Game Recaps
Rays Lose, Season Over...But What A Season
by Steve Slowinski on Oct 4, 2011 9:14 PM EDT
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There are many pictures I could have picked for today's game recap. I could have gone with a picture of Sean Rodriguez barreling over Mike Napoli at the plate, scoring the Rays first run. Rodriguez was probably the star of the game for the Rays, reaching base three times and scoring in each instance.
Or I could have gone with a picture of Casey Kotchman roping a dribbler up the middle, as Kotchman has been emblematic of the Rays this season: the improbable and impossible turned into reality. Kotchman had two hits on the day -- and you guessed it, one of them #Magic'd it's way through the infield -- and drove in two runs.
Or maybe I should have chosen a picture of Evan Longoria. Even though Evan went hitless today, Longoria was one of the main reasons the Rays reached the postseason; his two home runs against New York last Wednesday night are two home runs that will stick with me forever. Despite his early season injury and subsequent struggles, Longoria never complained and never gave up. When it would have been easy to admit defeat, time and time again this year, he said "No."
But what about Johnny Damon? Maybe I should have chosen a picture of Damon diving into first base in the sixth inning, gunning his hardest for a hit even though there was no one on base. It would seem fitting, as Damon was a clubhouse leader in grit, scrap, and smiles all season long. Remember his initial press conference, when him and Manny were joking back and forth with each other and causing us all to explode with anticipation? Things may not have gone down as we all expected -- and Damon may not have been the solution to the Rays offensive problems -- but I don't regret that signing one bit.
I could have easily chosen a picture of Jeremy Hellickson, as there are many shots of him looking frustrated in the wake of allowing three home runs over four innings to the Rangers. And that's how I'm sure many of us feel: frustrated, disappointed, and sad that the season has come to such a screeching halt. But that wouldn't be fair to Hellboy, who had an impressive (if BABIP influenced) rookie season. There's no need for us to finish the year on such a sour note.
And so, I ended up choosing a picture of Matt Moore. Not only did he dominate this series, allowing only one run over 10 innings of work against the potent Rangers lineup (including three innings on short rest today), but his story is one that fits so well within that larger team narrative. As 8th round pick from New Mexico, few people expected him to reach the majors, nonetheless to morph into the best pitching prospect in all of baseball. This season alone, he jumped from Double-A to Triple-A to the majors, and at each step of the way continued to dazzle. Improbable? Unreal? Both in spades.
But even more than that, when I look at Moore, I see the future. We suffered through a long year of waiting for Desmond Jennings, Brandon Guyer, Jake McGee, etc., but finally, the future is now. This season was a reloading year; next year, we let the kids play for keeps.
This was a Rays team that was supposed to struggle to hit .500, that supposedly didn't have a bullpen and would collapse as the Yankees and Red Sox ran over them. This was a team that started the season 0-6, lost Longoria to injury for a month, and still managed to climb back in the race. This was a team fueled by #Magic and supported by #Legends. This was a team that never knew when to quit, right up until the last inning of today's game.
These are the sort of seasons that build a franchise from the ground up. And next season....well, just look at Moore up there. Next year is gonna be fun.
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Rays Cannot Hold The Lead Or Finish The Comeback, Lose 4-3
by BWoodrum on Oct 3, 2011 9:24 PM EDT
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The following recap comes courtesy of SBN Tampa Bay. For a full rundown of today's game, including in-game updates, check out the Rays-Rangers Story Stream.
The Tampa Bay Rays (1-2) could not hold their late lead, falling to the Texas Rangers (2-1) after a disastrous 7th inning. David Price started for the Rays, and though he did not collect his usual array of strikeouts, pitched rather well through 6 and 2/3 innings. He hit the biggest trouble in the seventh inning, when Adrian Beltre lined a single to left and then scored when catcher Mike Napoli powered a pitcher's pitch into the left field bleachers.
Price finished the day with 2 ER on his tab, coming with 1 walk and 3 strikeouts.
The Rays scored first when rookie outfielder Desmond Jennings slaughtered the first pitch of the 4th inning for his first homer of the post season, giving the Rays a 1-0 lead. The Rays held the lead for two innings as Price meandered in and out of trouble and Texas pitcher Colby Lewis dominated the Rays hitters, collecting 6 strikeouts and allowing only 1 hit, the Jennings homer.
Taking the lead in the top of the seventh after a wild inning, the Rangers bullpen then began leaking runs, allowing a Sean Rodriguez RBI ground out in the bottom of the seventh after Mike Gonzalez walked three batters, narrowing the Rangers lead to 4-2.
