Young grounded up the middle into a sure-fire double play but <span>Jurickson Profar</span> rushed his throw and pulled <span>Mitch Moreland</span> off the bag allowing Young to be safe and extend the inning.</p>
<p>The Rays would make them pay for giving them an extra out as <span>Sean Rodriguez</span> launched a game-tying blast to left field just two pitches later.</p>
<p>The game would remain tied into extra innings as both team worked through their deep September bullpens. For the Rays, <span>Joel Peralta</span>, <span>Jake McGee</span>, Fernando Rodeny and <span>Jamey Wright</span> would all post scoreless outings while the offense failed to get anything off four Rangers relievers. Roberto Hernandez took the hill for the 11th with the score till tied at two and retired <span>Ian Kinsler</span> before hitting the speedy Elvis Andrus. Joe Maddon turned to <span>Alex Torres</span> who got <span>Alex Rios</span> to pop out but <span>Adrian Beltre</span> would single to rightfield with two outs and a lackadaisical effort from Wil Myers allowed the hustling Andrus to score from first base on a single. Myers took a slow route to the ball and showed no urgency in getting the ball in quickly, probably assuming Andrus would stop at third but Andrus forced the issue and scored easily, setting up the Rays for a costly defeat.</p>
<p><span>Joe Nathan</span> entered to earn the save and quickly retired <span>Evan Longoria</span> on a pop out and Myers on strikes. With the team down to their last out, and the season hanging in the balance, they turned to the struggling <span>Matt Joyce</span> who worked a walk from Nathan. Freddy Guzman, newly called up straight from the Mexican leagues entirely for his speed entered to pinch run for Joyce as <span>David DeJesus</span> stepped to the plate. Guzman showed why he was called on by adeptly stealing second base off Rangers catcher A.J. Piersinski and the move paid off when DeJesus slapped a single into right field and fist pumped down the line as Guzman scored to tie the game and give the Rays some hope. <span>James Loney</span> struck out to the end the frame and send the game deeper into extras.</p>
<p>In the twelfth inning the Rays bullpen got into trouble again as Torres allowed a lead off double to <span>Jeff Baker</span> and a walk to Craig Gentry. Profar laid down a sacrifice bunt but a nice play by Longoria to <span>Yunel Escobar</span> cut down the runner at second and preserved a double play. With the tension at its crescendo, Torres bore down and retired Martin on a pop up to Escobar and Maddon turned to <span>Brandon Gomes</span> to get Ian Kinsler, which he did by striking out the high-socked righty with three power fastballs.</p>
<p>In the bottom half, <span>Jose Lobaton</span> lead off with a single and was pinch run for by Sam Fuld. Escobar laid down a sacrifice bunt with two strikes and moved Fuld up to second where Desmond Jenning could finish the job with a line drive single to the other way that sent Fuld sliding into home in front of the throw from Rios. Glorious!</p>
<p>The win pushed the Rays back into sole possession of the top wildcard spot, a game and a half ahead of Cleveland and two games ahead of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.camdenchat.com/">Orioles</a>. If the Rays can finish the series with a win tomorrow they will earn the tiebreaker over Texas but Rangers ace <span>Yu Darvish</span> stands in their way.</p>
https://www.draysbay.com/2013/9/18/4747130/rays-4-rangers-3-tampa-bay-rally-past-texas-for-american-league-wildGareth Rees2013-09-12T00:02:45-04:002013-09-12T00:02:45-04:00Rays 3, Sox 7: Rays fall in extras on Carp slam.
