Rays 4, Cardinals 6: Siri how do you spell Nootbaar

This game was... eh... it was fine. It wasn’t great, it wasn’t the worst, it could have been significantly better.

Let’s just get into the highlights.

Beeks was up first in the opener role, and had a 1-2-3 top of the first, in the bottom half Wander Franco got a one-out single but no runs scored.

Beeks started to stumble in the second, with a lead-off single to Gorman, a double to Walker, and then a Burleson groundout scored Gorman. Carlson walked but no additional runs scored. The Rays got some ground back in the home half as Paredes was hit-by-pitch, then he was eliminated in a Raley ground ball to a fielder’s choice. A Siri home run then brought home two runs. Josh Lowe singled, but no more Rays runs scored. They were up 2-1 though.

Lars Nootbaar hit a lead-off single and that was it for Beeks, who gave way to Kelly. Nootbaar advanced to second on a groundout, then stole third. An Arenado single then brought Nootbar home, and while I’m not thrilled about that I am thrilled to have written the name “Nootbaar” three times in one paragraph. Lars Noorbaar is Dutch and Japanese. Did you know the Dutch word for baseball is “honkbal”? You’re welcome. Contreras singled, then Walker singled to score Arenado. Cards up 3-2.

Bottom of the third saw a walk from Franco and an Arozarena single but not Rays runs.

Kelly continued in the fourth and so did the Cardinals. Carlson walked, Edman singled, and then a Goldschmidt single scored both baserunners. In the bottom half Siri hit a solo home run and though Josh Lowe singled they settled for just the one run. Cards were up 5-3 at the end of four.

The fifth and sixth were scoreless on both sides, with only a Franco single in the fifth to put a man on for either club.

In the seventh Nootbaar hit a solo home run to start the inning, this was followed by three groundouts. In the bottom half with two outs, Franco hit a solo home run of his own. The eighth was quiet on both sides with only a Burleson walk for the Cards and a Ramirez single for the Rays. No more runs.

Diekman kept the Cardinals’ bats quiet in the ninth so it was down to the Rays to make something happen in the bottom half. Sadly the Rays couldn’t muster a comeback.

Final: Cardinals 6, Rays 4