The Rays scored again in the bottom of the eighth as Desmond Jennings led off the eighth inning with a six-pitch at bat, ending in his second homer of the day, a tall fly ball to the left field bleachers. With the Rays down 4-3, B.J. Upton worked a walked off reliever Mike Adams, and then Evan Longoria, teetering on a Golden Sombrero with three strikeouts already, fell into an 0-2 early. He worked the count back to 3-2, but a Rangers pitch out caught Upton as he attempted to steal second base.
With the bases empty, Longo finally earned a one-out walk, bringing up Matt Joyce, who worked yet another 3-2 count and a walk. This brought Rangers manager Ron Washington from the dugout to bring in lefty Mike Gonzolez from the 'pen.
Gonzelez made short work of Johnny Damon, striking him out on three pitches. Washington then brought in relief ace and closer Neftali Feliz, who threw a wild pitch, but struck out Ben Zobrist after 7 pitches, ending the scoring threat.
In the bottom of the ninth, Sean Rodriguez singled an 0-2 slider into right-center with 1 out. Catcher Kelly Shoppach, who entered the game as a defensive replacement after Rodriguez pinch hit for start John Jaso, worked strong eighth-pitch at bat, but grounded a double play ball to third baseman Beltre for the final two outs of the game.
Notes:
- Casey Kotchman had an impressive first inning, playing a major role in each out. Defensively, David Price also had a nice day, making a nifty play to help himself out of a sixth inning jam.
- The Rangers hit an absurd 16 ground balls tonight, miraculously collecting a .276 batting average on balls in play (BABIP).
- John Jaso had no chance against the Rangers running game, allowing a combined four steals. He got little help from Price -- whose pick off move barely requires the runner to walk back to first -- and Brandon Gomes -- who appeared to have no interest in slowing the runners whatsoever. Jaso did, however, bait Elvis Andrus into a crucial 3rd out in the 7th inning.
- The 2-3-4 part of the Rays lineup went 0 for 8 with 4 walks and 5 strikeouts.
The Rays will be in action again tomorrow with game time scheduled for a 2:07 p.m. ET first pitch.
James Shields Has A Bad Day; Rays Lose Game Two, 8-6
by Steve Slowinski on Oct 2, 2011 1:08 AM EDT
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For the first three and a half innings of Game Two, everything was going swell. The Rays were ahead 3-0 thanks to a bases-loaded walk by Kelly Shoppach and a two-run home run from Matt Joyce, and James Shields was looking in complete command. Although it was still early, he had only allowed two baserunners so far in the game, and had struck out three batters. His changeup was mowing through the Rangers, and it didn't seem far-fetched to think that three runs might be enough to give the Rays the game.
But between innings, unbeknownst to the announcers and fans, James Shields was kidnapped by an irate Nolan Ryan and replaced with his evil twin: Jamie Yields. While Shields has been the ace of the Rays' staff all season long, Jamie Yields specializes in one thing and one thing only: giving up runs and handing over leads. And that's just what he did.
By the end of the bottom of the fourth inning -- an inning that featured three singles and two hit-by-pitches -- the Rays were down 5-3 and in danger of having to reclaim the lead against the Rangers' bullpen. Yields was helped along in the fourth by home plate umpire Kerwin Danley, who refused to call any strikes low in the zone and butchered a call that would have led to the Rays getting out of the inning earlier. But Yields also helped himself along, throwing a wild pitch at one point that allowed the runners to advance and get in a position to score. All in all, the Rangers were given five outs that inning, and they took full advantage.
The Rangers would later tack on two more runs in the sixth inning; Yields led off the inning by allowing two singles, Jake McGee allowed the runners to advance, and then Ian Kinsler smacked a double off Juan Cruz that drove in both runs. While the Rays made an attempt at a comeback, shrinking the Rangers' lead to only one run in the seventh inning on a three-run home run by Evan Longoria.
But alas, the Rays' offense couldn't muster a rally against Mike Adams and Neftali Feliz in the eighth or ninth innings. Mitch Moreland hit a final solo home run, and so the game ended: 8-6, Rangers. The series is now tied at one game apiece, and the Rays and Rangers come to the Trop for Games Three and Four.
More on Shields after the jump.
Moore Cruises, Shoppach Bruises; Rays Crush Rangers 9-0
by CBJones on Sep 30, 2011 9:10 PM EDT
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Rays fans everywhere were eager to see how Matt Moore would perform in his first postseason start--his second ever in the Bigs--and the rookie did not disappoint tonight. For seven shutout innings, Moore baffled the potent Ranger lineup with his 97MPH fuzz and mixed in a few well timed sliders and change-ups to cause even more fits. Even the TBS announcers were flummoxed by the young'un, claiming for several innings that it MUST be the shadows playing tricks on the Texas hitters. Well, the shadows covered the stadium soon enough and Moore just kept on sittin' 'em down.
