Rays 4, Diamondbacks 8: Down and Out

The second West Coast swing of the season for the Rays is underway, as they are in Arizona to begin a three-game series against the Diamondbacks. Zac Gallen is on the mound for the Dbacks, while the Rays are trotting out rookie right-hander Taj Bradley.

Gallen’s opening frame was as good as you’d expect from the 27-year-old ace, needing only eight pitches to set the Rays down in order to begin this one. Bradley’s opening frame, however, was about as bad as it possibly could have gone.

After a leadoff single to Geraldo Perdomo and walk of Ketel Marte, Rookie of the Year candidate Corbin Carroll blasted a three-run home run to deep center field, giving Arizona an early 3-0 lead. Christian Walker followed that with a home run of his own, sending a solo shot to left field and making it 4-0 Diamondbacks. With still no outs in the inning, a mound visit was in order to try and get things back on course.

That mound visit worked, as Bradley was able to get a groundout for the first out in the inning. Former friend Evan Longoria singled up the middle to put the pressure right back on, and Jose Siri committed an error in center on an Alek Thomas fly ball to put himself and Longoria in scoring position. Gabriel Moreno hit a sacrifice fly to extend the lead even further, and finally, a Jake McCarthy groundout stopped the bleeding and ended the inning.

Randy Arozarena started the second inning by drawing a walk against Gallen, and Isaac Paredes moved him to third with a double. Luke Raley walked, loading the bases for Manuel Margot. Gallen’s command was already looking shaky after the two walks, and it only got worse, throwing a wild pitch to allow Arozarena to score, then another one to allow Paredes to score, making a 5-2 game.

Margot flew out for the inning’s first out, and with Raley on third, Christian Bethancourt grounded out just right, allowing Raley to score and make it 5-3. With two outs and nobody on, Jose Siri swung on an inside fastball and sent it into the left field seats, reducing the Arizona lead to just one. Yandy Diaz singled to keep it going, but Wander Franco grounded out to end the side.

Bradley managed to work a 12-pitch bottom of the second, allowing only a single to Corbin Carroll. Isaac Paredes recorded the lone hit for the Rays in the top of the third, doubling to left for his second hit of the night.

Bradley’s third inning saw him allow a solo home run to Evan Longoria, Longo’s 11th on the year, making it 6-4. The home run would be the only damage against Bradley in the inning. The Rays offense went down 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth.

The bottom of the fourth got off to a quick start, as Bradley set down the first two batters on just four pitches. Ketel Marte prevented it from being a perfect inning, as he homered to right to make it 7-4 Dbacks. Bradley struck out Corbin Carroll to end the inning. The top of the fifth saw Gallen once again work a perfect inning, while Taj Bradley’s day was done after four innings of work.

The 22-year old righty was not great tonight, but he didn’t fold after a less-than-ideal first inning. Six of his seven runs allowed were earned, while he struck out two with one walk. He threw 82 pitches before handing the ball over to Shawn Armstrong. Armstrong was great in the bottom of the fifth, allowing only a walk to Longo in an otherwise quiet inning.

Isaac Paredes kept hitting, as with one out in the inning, he singled up the middle for his third hit of the game. Luke Raley managed to get on after a fielding error by Geraldo Perdomo, putting two on against Gallen, but Margot grounded out and Bethancourt struck out to keep the score at 7-4 Diamondbacks.

Armstrong’s second inning of work wasn’t as sharp as his first, after he allowed two straight singles to begin the inning before getting his first out on a sacrifice fly. He struck out Ketel Marte before getting Corbin Carroll to fly out to make it only one run against him. Gallen’s outing was over after six innings, as Miguel Castro entered to pitch the top of the seventh. Castro pitched a 1-2-3 inning.

Robert Stephenson was tabbed to pitch the bottom of the seventh, and he was perfect, needing only nine pitches to strike out two and get a line-out. Kevin Ginkel was brought in to replace Castro for the Diamondbacks, and Ginkel mirrored Stephenson’s frame with a 1-2-3 inning of his own.

Jake Diekman was tabbed to pitch the bottom of the eighth, and he struck out the side, setting down Alek Thomas, Gabriel Moreno and Jake McCarthy, needing only 12 pitches to do so. The top of the ninth saw Jose Ruiz take the mound, looking to close this one out for Arizona.

Ruiz needed only two pitches to set down Luke Raley, who flew out to right, but Manuel Margot showed that there’s still some life in the offense, doubling to left field. Bethancourt quickly deflated that life, flying out to right on the first pitch he saw, while Jose Siri popped out to end this one in Arizona.

The Rays couldn’t overcome a rough pitching performance, and while they put four runs on the board, a couple of them were gifted by an equally shaky Zac Gallen. The Rays will have two more opportunities to get a win in Arizona, with the next one coming tomorrow night. Zach Eflin will start for the Rays, while the Diamondbacks will send out right-hander Zach Davies. First pitch is scheduled for 9:40 pm.