RAYS 10, Toronto 8
About Last Night...
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Box Score
3 Up
LF Carl Crawford: 5-5, 5 RS, 2 RBI (18,19), HR (2), 4 SB (14,15,16,17)
1B-2B Ty Wigginton: 3-4, RS, 4 RBI (34,35,36,37), HR (11), SF
SS Julio Lugo: 3-5, 2 RS, SB (8)
3 Down
SP Casey Fossum: 5.2 IP, 9 H, 6 R (5 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, 2 HR
2B-3B Tomas Perez: 0-4, 2 LOB
CF Joey Gathright: 0-4, K, LOB
Hot off the Presses
Notes Column [The Tampa Tribune]
Notes Column [DevilRays.com]
La Vita Nuova [Rays Talk]
Nick Green Dealt to the Yankees [DevilRays.com]
Durham Manager Tamargo Suspended [SI.com]
Down on the Farm
Triple A Durham-W, 5-2:
RF Rocco Baldelli: 2-3, RS, 2 RBI (1,2), BB
SS B.J. Upton: 0-4, K
LF Elijah Dukes: 1-4, 2 run HR (6), 2 RBI (25,26)
SP Jason Hammel: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 7 K, 2 HB, E (1, pickoff)
Double A Montgomery-L, 0-8
Single A+ Visalia-W, 7-6:
SS Reid Brignac: 1-2, 2 RS, BB
1B Chris Nowak: 2-3, RS, 2 2B (13,14), 2 RBI (29,30), K, SAC
DH John Jaso: 1-4, RS, 2 RBI (20,21), K
SP Chris Mason, W (3-2): 7 IP, 9 H, 5 R (ER), 0 BB, 6 K, HB
Single A- Southwest Michigan-OFF
Coming Tomorrow:
-Series Preview: Boston Red Sox
-Game Preview: Thursday (5/25) vs Boston
-Rays News & Notes for Thursday, May 25th
RAYS 10, Toronto 8
Crawford had a career-high five hits, scored five runs and stole four bases last night to help Tampa Bay Rays beat host Toronto, 10-8.
Crawford homered and went 5-for-5, tying the team record for hits in a game previously set by Julio Lugo on June 24, 2004, at Toronto. He set team records for runs and stolen bases.
Said Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon: "It's one of the best single performances I think I've ever seen in regard to all facets of the game. He was the dominant story tonight. All the things he can do - he did."
Down 7-5 in the seventh, Ty Wigginton hit a sacrifice fly before Toby Hall hit a two-run homer off Jason Frasor (1-1) to give Tampa Bay the lead. Wigginton added a two-run homer off Scott Schoeneweis in the ninth. He finished 3-for-4 with four RBI.
Shawn Camp (2-0) got the last two outs of the sixth for the win. Tyler Walker worked 1 1/3 innings for his ninth save in 10 chances.
[Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader]
Game Reports
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Box Score
My Thoughts
I honestly didn't see much of the game, because I had other affairs to attend to last night, however the box score pretty much says it all. Five for Five. Five Runs Scored. Home Run. Two RBI. Now if that doesn't paint a picture of how Crawford's night went, nothing will.
But for as much as Carl deserves every bit of praise he gets, let's not forget the other performances of note. Ty Wigginton and Julio Lugo each had two hits, and one any other night, they would be the top star. And let's not forget Toby Hall, who, with the Rays down by two in the late innings, hit a two run shot off of Jason Frasor to give the Rays an 8-7 edge. The blast was Toby's sixth of the year, and surpasses his entire home run total from last year.
You had a few offensive slackers, as you do every night. Jonny Gomes had another 0 fer, and Tomas Perez and Joey Gathright were the only other Rays in the lineup to not get a hit, though their fate was more predictable. And on the rubber, Casey Fossum had an extremely poor outing that on any other day would have blown the ballgame. Hell, even the winning pitcher, Shawn Camp, gave up three baserunners in only two-thirds of an inning of work, while also throwing away a pickoff throw. The only decent performance on the night came from Ruddy Lugo, who dammed the Blue Jays' offense for an inning and a third and kept the Rays afloat.
But today was all about avoiding the sweep and getting the hell out of Toronto with a win. And thanks to Carl Crawford, that mission was accomplished.
3 Up
LF Carl Crawford: 5-5, 5 RS, 2 RBI (18,19), HR (2), 4 SB (14,15,16,17)
1B-2B Ty Wigginton: 3-4, RS, 4 RBI (34,35,36,37), HR (11), SF
SS Julio Lugo: 3-5, 2 RS, SB (8)
3 Down
SP Casey Fossum: 5.2 IP, 9 H, 6 R (5 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, 2 HR
2B-3B Tomas Perez: 0-4, 2 LOB
CF Joey Gathright: 0-4, K, LOB
Rays Reads
-With Nick Green hitting only .211/.231/.289 down at Triple A Durham after his demotion, the Rays decided to cut their losses with the utility infielder, trading him to the New York Yankees for cash considerations, and knowing Nick Green, those cash considerations probably consisted of some loose change in Brian Cashman's back pocket. Seriously, how could you be opposed to this? What possible value did Nick Green bring to this organization. Either he was playing in Durham bringing that team down production-wise, and possibly holding up a prospect that actually has a future, or he was going to be up here, bringing this ballclub down.