Moore pitched seven innings, allowed no runs on just two Josh Hamilton hits, two walks, a hit batsman, and K'd six. He induced thirteen swinging strikes on 98 pitches and averaged a tick over 94 on the fastball. Home plate umpire Mark Carlson's zone was a bit hit-and-miss this evening. Moore was given a few random calls outside the zone, but was denied on several clear strikes as well. Even when he did something 'bad' like walk a hitter, you could see that Moore was really on his game. I think this AB perfectly shows Moore's day:
Even though he didn't get some close calls, Moore effectively pitched at the very fringes of the strikezone. This AB didn't work out for Moore, but you could tell that, for most of his day, he was hitting his spots with precision. That's not to say he didn't leave a few balls over the heart during the day, but, even then, when you have 97 coming from the left, you can do that a few times and get away with it.
On the other side of the ball, Rays fans were treated to a double showing of the Shopshank Redemption (h/t FreeZo). The "Lefty Masher" was three-for-five this evening with all three hits coming from Rangers' starter C.J. Wilson. In the second inning, Shoppach singled on a soft liner to left that Craig Gentry "Crawford'd" as he slid to make a play. Shop would score on a Matt Joyce seeing-eye-single into right. The ShopVac would make his biggest contribution in the next inning, as after an Evan Longoria single and a Ben Zobrist drag bunt he homered to deep center on a first-pitch fastball from Wilson. The ball was caught on a nice running catch by a Rangers' fan on the grass batter's eye. He relayed the throw home, but the speedy Shoppach was able to make it home in time.
But Shoppach wasn't done yet. In the fifth inning, after a rare Adrian Beltre error on a Johnny Damon grounder extended the inning, Shoppach worked a good AB and crushed a hung slider into the left field stands. That ticked the score to 8-0 and basically ended the day for Wilson.
Notes after the jump...
Evan Longoria Is Friggin' Insane, or Rays Beat Yanks 8-7 And Advanced To Playoffs
by Steve Slowinski on Sep 29, 2011 6:01 AM EDT
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We just witnessed history, folks. This is one of those nights that you remember forever, and that you end up telling your kids about one day. This is baseball at its finest, the grace note on a season that very few of us thought would end in the playoffs. It was one of the best days of baseball I've ever witnessed, and it was easily one of the most epic moments in franchise history. There's Game 7 of the 2008 ALCS....and then there's this. Simply, simply amazing.
The night didn't start off so well for the Rays, though, as David Price started the game off by handing the Yankees a 1-0 lead in the first. This run should have never scored; Ben Zobrist missed a routine groundball that would have been the third out of the inning, but instead, a run came around to score on the play. Price threw 30 pitches overall in the first, and you could tell that he didn't have his best stuff.
After the Rays stranded two runners in the bottom of the first -- this would be an ongoing saga throughout the game -- Price got right back to work letting up runs and letting the Yanks roll over him. He allowed a double, single and a walk, loading the bases with only one out. And then Mark Teixeira took care of business, sitting on Price's fastball (which was about all he threw on the evening) and knocking it to Kingdom Come. 5-0, Yanks...but the game wouldn't end that way. Not even close.
The Night in Pictures
by Steve Slowinski on Sep 29, 2011 1:42 AM EDT
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Because right now, I'm still so blown away I can barely think. There have been some great photos, gifs, and photoshops done all taken or created within the last few hours, so please, enjoy. This was a night that will go down in the history books, and one I'll certainly remember forever. These pictures hopefully help capture it somewhat.
First, the visual game recap. These photos are all from Getty Images:
And after the jump, things get a bit wild.
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Rays Top Yankees 5-3, Remain Tied With Boston
by Erik Hahmann on Sep 28, 2011 1:23 AM EDT
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Welp.
In the latest biggest-game-of-the-season the Rays found a way to squeeze out yet another victory and maintain control of their own fate. The hero this time was Matt Joyce who, despite being a bit banged up, delivered the Rays' biggest hit of the season to date.
He had popped out in his previous three plate appearances, leaving two men on in the first and third and another on in the fifth, before coming to bat in the seventh. With B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria on base in front of him once again, Joyce faced former teammate Rafael Soriano. On the second pitch of the at bat Soriano left a cutter middle in and Joyce did what he's supposed to do with a pitch like that; crush it over the right field wall. That home run was set up by a tremendous at bat by Longoria one batter prior. It was a nine pitch at bat that saw Soriano throw his four-seam fastball, slider, and cutter to try and fool Longoria. Below is the heatmap of the tough pitches he fouled off to stay alive and draw the walk (image courtesy of Mark Simon of ESPN)
Joyce and Zobrist provided the offensive firepower for the evening, but the table was set by the work of Upton and Longoria. They reached base three times each and consistently worked deep into counts all night. Coming into the game Upton had a .434 wOBA and 1.8 WAR over the past 30 days while Longoria was at .391 and 1.6. They're hugely responsible for this amazing run the Rays are on. It brings back memories of the 2008 post season.
