Royals: 3, Rays: 2 - Shane Spectacular, Offense Stifled

After the offensive explosion yesterday, Rays look to keep rolling with the second game against Brady Singer and the Royals. Good thing the Rays have all star Shane McClanahan on the mound, who comes into this game with a 2.28 ERA.

Both Sugar Shane and Brady Brulee worked through the first two innings with no score; both teams getting walks, but no hits to drive them in.

In the top of the 3rd inning, McClanahan issued a walk to LF MJ Melendez, and then Bobby Witt Jr. smashed a hanging slider by McClanahan for a HR.

Rays were able to put together a solid opportunity in the bottom of the 3rd inning. A Mejia single, Mejia single and Ji-Man Choi walk loaded the bases with 2 outs, but a pickoff play by Brady Singer nabbed Ramirez at 2nd base, for the 3rd and final out.

Although if you ask me, he looked safe based on those replays.

Besides the 2 run homer in the 3rd inning, McClanahan was exactly what we expected tonight, giving up a couple more walks & hits, but no more runs.

Shane McClanahan left the game with 7.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 Ks with 16 whiffs on 90 pitches. Great outing that also helped manage his workload.

In the bottom of the 6th inning, a David Peralta single and Harold Ramirez double opened up the inning to put runners at 2nd and 3rd base with nobody out. Randy Arozarena comes up to the plate, and after being down 0-2, battles back on 8 pitches and loops a single to the right side of the infield for a base hit.

Royal’s Eaton was coming up firing, so shout out to 3rd base coach Rodney Lineras for sending Harold, and Harold getting a good slide in (again) to even the score up at 2-2.

Jason Adam and Jalen Beeks came out for the 8th and 9th innings, putting up scorless innings to give the Rays a chance at taking the lead for the first time this game.

Rays went down 1-2-3 in the 7th & 8th inning.

At the bottom of the 9th inning, Taylor Walls hit a ground ball down the left field line and into the corner, and immediately was thinking of tryin got go for two bases. MJ Melendez gets to the ball quickly and fires a bullet to Witt Jr. who applies the tag for the out. Rays challenge, and it looked like it there miiiight be a chance to overturn it, but the call stands for the second out. Quinn would strikeout to end the inning and we go to extras.

Royals started the 10th inning with Michael A. Taylor on 2nd base, and the Royals played small ball, going: sac bunt, sac fly to give the Royals a 3-2 lead. Beeks got the third batter to ground out and end the inning, but damage was already done.

Yandy Diaz opened the bottom of the 10th as a pinch hitter and Roman Quinn as the runner on 2nd. Yandy Diaz hit a groundout, but it was hit at the SS and behind Quinn, so the runner stays at 2nd.

A ball gets away, but Salvador Perez puts a great block on it and he comes up looking for Quinn. Next pitch, Quinn got a good jump trying to steal third on a breaking pitch, but Perez made the perfect throw to nab him at 3rd for the second out. I think if that pitch was even slightly off, Quinn would be at 3rd base with 1 out.

Mejia hit a opposite field line drivel that was fading fast, and looked like it would drop in for a hit, but MJ Melendez stretched out for the final out.

Toronto wins, so that moves the Rays to the third Wild Card spot. 1 game behind Toronto, and 1.5 games behind the Mariners.

Next game is tomorrow at 4:10 PM. Drew Rasmussen takes on Kris Bubic.