Tigers: 0, Rays: 1 - Yarbrough, Bullpen Sharp

After a disappointing 0-2 opening homestead loss to Detroit, the Rays were looking to bounce back with Ryan Yarbrough getting his 2nd start in a row. Let's hope he continues where he left off.

The Tigers were sending out Jordan Zimmerman, who was 1-7 and a 5.00+ ERA heading into this start.

Ryan Yarbrough

Yarbrough has been something else the past two games. Yes, its been against the Mariners and Tigers, but he’s been spectacular.

6.1 IP, TEN strikeouts, ZERO walks and only 3 hits. 86 pitches too.

Over his past two starts he’s pitched 15.0 IP, 6 H, 0 BB, 18 Ks. Can the offense finally give their starting pitching some help?

Short answer: No.

Rays Offensive Offense

Rays again struggled to get anything going against a struggling Tigers team. There was a looming feeling that this game would play out similarly to last nights 2-0 loss.

Rays didn’t even collect their first hit until the 4th inning, where Tommy Pham hit a 107 MPH screamer for a double with only 1 out, but sadly Austin Meadows, flied out and Jesus Aguilar struck out to end the inning.

Another chance came in the 6th when Willy Adames singled, and Tommy Pham walked to give the Rays their first runnier in scoring position, but Austin Meadows flew out (again) to end the threat.

As you can see, the Rays still haven’t recovered from their successful road trip hangover, but not to worry!

Bullpen is Back

The Rays bullpen, and really all of the pitching, have given the Rays a fighting chance. After a double in the 7th inning by Niko Goodrum off Yarbrough, Kevin Cash went to Chaz Roe who struck out the next two Detroit batters to end the threat and inning.

Future Current set up man Nick Anderson took over for Roe and does what he does best.

3 Strikeouts, 11 pitches. 2nd year in a row the Rays have won the trade deadline in my unbiased opinion.

Set up lead to closer Emilio Pagan for the 9th inning, and continued the Rays & Tigers carousel of walking up to the batters box, and walking back to the dugout. Sometimes the Rays would change things up and run to 1st base before walking back to the dugout.

End of 9 innings, still 0-0. Yay free baseball?

Kevin Cash asked Pagan to come out for the 10th inning, and again the Rays bullpen shut it down.

After Pagan, however it gets a little nerve-wracking as Cash put Diego Castillo in for the 11th and 12th inning. And again the Rays’ bullpen comes through, with some help by the Rays’ infield defense:

Castillo matches Pagan and goes 2.0 IP with 0 BB and 3 strikeouts including this beauty:

Its a good thing the Rays’ pitching was on fire, because the offense was not. Rays hitting had another threat in the 11th inning with the bases loaded and 1 out with Travis d’Arnaud at the plate. But TdA grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Back to the pitching. Score is still 0-0 and we are heading into the 13th inning. Colin Poche took over for Castillo, and continued the streak, firing another scoreless frame for the Rays.

Just to put this in perspective, here is the Rays pitching line tonight

13.0 IP

3 Hits - all from Yarby. After the double to Goodrum in the 6th inning, the Rays bullpen kept the Tigers hitless.

0 Runs

0 Walks

24 strikeouts. TWENTY FOUR!!!

The 13th inning did not start out pretty for the Rays as Adames and Heredia grounded out to start the inning, but Sogard doubled, and the Tigers’ intentionally walked Pham to bring up pinch hitter Mike Brousseau.

Wasn’t pretty, but its a win, right?

FINAL: Tigers: 0, Rays: 1. 29 innings between the Rays scoring a run, but it came when it counted.

Rays will look for the series win tomorrow as they send newly called up (and acquired) Trevor Richards against the Detroit Tigers’ Matt Boyd. Game time is at 1:07 PM