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<figcaption>Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>This version of the Tampa Bay Rays is not very good.</p> <p>The Tampa Bay Rays are absolutely reeling. With their grip on the final AL Wildcard slot slipping and in desperate need of a win, the Rays turned to Alex Cobb to right the ship and inject some life into a clubhouse that is on the verge of collapse.</p>
<p>Cobb, for his part, performed well. He lasted just 5.2 innings and surrendered three runs but gave his team a chance to win. Unfortunately, it seems like any mistake by a Rays starter is the deathknell as the offense continues to mired in a month-long offensive malaise. This night was no different, with the Rays squandering bases loaded opportunities on two occasions and failing to drive in runners in scoring position, going 1-10 in that area, and leaving ten men on base.</p>
<p>The Rays did get a run on a pair of Yunel Escobar and David DeJesus doubles in the third inning and again when Ben Zobrist walked in front of a two-out Evan Longoria double in the seventh. But the continued inability to capitalize on opportunities loomed large as the game headed to the eighth inning and the Rays still trailing by one.</p>
<p>The Rays needed some magic, and they would get a little bit of hope from James Loney, who launched a game tying home run off Workman. Fernando Rodney came in and shut down the Red Sox batters in the ninth and suddenly things were looking up. There was hope in Tropicana Field. The swagger could be back.</p>
<p>It wouldn't last long.</p>
<p>In the tenth inning, Joel Peralta walked leadoff-man Dustin Pedroia and a sac bunt and an intentional walk later Joe Maddon decided to pull arguably his best reliever for his worst starter, Roberto Hernandez. Maddon's thought process was that Hernandez could induce a groundball to escape the inning and work deep into extras if needed. The process was questionable, the results disastrous.</p>
<p>Fausto walked Mike Napoli on four pitches. Mike Carp his a grand slam on the first pitch. Ballgame. Season? Maybe.</p>
https://www.draysbay.com/2013/9/12/4721730/rays-3-red-sox-7-carp-hits-grand-slam-in-extras-to-power-red-sox-pastGareth Rees2013-09-03T01:07:10-04:002013-09-03T01:07:10-04:00Rays 2, Angels 11: Just Awful.
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<figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Rays are not a good baseball team right now.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.draysbay.com/">Tampa Bay Rays</a> got absolutely destroyed by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Los Angeles Angels</a>, Monday night, by a score that looked a lot more like a game between the Raiders and Buccaneers. I actually stayed up and watched this whole debacle and I hate myself for it.</p>
<p>The Rays couldn't pitch, as their starter <span>Chris Archer</span> allowed five runs in just three and two thirds innings. They couldn't score, as they tallied just a six hits and left nearly a dozen of runners on base. They drew a ton of walks, but not a single one of them came around to score.</p>
<p>Basically, it was a total wasted effort.</p>
<p>The only highlight of the game for those that stayed up, was <span>Sam Fuld</span> coming out of the bullpen to pitch in the 8th inning. He entered the game with runners on the corners and two outs and managed to retire <span>J.B. Shuck</span> on a fly ball to center field to end the inning.</p>
<p>I really don't have much else to say about this crap fest.</p>
<p><span>Most of the time you take a game like this and just flush it away--Throw it in the wastebasket as Joe Maddon might say. But after the Rays recent string of suckitude out west, its hard not to get worried about this team's state of mind. Something has to change, and quickly.</span></p>
https://www.draysbay.com/2013/9/3/4688740/rays-angels-game-1-los-angeles-blow-out-reeling-rays-as-wildcard-leadGareth Rees2013-08-25T17:45:11-04:002013-08-25T17:45:11-04:00Rays 2, Yankees 3: NY top Rays in extras
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<figcaption>Al Messerschmidt</figcaption>
