FRIDAY GAME NOTES (:%

Another beautiful starting performance, another day the offense or bullpen can't come through. Matt Moore delivered his best start of the season, tossing seven innings of shutout baseball, striking out nine batters, but perhaps more importantly allowed zero walks with only two hits. The offense managed to scrape across three runs and the Rays seemed in position to win it.

In the eighth they turned to Alex Colome, who has become the team's most dependable reliever. After a leadoff single, Colome was able to record two outs, that's when everything fell apart. By the time the final out was recorded, four runs had scored and the Rays would eventually lose, 4-3.

The Rays will try to rebound tonight and even the series, they'll have to do it against Tyler Wilson, an Orioles' prospect who hasn't pitched in the majors since August. Also, tonight, the Rays will also honor Carlos Pena who is among the team's all-time leader for homers and he has accumulated several accolades while with Tampa Bay. He will throw out the ceremonial first pitch as he officially retires from professional baseball.

TODAY'S STARTING PITCHERS:

Smyly continued his consistency of having a scoreless outing every other start his last time out as he delivered six shutout innings against the Red Sox, striking out 11 hitters while only walking two and allowing four hits over six innings of work. Smyly has had six starts since returning from the DL, three of them have been scoreless...the other three haven't.

Tyler Wilson Scouting Report:

Wilson started the season ranked as the 12th best prospect in the Orioles' system. He has seen his stock improve throughout his career as he has shown impeccable command during his rise through the minors. Following the 2012 season, Baseball America actually said he had the best control in the Orioles' organization. Throughout his time in the minors, he has a 5.9 BB% over four seasons.

He made his major league debut way back on May 20th in relief against Seattle, tossing a scoreless inning for Baltimore. Since then he has been up-and-down with the team various times, and later today he'll make his first appearance for them since August 3rd against Oakland where he pitched two outs into the eighth and only allowed two runs on six hits, while he walked two and struck out three earning his second major league victory.

His arsenal:

His splits:

September 18th in Rays History:

• They are 6-10 all-time on this date
• One former Rays player was born on this date, as Ozzie Timmons celebrates his 45th today. Timmons spent the final 12 games of his career with the Devil Rays in 2000 and actually excelled slashing .341/.357/.707 with four homers. Timmons is currently serving as a hitting coach for the Montgomery Biscuits and wrapping up his ninth season with the Rays organization.
• 1999 - Jim 'The Rookie' Morris makes his major league debut as a 35 year old.He retired the only batter he faces on four pitches, striking him out.
• 2008 - The Rays homered five times, with Evan Longoria providing three of them, however they would lose after the Twins rallied for five runs in the ninth. Minnesota would win the game, 11-8. Even though they lost this game, the video below is awesome. It shows Aki making an insane catch and Longo's bat speed was incredible.
  

• 2010 - In a game that sent back and forth, the Rays would come out on top after rallying with two outs in the ninth to tie game, then they would walk off the next inning thanks to error, winning the game 4-3.

• 2013 - In a battle between two teams contending for the wild card lead, the Rays and Rangers needed extra innings to decide the game. After Texas scored in the top of the 11th, the Rays were able to rally in the bottom half of the innings, thanks to the speed of Freddy Guzman and a clutch single from David DeJesus. The following inning, Tampa Bay walked off after Desmond Jennings singled home Sam Fuld from second to win the game, 4-3.