After a day off yesterday, where the Rays were able to take in some beautiful sights, the Rays start their first road trip facing the San Fransisco Giants and one big familiar face.

Back to Back

After 2 quick outs, the Rays didn’t waste any time scoring runs. Back to back doubles by Ji-Man Choi and Brandon Lowe quickly made it 1-0 Rays. Yandy Diaz then came up and said, “What launch angle?”

A broken bat HR, good for 373 ft!!!

The Yandy Diaz fan club was very happy.

Kevin Kiermaier flexed his muscles as well, hitting a HR in the next At Bat.

This is all still with two outs, and we aren’t out of the 1st inning yet!

Tyler Glasnow

Tyler Glasnow has continued to impress with the Rays. After a quick 1-2-3 1st inning, Glasnow gave up a single to Buster Posey, and then found himself into a jam after a throwing error by Ji-Man Choi during Brandon Crawford’s at bat left two Giants on with nobody out.

Glasnow kept his composure and was able to get two groundouts and a strikeout to escape the jam. He also had this beauty of a curve:

Glasnow would cruise up from the 2nd until the 6th inning where he allowed a leadoff single to Brandon Belt, but again recovered with a flyout of Longoria, lineout of Posey, and strikeout of Crawford.

Glasnow would go 6.0 IP with giving up only 3 hits, 1 BB and 6 Ks with 59 of his total 82 pitches being thrown for strikes.

Offense was relatively quiet, but Tommy Pham singled to bring his streak to 40!

The Rays were able to get something going in the 7th inning where Michael Perez hit a solid double in the top of the 7th inning, and advanced to 3rd on a throwing error by Giants’ pitcher Nick Vincent. An Austin Meadows opposite field double scored Perez and made it 5-0 Rays.

Getting Dicey

The Rays bullpen would face what seemed like their first test of adversity in the season. Wilmer Font would take over in the 7th inning, and his velocity is still up hitting a top speed of 96 MPH. Giants would score one after a Pablo Sandoval double would score Pillar to make it 5-1 Rays. Font unfortunately wouldn’t be able to get out of the inning, and was lifted for Adam Kolerak after giving up another double to Steven Duggar and making it 5-2.

Kolarek was able to escape the inning, but came on in the 8th to face Longoria, who reached on an error by Brandon Lowe, and then allowed a double to Buster Posey, and THEN hit Brandon Crawford to load the bases with nobody out. Kevin Cash still rolled with Kolarek to face Parra, and it paid off with Kolarek getting Parra looking on a beauty of a strikeout.

Cash would pull a double switch and substitute Daniel Robertson for Kolarek and Diego Castillo for Adames.

Dominik Vega

Clutch double play by Diego to get the Rays out of trouble!

Rays would threaten in the 9th with a Perez walk, Meadows single, and Pham single to load the bases for Brandon Lowe with 2 outs, but the Rays couldn’t capitalize and left the lead at 5-2 going into the bottom of the 9th, but brought in the big gun to close it out.

Jose Alvarado would get Joe Panik to softly ground to Yandy Diaz, but Diaz bobbled the ball on the transfer and allowed Panik to reach base on what was recorded as a base hit, but should’ve probably been the 3rd error charged to the Rays. Alvarado would walk Solarte to give the Giants 2 baserunners with nobody out. Alvarado would get Duggar to ground into a force out, Belt to ground out and bring up old friend Evan Longoria.

Bottom 9th

2 outs.

Down by 3 with 2 baserunners.

Longoria at the plate.

BUT today wasn’t that day. Alvarado would get Longo to fly out to Heredia. The bullpen was challenged, but preserved, and the Rays come out on top 5 - 3 and take the first game of this series.

Rays will send out Opener Ryne Stanek + Bulk Guy Yonny Chirinos tomorrow against RHP Jeff “Not a fan of the Opener” Samardzija. First pitch is at 4:05 PM EST.