Rays 1, Phillies 3: Losing in extras extra-sucks

Rays were home, Phillies were good, let’s just go through this.

Armstrong was on the mound to start the night for the Rays and immediately gave up a double to Schwarber. Turner then reached on an infield single, but the next three batters went in order and the Rays pitched themselves out of an early disaster. The Rays went down in order in the bottom of the inning.

It was a nice 1-2-3 for Armstrong in the top of the second, but the Phillies did the same in the bottom half.

Top of the third and Stubbs reached on an infield single but was immediately eliminated by a double play, and the next out ended the inning without real threat. In the bottom of the third the Rays got their first hit and first baserunner on a Jose Siri single. Unfortunately, a groundout and double play finished them off scoreless.

Stephenson was next out of the pen for the Rays and put the Phillies down in order. Bottom of the fourth, Diaz singled to start things off, but was then removed on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Franco. Franco then stole second. Two outs later, the Rays were unfortunately still scoreless.

Four pitches into the fifth and new pitcher Diekman gave up a home run to Hall, the first scoring run of the game, putting the Phillies on the board. It was the only run they’d score in the inning, but given what a low-scoring game it was to this point, it mattered. In the bottom half the Rays tied it up again. Paredes hit a solo home run to open the home half of the inning and the score was now 1-1.

Kevin Kelly was next out of the pen, and Turner managed to reach first on an error from the pitcher. Turner then stole second. No runs scored. In the bottom half Franco hit a two-out single but the Rays failed to turn it into a run.

The seventh was a 1-2-3 on both sides.

Jason Adam came on in the top of the eighth and had an easy 1-2-3. In the bottom half the Rays started to make things interesting. With two outs, Walls and Diaz got back-to-back walks. Walls, naturally, stole second. And then third. In a mighty 11-pitch at-bat, Franco fought the good fight. It went right to Castellanos however and the runners were left in scoring position.

Fairbanks came out for the ninth. He did his thing, no runs scored. But the story was the same for the Rays, so onto the tenth we go.

Poche had a scoreless inning. The Rays also had a scoreless inning. Onto the eleventh.

The eleventh with Thompson on the mound things went... poorly. Stubbs got a one-out hit-by-pitch, and a Schwarber single scored ghost runner Sosa. Turner then singled to score Stubbs. That was all it took to put them up 3-1 and make things pretty dire for the Rays in the bottom half. While Diaz was able to get a walk, there was simply no turning things around.

Final: Phillies 3, Rays 1