I don't know what Jorge Sosa would have done if he were still with the Rays and had not been traded to Atlanta for Green. I just don't. But the bottom line was, at the very least, this trade was a wash, at worst, it was another lopsided bust. It was time to cut our losses and cut a useless weight from the organization, and to get money for it was ever the better. Think of it this way. We are actually getting paid to get rid of Nick Green. Not having to pay, getting paid. When you think of it that way, this may be Friedman's second best move, behind actually getting another player for Dewon Brazelton.
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-Meanwhile, in yet another episode of 'Bulls Gone Wild', Durham manager John Tamargo was suspended indefinitely by International League president Randy Mobley (scary that you know his name from memory, eh?):
"I don't think I did, but you never know. It could have happened."
Durham bench coach Richie Hebner will manage the Bulls during Tamargo's absence.
Jesus, what the hell is going on up there? There are State Prisons better behaved than the Durham Bulls. Elijah Dukes and Delmon Young acting like asses? Okay, we've had our doubts about their character before. But the MANAGER? THE MANAGER? The person charged with helping to mold these young prospects into productive and mature major leaguers? You must be joking.
I haven't been too impressed with his handling of the team anyways this year, what with all of the incidents that seem to be occuring. Can you imagine any of this happening under Bill Evers? Can you imagine him getting suspended indefinitely for bumping an umpire? I think not. It is one thing to be firey and hot-headed. It is another to come into physical contact with an authority figure on the field, replacement or not.
He can say whatever he wants about an umpire bumping into him, even if that is the case, there is no reason for him to be so close that they would come into contact. And he should know better. He is older, and (supposidly) more mature than his players. There is no excuse for this. He deserves every second of the suspension he gets, and maybe more. Someone needs to give him a Midol.
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Short Hops-My excllent Rays blogging colleague Sam Kilay has an interesting piece on Seth McClung today over at Rays Talk. It goes into his personal opinion of the whole 'lack of preparation' thing, and then digresses into a general look at McClung's current state. A very good read, I reccomend you go over there and check it out...The Tampa Tribune reports that Travis Lee was not in the starting lineup after going hitless in six at bats so far on the road trip and hitting .115 overall in his last ten games, even including a 3 for 8 during the Marlins series last weekend.
Down on the Farm
Triple A Durham-W, 5-2:
RF Rocco Baldelli: 2-3, RS, 2 RBI (1,2), BB
SS B.J. Upton: 0-4, K
LF Elijah Dukes: 1-4, 2 run HR (6), 2 RBI (25,26)
1B Kevin Witt: 2-4, 2B (8), solo HR (11), RBI (28), K
DH Shawn Riggans: 0-4, 3 K
3B Sean Burroughs: 0-4, RS, K
2B Nick Green: 2-4, RS, 2 K, E (1, fielding)
C Kevin Cash: 1-3, K, PB (6)
SP Jason Hammel: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 7 K, 2 HB, E (1, pickoff)
RP Jon Switzer, W (2-0): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RP Tim Corcoran, H (1): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RP Bart Miadich, SV (9): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Game Notes: Kelly Johnson went 2 for 3 with a double and two walks for Richmond...Chuck James, the R-Braves' starter, went just three innings and 45 pitches, surrendering two hits, runs, and earned runs, walking one, striking out three, and giving up the Elijah Dukes home run.
Bulls Up Next-vs Richmond, 7:00 ET (Stokes)
Double A Montgomery-L, 0-8:
LF Francisco Leandro: 1-3, BB, E (1, throw)
CF Jason Pridie: 0-4, K
1B Gaby Martinez: 1-4, K
SP Tony Peguero, L (5-4): 4 IP, 6 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 5 K, HR, 3 WP, 2 HB
RP Marcos Carvajal: 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R (ER), 2 BB, 3 K
Game Notes: Montgomery was shut out in having the same number of hits (3) as errors...Only 1,382 attended the game at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile.
Biscuits Up Next-at Mobile, 8:05 ET (Magrane)
Single A+ Visalia-W, 7-6:
SS Reid Brignac: 1-2, 2 RS, BB
RF Shaun Cumberland: 2-4, 2 RS
1B Chris Nowak: 2-3, RS, 2 2B (13,14), 2 RBI (29,30), K, SAC
DH John Jaso: 1-4, RS, 2 RBI (20,21), K
LF Patrick Breen: 1-4, 3 run HR (9), 3 RBI (31,32,33), 2 K
SP Chris Mason, W (3-2): 7 IP, 9 H, 5 R (ER), 0 BB, 6 K, HB
Game Notes: The two teams pounded out 22 hits..Only 594 fans showed up to Recreation Park in Visalia for the game.
Oaks Up Next-vs San Jose, 9:35 ET (Feldkamp)
Single A- Southwest Michigan-OFF
M-Rays Up Next-vs West Michigan, 6:35 ET (Wlodarczyk)
Coming Tomorrow:
-Series Preview: Boston Red Sox
-Game Preview: Thursday (5/25) vs Boston
-Rays News & Notes for Thursday, May 25th