:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47240726/GettyImages-488800582.0.jpg)
The Rays had a 4-1 lead last night after seven and a half innings play. It took a long a time to reach that point (more than three hours). Unfortunately for the Rays, the trio of Alex Colome, Xavier Cedeno, and Brandon Gomes erased the lead with seven runs coming in the span of two innings. The offense for their part, tried to rally back but the defecit became too much and they fell just a run short.
Richie Shaffer took some nice rips in his final two at-bats, hitting laser beam off the base of the Green Monster in the eighth, then cleared it by some distance his next time up. Meanwhile, Grady Sizemore had another clutch hit, doubling with the bases loaded in the eighth, that at the time, gave the Rays the lead. So there were some bright spots from last night's loss.
Unfortunately, that loss put the Rays in last place in the American League East for the first time since April 21st. This is the latest they've been in last since the 'Devil' was cut out of the name, when they finished 66-96 and last in the division.
TODAY'S STARTING PITCHERS
| PITCHER | W | L | ERA | FIP | AVG | HR | K% | BB% | GS/G | IP |
| Matt Moore |
1 | 4 | 7.06 | 5.45 | .311 | 8 | 16.0% | 8.0% | 9/9 | 43.1 |
| Henry Owens | 3 | 2 | 4.33 | 4.59 | .250 | 6 | 19.3% | 9.1% | 8/8 | 43.2 |
Everything came together last time out for Matt Moore against the Orioles. Although there were some hard hit balls and a couple of deep flyouts, Moore pitched seven full innings and only allowed two hits while he struck out nine. But, perhaps more important were the zero number of walks that he gave up in those seven innings. It was his first appearance all season where he didn't walk a batter. Unfortunately, he ended up with a no-decision after Alex Colome imploded in the eighth inning and wound up losing the game.
Henry Owens Scouting Report:
Owens entered the season as one of the top prospects in all of baseball and the 2nd top prospect in the Red Sox organization. Halfway through a solid season with Triple-A Pawtucket, he received the call-up to the big league team after Rick Porcello was placed on the DL. Owens made his debut on August 4th against New York and he has settled into Boston's rotation since then.
His last time out, almost replicated Matt Moore's last outing as they both faced Baltimore, with Owens pitching two outs into the eighth inning, shutting out Baltimore on six hits, while he gave up six hits, walked none, and struck out four earning his third victory of the year.
His arsenal:
| PITCH | VELOCITY | FREQUENCY | vs LHB | vs RHB |
| Fastball | Low 90's |
41% vs LHB *** 30% vs RHB |
Elevates it in the zone | Elevates it i the zone |
| Sinker | Low 90's |
17% vs LHB *** 38% vs RHB |
Sporadic | Paints the outside corner |
| Slider | High 70's |
18% vs LHB *** 03% vs RHB |
Low and away from the zone | Sporadic |
| Change | High 70's |
11% vs LHB *** 21% vs RHB |
Sporadic | Below the zone |
| Curve | Low 70's |
14% vs LHB *** 09% vs RHB |
Low and away from the zone | Sporadic |
His splits:
| TBF | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | K% | BB% | |
| vs LHB | 39 | .303 | .410 | .515 | 2 | 23.1% | 12.8% |
| vs RHB | 148 | .237 | .304 | .385 | 4 | 18.2% | 8.1% |
| HOME | 93 | .277 | .355 | .554 | 6 | 20.4% | 8.6% |
| AWAY | 94 | .224 | .298 | .271 | 0 | 18.1% | 9.6% |
September 22nd in Rays History:
- One former Rays player was born on this date, as Mark Guthrie (of Moneyball fame) celebrates his 50th birthday. Guthrie spent 15 years at the major league level, primarily as a reliever. During the twilight of his career, he played 34 games with Tampa Bay in 2000.
- They are 7-8 all-time on this date
- 2004 - The Devil Rays and Royals needed an extra inning to finish this. In the top of the 10th, with score tied at six, Lou Pinella turned to Jorge Sosa who immediatley gave Chris Pickering his third double of the evening. He'd eventually come around to score the go-ahead run after some small ball and the Royals won, 7-6. A devastating loss that sent a ripple effect throughout the world and actually caused Oceanic Flight 815 to crash.