Rays: 4, Pirates: 2 - Sugar Shane Sweep

After two back-to-back walkoff wins, the Rays look to complete a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hopefully it doesn’t come down to another walk off win, right?

Also Happy Wander Franco day to all who celebrate. A welcomed sight in the Rays’ lineup.

Rays would score first in the bottom of the 2nd inning on a RBI walk worked by Vidal Brujan.

Rays couldn’t add on as Yandy Diaz lined out on a 100.0 MPH hit to end the threat, and keep ths score at 1-0.

Pirates answered in the top of the 3rd inning, with alternating singles and outs, with the third single by Bryan Reynolds scoring Yu Chang to tie the score at 1.

Two out of those three outs were strikeouts by Shane McClanahan, including this filth:

In the bottom of the 3rd inning, Rays had an opportunity to score with Ji-Man Choi on 2nd, and a Josh Lowe single, but a heads up play by the Pirates and a poor baserunning decision by the Rays lead to the 3rd out.

Tied at 1 after 3 innings. And it would be quiet because Shane McClanahan was on the mound. He was able to work around a double in the 4th inning, and didn’t let another Pirates batter reach for the rest of his outing. 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB and 10 Ks on 19 whiffs. Another stellar outing for the current Cy Young award front runner.

You would think Shane McClanahan was on the bump for the pirates too with the way the Rays’ offense was going, but some of that is bad luck. Yandy Diaz hit the snot out of the ball recently, with a 97 MPH fly out, a 107.2 MPH double to open the 7th inning and a 102.6 MPH double. In addition to Yandy, Harold Ramirez hit a 109.7 MPH GROUNDOUT.

After that Yandy Diaz double to lead off the 7th inning, Wander Franco grounded out to move Yandy to 3rd and brought Randy Arozarena up who grounded into a fielders choice. Yandy ran on contact, and was thrown out by a longshot at home.

To be honest, I’m not sure if Yandy would’ve made it back to third base. At this point, it felt like a “ok lets just get the third out and move onto the next inning in hopes that Issac Parades can save us again”. It felt MORE like that after Randy Arozarena was caught stealing to end the inning.

HOWEVER Randy gave them “the ‘ol reach around” (BA’s quote not mine) to avoid the tag and keep the inning alive.

With former Ray Anthony Banda on the mound against Ji-Man Choi, the Rays had to capitalize on getting the call overturned.

And finally, the Rays did just that. Choi doubles home pinch runner Walls to give the Rays a 2-1 lead. Pirates didn’t want anything to do with Harold Ramirez, and IBB’d him to get to Josh Lowe for the lefty-on-lefty matchup, and Josh Lowe came through with an RBI single to make it 3-1 Rays.

Rays would end Anthony Banda’s night, and call upon RHP Austin Brice to face soon-to-be AL Player of the Week Issach Parades.

4-1 Rays going into the 8th inning. Cash called upon RHP Jason Adam, and Pittsburgh countered with Dan Vogelbach.

Rays lead cut down to 2, but Adam got out of it in the 8th, and Brooks Raley worked around a 2 out walk to seal the win & the sweep for the Rays.

Rays are now 40-32 and tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for 3rd in the AL East. Rays have a day off tomorrow, and then welcome the Milwaulkee Brewers and fan favorite Willy Adames to the Trop for a quick two game set. First pitch is at 7:10 PM ET