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<p>Looking for the sweep the Rays throw Alex Cobb against Ray killer Ivan Nova</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.draysbay.com/">Rays</a> broke out to an early lead in the first inning against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> right-hander <span>Ivan Nova</span>, who started the game looking very shaky. Newest Ray, Daivd DeJesus, batting lead off in place of <span>Desmond Jennings</span>, worked a great at bat before singling to center field. <span>Ben Zobrist</span> walked on four pitches and <span>Evan Longoria</span> wasted little time driving home DeJesus with a single. After a <span>Matt Joyce</span> ground out put runners on the corners, <span>Wil Myers</span> worked a walk to load the bases and give the Rays a chance for a big first frame. However, <span>James Loney</span> slapped the first pitch he saw from Nova to third base, ending the frame with a rally killing double play.</p>
<p>The inability to add on felt like it would loom large and those fears were confirmed as Nova regained his command to retire the side in the second and third innings with the help of another double play. In the top of the fourth inning, Yankee slugger <span>Robinson Cano</span> tied the game up at one with a opposite field home run off Rays starter <span>Alex Cobb</span>. <span>Curtis Granderson</span> then walked and Edwardo Nunez singled to left putting Cobb in to a bit of a jam, but Zobrist made a nice stop on a <span>Lyle Overbay</span> ground ball to end the inning.</p>
<p>Matt Joyce led off the bottom of the fourth with a four pitch walk but Nova induced his third groundball double play of the game with the next pitch to Wil Myers and Loney grounded out to short, making a third straight quick inning for Nova after wiggling off the hook in the first.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Alex Cobb was also doing a fine job keeping the Yankees lineup in check, working off his 4-seam fastball with a decent mix of both his change up and hard curve. In the fifth inning, Cobb retired <span>Mark Reynolds</span> on strikes and Chirs Stewart with a groundball before <span>Brett Gardner</span> drew a walk after a 12 pitch battle. With a 0-2 count to <span>Ichiro Suzuki</span>, Gardner took off but a strike from <span>Jose Molina</span> nailed him sliding into second base and ended the frame. Molina, who struggled earlier in the season to control the run game, has looked sharp lately with the arm and getting the speedy Gardner was impressive.</p>
<p>In the sixth inning, Cano would strike again. This time he drove a double to the right centerfield gap that went over Wil Myers' head sending home Suzuki, who had reached on an infield single to open the frame, and giving the Yankees a 2-1 lead. Myers got a good carom off the wall and a quick throw nailed Cano attempting to stretch the double into a triple. The strong throw saved an additional run as the next batter, <span>Alfonso Soriano</span>, reached on a throwing error by Yunel Escobar. Joe Maddon then elected to intentionally walk Granderson in front of Nunez who made weak contact, grounding out to Cobb but moving the runners to second and third. That would be the end of Cobb's afternoon as Maddon turned to <span>Alex Torres</span> to retire Overbay, which he did in short order, striking out the former Blue Jay looking with an assist to Molina for a nice frame job.</p>
<p>The Rays wasted little time answering, however, as Longoria took a 2-2 hanging curve from Nova and absolutely blasted it about 15 rows deep into the seats in left centerfield, his 28th homer of the season. Joyce followed the blast with a hustle double into right, beating the throw from Gardner with a headfirst slide into second. The Rays would again squander an opportunity to add on, however. Wil Myers' struggles at the plate continued (9 for his last 54) as he struck out swinging and then the Yankees walked James Loney intentionally to get to Desmond Jennings. The move paid off as Jennings grounded out to short and ended the threat. Jennings has struggled since returning from the disabled list, going just 2-21 since his return.</p>
<p><span>Jake McGee</span> entered for the seventh inning and was nothing shot of dominant, retiring Reynolds, Stewart and Gardner on strikes. In the bottom half, Nova stayed on for the Yankees and retired Escobar on a groundout and Molina on a flyball to left before lead off man DeJesus singled to center and ended his afternoon. Another threat went quickly by the wayside however as DeJesus got caught stealing while Ben Zobrist was at the plate.</p>
<p>In the eighth inning, <span>Joel Peralta</span> entered and surrendered a lead off single to Ichiro, but recovered to retire Cano, Soriano and Granderson and preserve the 2-2 tie. The Yankees would turn to <span>David Robertson</span> to navigate the heart of the Rays order and he would prove up to the task, retiring Zobrist, Longoria and Joyce in order. <span>Fernando Rodney</span> worked a clean top of the ninth inning and sent it to the bottom where Wil Myers stepped in against Robertson, working a second inning after throwing just 14 pitches in the eighth. Robertson made quick work of the middle part of the Rays lineup as well, getting Myers on strikes, Loney on a line drive and Jennings on a ground ball to shortstop. Free baseball!</p>
