The Rays are now 2-1 on this, the second day of Spring Training play. Suffice to say, it was a nail biter of a game. Tampa Bay really showed up at the plate, scoring 10 runs on 15 hits, including a big two-run Mark Thomas blast in the 10th inning. Check out the box score and game highlights below.
Game Highlights and Lowlights
- Chris Archer’s first three pitches were all fastballs, registering at 93, 97, 96 on the radar gun. Archer looked good on the mound, hitting 97 on the gun multiple times. Archer needed 21 pitches to get through the first inning vs. Twins, but allowed only a walk, to Joe Mauer. According to his after game interview (below) he was working on his change-up and reportedly didn’t mind the higher pitch count.
- Jake Odorizzi had an 18-pitch debut inning for Tampa Bay which was marred only by a walk.
- Though Vogt went 0-22 last season at the plate, he hit a single and a double Sunday. Yeah I know you’re asking yourself, why couldn’t he do that last season?!
- Juan Sandoval got himself into some trouble in the third, but he limited the damage. It bears mentioning, Sandoval is blind in his right eye.
- Alex Torres looked shaky at first in the fourth inning. Though he stranded a man in scoring position after allowing a one-out double.
- Leslie Anderson had another good day at the plate, hitting a pair of big hits for for second straight day. Anderson extended the lead to 6-2 with a two-run single in 9th, following that up with a 10th inning RBI base hit to give the Rays an 8-7 lead. Anderson now has five RBI after two days of Grapefruit League action.
- The Rays and the Twins played an extra inning game on the second day of Grapefruit League action after Jimmy Patterson gave up a three run homer in ninth to Brandon Boggs. Patterson was inevitably pulled from the game and credited with five earned runs.
- Mark Thomas crushed a two-run blast in the 10th to give the Rays a 10-7 lead.
- This isn’t Rays news, but it’s big news nonetheless, Curtis Granderson fractured his right forearm after getting hit by a pitch Sunday. He’ll be out for 10 weeks.