As good as Upton and Longoria were at the plate, Hellickson was bad on the mound. He only allowed three runs in his six innings but things could have been considerably worse. His fastball command was terrible. He threw 47 fastballs for a strike percentage below 50. When you're doing that you're obviously falling behind a lot of hitters -- he issued five walks -- and they end up laying off any fastball you throw until you prove that you can get it over the plate. In turn, that negates the effectiveness of Hellickson's best weapon; the changeup.
He worked out of a bases loaded jam in the third after giving up a home run to Russell Martin, and was aided by perhaps the biggest defensive play in Rays' history in the sixth. With the bases loaded and no outs and New York already having taken the lead on a Nick Swisher double, Hellickson got Martin to ground out sharply to third where Longoria quickly stepped on the bag, fired to second for the second out then on to first for the inning ending triple play. The throw to first just beat Martin who helped the Rays cause by diving into the bag. The play fired up the crowd and re-energized the team on the field. Even the usually stoic Hellickson pumped his fist and yelled as he walked off the field.
David Price goes tomorrow. Channel your inner 2008 ALCS Game 7 and dominate, David.
- Excellent relief work by rookies Jake McGee and Brandon Gomes.
- Nice of Soriano to say thank you to the Rays by totally bombing his one inning of work
- Great to hear that Casey Kotchman's tests were all negative and he's been released from the hospital.
Wild Card. Tied.
by CBJones on Sep 26, 2011 11:43 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
Let's get this out of the way right now: The Rays beat the Yankees tonight, and the Red Sox lost to the Orioles thanks to some Ellsbury fail (h/t danielreese05). The AL Wild Card is now tied with just two games remaining in the regular season.
Now, tonight's game:
Big Game James Shields came with the good stuff tonight, winning his 16th game and coming within one out of his 12th CG of the year. He mastered a Yankees lineup that was more formidable than expected--Jeter, Granderson, Cano, Gardner, Martin, and Posada all started. The only player that got the best of Shields tonight was Robinson Cano who was two-for-four with a first-inning homer and an RBI single. Sheilds' line on the night was definitely Big Game: 8.2 IP, 2ER, 6H, 3BB, 4K. He had just six swinging strikes in his 117 pitches, but was able to get a few key double plays off the bat of Posada, and one fantastic diving, snow-cone catch by Desmond Jennings that robbed Jeter of extra bases.
(h/t Collette on the pic. Video here)
Once again, Hector Noesi made a short start, going just two innings, but this time the Rays were able to capitalize on both his and the bullpen's ineptitude and actually put a few runs on the board. B.J. Upton plated the first Rays runs on a two-RBI groundball double down the third place line. Reid Brignac touched home plate in a scoring capacity for the first time since September 9th, so he's got that going for him. Upton had a nice overall day, going two-for-four with two runs, two RBI, a stolen base, and some seemingly-pedestrian, but wholly-important outfield play. I'm going to gloss over his apparent brain-fart, lack-of-hustle in the first inning, because a win is a win is a win and I'm in good spirits.
Kelly Shoppach crushed a solo homer to left in the fourth inning on a 3-2 hanger from Raul Valdes. He also hit a towering flyout to the track that confused the cameraman more than Devin Hester in yesterday's Packers-Bears game. Shoppach has been good and toasty of late, with three homers in his last eight games. Hopefully, Shoppach has realized that that he can attack those pesky Yankee fans with homerun balls instead of bats hurled over the third base dugout. Though, with as many "Let's go Yankees" chants at I heard tonight, I wouldn't mind a few of those, too.
As always, Joe Maddon is going to get some flak for pulling James Shields just one out away from a complete game. Yes, CG #12 would have been nice, but the W is the number one thing that matters here, and if there's a number two, it's keeping Shields fresh for a possible game 163 start. Kyle Farnsworth got pinch-hitter Jesus Montero to ground out to third to end the game, so no big deal there.
Tomorrow at 7:10, Jeremy Hellickson takes on Bartolo Colon who will hopefully pitch like his surname and throw out a stinker. In Baltimore, the O's send out Zach Britton to face Erik Bedahd and hopefully put the screws to the Sawks. Both games start about the same time, so see you in the GDT.
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