<p>Extra innings kicked off with some boos as <span>Alex Rodriguez</span> pinch hit to lead off the 10th inning against <span>Jamey Wright</span> and singled on a soft liner to centerfield. Gardner followed the A-Rod single with a sacrifice bunt but Ichiro smoked a liner directly at Wright who snagged it out of the air and was able to double up Rodriguez and end the inning. In the bottom half with one out, Jose Molina strangely stayed in the game to face Joba Chamberlin but drew a walk after being behind 0-2 and was mercifully pinch run for by Sam Fuld. Yankees manager Joe Girardi next turned to lefty Boone Logan with left handed hitter <span>David DeJesus</span> due up, however, Maddon countered a pinch hitter of his own: <span>Jose Lobaton</span>, owner of the last two Rays walk off hits. There would be no thrice cream though as Lobaton worked a 3-1 count before grounding into the Rays fourth double play of the afternoon.</p>
<p>Maddon stuck with Jamey Wright for the eleventh inning and it proved costly. A one out Soriano double, followed by a steal of third (with Lobaton now at catcher), lead to the Yankees go ahead run as Curtis Granderson hit a sacrifice fly to right to give the Yanks a 3-2 lead. Wright would keep it right there at one but it would be enough for Mariano Rivera who retired Zorbist on a groundball, Longoria on a deep drive to left that he just missed, and Joyce on a foul pop to left.</p>
https://www.draysbay.com/2013/8/25/4657274/rays-yankeesGareth Rees2013-08-21T22:36:59-04:002013-08-21T22:36:59-04:00Rays 2, O's 4: Davis homers as Rays meatloaf O's
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<figcaption>Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Jeremy Hellickson is not so hot.</p> <p><span>Jeremy Hellickson</span> allowed two runs in a tough first inning and then later surrendered solo moon shots to <span>Adam Jones</span> and <span>Chris Davis</span> as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.camdenchat.com/">Baltimore Orioles</a> cruised to a 4-2 victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.draysbay.com/">Tampa Bay Rays</a>, Wednesday night. The Rays offense mustered just two runs on two solo shots of their own from <span>Jason Bourgeois</span> in the second inning and <span>Sean Rodriguez</span> in the fourth.</p>
<p>Hellickson lasted just four and a third innings, throwing 93 pitches and surrendering four runs, seven hits and three walks to the O's potent lineup. Manager Joe Maddon was quick to yank Hellickson after he found himself in further trouble in the fourth inning and <span>Alex Torres</span> came in to get the Rays out of the jam. The bullpen did a good job of giving the Rays a chance to come back but poor at bats with runners on combined with three double plays sunk the offense on this night.</p>
<p>There was a ninth inning rally in the making as <span>Wil Myers</span> and <span>James Loney</span> both drew walks to start the final frame against Darren O'Day and <span>Brian Matusz</span> respectively. The two bases on balls were some of the finest at bats of the evening for the Rays as both men fought off numerous tough pitches to earn the walks, but <span>Tommy Hunter</span> entered the game and retired <span>Matt Joyce</span> on a fly out to center field and <span>Kelly Johnson</span> on a ground out. With runners at the corners and two outs, Johnson ended the game by getting caught stealing second as <span>Jose Lobaton</span> stood in the batters box.</p>
<p>As our friend Sternfan put it on twitter, that is just how the 1926 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a> ended; with Babe Ruth caught stealing second. I have no idea what that has to do with anything but I'll take it as a compliment. Sterny is getting soft on this team!</p>
<p>The Rays fell back to one game behind the AL East leading <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Boston Red Sox</a> who defeated the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> earlier in the day and will have an off day tomorrow before taking on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> at home this weekend.</p>
https://www.draysbay.com/2013/8/21/4646160/rays-2-orioles-4-chris-davis-hits-homerun-number-46-as-baltimoreGareth Rees2013-08-18T17:27:34-04:002013-08-18T17:27:34-04:00Rays 2, Jays 1: Lobcity.
