Rays: 9, Marlins: 6 - OMG

This game got real weird.

It started out great for the Rays, with Wilson Ramos going deep in the 1st, scoring Matt Duffy and giving the Rays a quick 2-0 lead.

The second inning would also be good to the Rays, with back to back doubles by Daniel Robertson and Adeiny Hechavarria to score an additional run, and a single by Mallex Smith to give the Rays and STARTER Ryan Yarbrough a nice cushion. With Ryne Stanek needed in last nights extra inning 1 run loss game, he was unable to open.

Yarby would go 3 IP, give up 4 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks, and give up 2 runs

...to the pitcher. Probably would’ve been better letting Brinson hit instead of IBB, to be honest.

Austin Pruitt would take over and allow the Marlins to tie the game in the 5th inning after issuing a walk to JB Shuk and back to back singles to Castro and Anderson to score. A sac fly by Realmuto would tie the game at 4.

And that would be it.

For SEVEN INNINGS. WE ALMOST PLAYED A FOUR GAME SERIES IN THREE GAMES.

I’m not kidding. NOTHING HAPPENED BETWEEN THE 4th and 15th inning.

Well besides this bullet from KK:

And a lot of Rays’ baserunners running into outs. What’s new.

Here is a recap within a recap. A recaption. Recapception. Reception? Whatever its late.

Rays pitchers would do a solid job of keeping the Rays in it with a combination of Wood, Roe, Romo, Stanek, and Nuno. The best bullpen in baseball would give a phenomenal pitching line of 10 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 9 Ks and ZERO runs.

Rays hitting would be the most tormenting, frustrating, and annoying thing I have watched in a long time. They would have TWENTY total hits. Five came in the 4 run 2nd inning.

And 11 hits in 12 innings, and NO RUNS.

Then it got weird.

Top of the 16th inning came, and the Rays started off by putting the first two runners on with a Field single, and Gomez HBP. Kiermaier would hit into a 6-4-5 double play to eliminate the threat. For non-baseball people that is SS -> 2B -> 3B.

Then our savior from this torment, Rake Jake Bauers would bring us to the light of this dark, dark world.

Then Vidal Nuno helped cushion the lead with a RBI single. His SECOND hit of the game!

I told you things got weird.

Nuno unfortunately would exit the game after hustling out of the box and be replaced with pinch runner Nathan Eovaldi.

Daniel Robertson, not to be outdone, would follow Nuno’s double with one of his own, scoring Ramos and Eovaldi, and giving the Rays a 9-4 lead.

Cash, trying to preserve what was left of the bullpen (Alvarado, Castillo and Andriese for those keeping track), sent out catcher Jesus Sucre to “close” out the game.

Jesus Sucre would go 0.1 IP and give up 3 H, 2 R, and 0 K.

Cash would have to go to Alvarado to close out the game after Sucre loaded the bases and allowed a run to score on a sac fly.

Alvarado closed it out, but not after the Marlins would score 1 more and over turn a game ending double play on a challenge. This game finally ends with a Rays win.

Rays play the Marlins again in 12 hours. Jose Urena takes the mound for the Marlins against probably Andriese and Castillo. And some people from Durham. I honestly have no idea.

Good night and Happy 4th.