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<figcaption>J. Meric</figcaption>
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<p>The Rays will head to Baltimore on a high note as Jose Loboton saved the day, again.</p> <p>The old cliche is that baseball is a game of inches and the Sunday afternoon rubber match between the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/">Toronto Blue Jays</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.draysbay.com/">Tampa Bay Rays</a> proved once again how significant such a small measurement can be.</p>
<p>The Rays beat the Jays 2-1, the smallest of margins, but even the result on the scoreboard does not convey the minute differences between two clubs on this day.</p>
<p>In the bottom of the first inning, Rays third baseman <span>Evan Longoria</span> took a <span>Todd Redmond</span> sinker and launched it towards the stands in right field. The ball sent <span>Jose Bautista</span> all the way to the wall before a Rays fan in the front row snagged it out of the air with his glove. Blue Jays manager, John Gibbons argued that the ball was interfered with in the field of play prompting umpires to review the play, but the call stood and Longoria had himself his 24th home run of the season by a matter of inches.</p>
<p>In the top of the seventh, Rays rookie right-hander <span>Chris Archer</span> found himself one strike away from seven shutout innings, having allowed just one hit (an <span>Anthony Gose</span> single in the fourth) while striking out five. However, Archer left a 1-2 slider about an inch too high in the zone that <span>Edwin Encarnacion</span> crushed to left field to tie the game at one.</p>
<p>The Rays looked like they would immediately regain the lead in the bottom half of the seventh inning after <span>James Loney</span> lead off with a single and <span>Yunel Escobar</span> lined a single into center field. <span>Sean Rodriguez</span> entered the game to pinch run for Loney and found himself at third base with no outs in the inning. Joe Maddon elected to remove lefty <span>Kelly Johnson</span> and went with Wednesday's hero, <span>Jason Bourgeois</span> against Jays left-hander Brett Cecil. Maddon elected to try the safety squeeze play that the Rays have masterfully executed in the past but this time Bourgeois, who is still new to Rays way, missed the bunt by an inch, a small measure that would again have a huge impact on game.</p>
<p>Rodriguez had strayed too far from the bag as Bourgeois leaned in to bunt, and now found himself in no mans land. He stayed in a run down long enough to allow Escobar to move into second base but runners on the corners with no outs was now man on second with one out. Bourgeois grounded out to first base two pitches later and <span>Jose Lobaton</span> struck out swinging--a frustrating end to a promising rally.</p>
<p>Luck would swing back in the Rays favor in the top of the ninth inning with closer <span>Fernando Rodney</span> on the mound attempting to protect the 1-1 tie. Encarnacion connected again on a 98-mph fastball sending a ball deep into the left field corner towards 162 landing. However, Rodney and the Rays would catch a huge break as the ball hit the very top of the low wall and bounced back into the field of play for a double, a measly inch short of a go-ahead home run. Rodney recovered and retired <span>Adam Lind</span> to end the inning and give the Rays a chance in the ninth.</p>
<p>A game of inches indeed.</p>
<p>It would not be until the Rays played free baseball in the tenth inning that a play would be more definitive. With one out and no one one, Lobaton connected with a 2-1 <span>Brad Lincoln</span> fastball and launched it deep into left field, down the stairwell and out in to the Tropicana Field concourse. He was greeted at home by his jubilant teammates and rewarded with his second Gatorade shower of the weekend, as well as copious amounts of shaving cream pies and ice cream sandwiches.</p>
<p>Lobaton became the first Rays player to record multiple walk off hits this season, doing in back to back fashion, as the team had nine walk offs from nine different players coming into play Sunday.</p>
<p>The Rays ensured that no matter the results in Oakland or Baltimore they would remain atop the wildcard standings and with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a> squaring off tonight on ESPN they gave themselves a chance to pull back within one of the AL East leaders, Boston. After losing six straight games the Rays were able to bounce back and take four out of six on the home stand and will now head out on the road for a short three game trip to Baltimore before hosting the Yankees next weekend.</p>
https://www.draysbay.com/2013/8/18/4634366/rays-blue-jays-tampa-bay-jose-loboton-walkoff-homerunGareth Rees2013-08-14T22:59:02-04:002013-08-14T22:59:02-04:00Rays 5, M's 4: Rays snap losing skid with walkoff!
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<figcaption>J. Meric</figcaption>
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<p>Finally...</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.draysbay.com/">Tampa Bay Rays</a> have finally won a baseball game, defeating the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Seattle Mariners</a> 5-4 and ending a frustrating six game losing streak. It wasn't easy, in fact, at times is was as frustrating and difficult to watch as the past week has been, but an incredible ninth inning rally lead the Rays to a walk off victory and back into the win column.</p>
<p>Seattle starter <span>Aaron Harang</span> managed out to out duel <span>David Price</span>, surrendering no runs over the first three frames and flashing a no-hitter alert with his junk-ball stuff. However, <span>Matt Joyce</span> got the Rays first hit in the fourth inning with a lead off single and came around to score after a <span>Evan Longoria</span> walk and a James Loney line drive, RBI single.</p>
<p>Price was not as sharp as he has been recently but still managed to work deep into the game, throwing 117 pitches in seven innings of ball. He surrendered a run in the first inning after drilling <span>Kyle Seager</span> with two outs. Seager stole second base and then moved to third on a passed ball in front of a <span>Kendrys Morales</span> single. Price bounced back and shut down the next 12 hitters before issuing just his third walk since coming back from the DL to <span>Dustin Ackley</span> with two outs in the fifth. Unfortunately for the Rays, the Mariners would again cash in as the Ackley walk triggered a three run, two out rally for Seattle.</p>
<p>With the good guys now trailing 4-1 in the sixth, it was starting to look like another disaster game.</p>
<p>Thankfully, Evan Longoria and <span>Wil Myers</span> decided it was time to come alive and cut the crap.</p>
<p>Leading off the bottom of the sixth inning, Longoria blasted a double off the left field wall infront of a slumping Wil Myers. Myers, who had missed a couple of very hittable pitches earlier in the game, didn't make the same mistake thrice, and blasted a home run to left field to end a 0-15 skid. James Loney followed with a walk and <span>Yunel Escobar</span> singled to right to get another rally going against Harang. The Mariners then turned to <span>Charlie Furbush</span> to put out the flames and much to the dismay of the Rays fans he was up to the task, retiring pinch hitter <span>Sean Rodriguez</span> on strikes, <span>Jose Molina</span> on a flyball to right, and a second pinch hitter, <span>Ryan Roberts</span>, swinging.</p>
<p>The Rays continued inability to get a hit with runners in scoring position was threatening to haunt them once again.</p>
<p>After <span>Jake McGee</span> and <span>Joel Peralta</span> pitched scoreless frames the Rays came into the ninth inning with their final chance against Lord <span>Danny Farquhar</span>. <span>Ben Zobrist</span> wasted little time inspiring the Tropicana Faithful as he flashed his recent power surge, hammering a Farquhar fastball into right field and just missing a game-tying homerun. The umpires reviewed the play but ruled that Zobrist's ball hit the top of the fence and awarded him with a lead off triple. Matt Joyce quickly took two strikes but managed to fight off a tough third strike pitch and slap a bouncing ground ball up the middle, sending Zobrist home with the tying run.</p>
<p>The suddenly hot Longoria came up next and slashed a line drive to left field for a double, putting the winning run on third base with still nobody out. Farquhar intentionally walked Wil Myers to load the bases and set up the force at the plate for <span>James Loney's</span> spot in the lineup. However, Loney had left the game for pinch runner <span>Jason Bourgeois</span> in the seventh inning. Apparently, all the Rays needed to do to snap their seven game skid was give some at bats to the scrappy Texan. Bourgeois got a pitch to drive and lined a drive to right that sailed over the head of <span>Michael Morse</span> and sent Matt Joyce scampering home for the walk off win.</p>
<p>Rays win, Rays win!</p>
<p>It's about time time.</p>
https://www.draysbay.com/2013/8/14/4623086/rays-5-mariners-4-rays-snap-six-game-losing-streak-with-wil-myersGareth Rees2013-08-10T19:21:22-04:002013-08-10T19:21:22-04:00Rays 0, Dodgers 5: Greinke, Dodgers dominate Rays
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<figcaption>Harry How</figcaption>
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<p>The hangover was evident...</p> <p>Like many of you, I fell asleep last night with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.draysbay.com/">Rays</a> beating the Dodgers 6-1 and <span>Jake McGee</span> taking the hill for the eighth inning. The game was basically over. Price had been dominant again, the offense had swarmed for a half dozen points and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> looked nothing like the hottest team in baseball. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a> had already lost to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.royalsreview.com/">Kansas City Royals</a> and the Rays were looking at pulling within one game of the AL East title; Sweet dreams.</p>
<p>Then we woke up.</p>
<p>When my wife woke me up this morning the first thing she said to me was, "The Rays lost."</p>
<p>I groaned and told her she was funny, but her response ("No, really!") jolted me awake and sent me reaching for my phone to fire up MLB At Bat.</p>
<p>Inexplicably, <span>Fernando Rodney</span> had filled our slumber with nightmares and the Dodgers had rallied back from a five run deficit to stun the Rays 7-6. Rodney capped a three extra base hit, four run inning with the ugliest of throwing errors that sent <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> scampering home for a damn near impossible win. For Rodney, it was his American League leading seventh blown save, for the Rays it was their third straight loss, and for the Dodgers, it was just another day at the ball park for the hottest team in baseball.</p>
<p>The challenge for Tampa Bay would be to shake it off; To not let a closer's misgivings bleed into another day.</p>
<p>Joe Maddon said it was the kind of game that they would throw in the waste bin and move forward from. But is it really that easy? I didn't even <i>see</i> the ending of it, but it still bothered me throughout the morning sojourn to Starbucks and Target. It has to play on the mind of those that lived it. As the afternoon rolled around I was sharing disbelief with my father in law over the loss, a result that came to a shock as him in the same way it did me after he fell asleep with the Rays leading 6-0.</p>
<p>But that's the beautiful thing about baseball: you always get to play the next day. There is always an immediate chance for redemption.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Saturday would not be that day as The Los Angeles Dodgers took game two in much easier fashion, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-0.</p>
<p>Call it what you will, or blame who you like, but the Rays looked like a team playing shell shocked. Of course, <span>Zack Greinke</span> was dominant and Roberto Hernandez was atrocious, but I couldn't help but feel like I was watching a team try and play baseball in quicksand. The malaise was hard to ignore, and the results hard to watch.</p>
<p>Hernandez wasted no time traumatizing fans, surrendering a two run home run in the bottom of the first inning to last nights hero, Adrian Gonzalez. From there he would get himself into and out of what seemed like a jam every inning until exiting for <span>Jamey Wright</span> in the fourth inning, but not before allowing two more Dodgers to cross the plate and giving the offense a big hole to crawl out from.</p>
<p>For their part, the hitters did no climbing. The few rallies the Rays did start were quickly squashed by Greinke who lasted six and a third, scattered six hits and struck out seven. All-world rookie <span>Wil Myers</span> went 0-4, snapping a 22-game streak of reaching base safely. <span>Evan Longoria</span> finished 1-3 with a double while <span>Yunel Escobar</span>, <span>James Loney</span> and <span>Kelly Johnson</span> all went hitless. Things even got so bad at one point that third base coach Tom Foley was ejected for arguing balls and strikes. If it wasn't for a back-yard-style hidden ball trick, the Rays fans would have had nothing at all to cheer about.</p>
<p>By late afternoon, the Rays had done nothing to shake the defeat of Friday night. Instead, they found themselves having to throw a fourth straight loss in the waste bin, and with it back-to-back series defeats. For a team that spoiled fans by not losing a series in over a month, it's a feeling we had somewhat come to forget.</p>
<p>But this is baseball, where despite all the bad there is a game again tomorrow; a second (or in this case fourth) chance for redemption.</p>
<p>Unfortunately for the Rays, <span>Clayton Kershaw</span> looms.</p>
https://www.draysbay.com/2013/8/10/4609860/rays-dodgers-comeback-win-zack-greinke-too-much-for-tampa-bay-wil-myersGareth Rees