Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Avoid Disastrous Comeback, Take Game One

The Tampa Bay Rays were ultimately able to walk away from Friday night’s game against the Baltimore Orioles with their heads held high, even if the outcome was less than operative. We should all be thankful that the Rays offense was able to step up, tagging the Orioles for 12 runs on 17 hits and five walks. After all, both Jeremy Hellickson and Kyle Farnsworth did something that they’ve been want to do all season, give up a sizable number of runs late in the game. I’ll go more in-depth below, in a segment I like to call The Good, Bad, and the Argyle: A Game Summary.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Price Headed to the DL

The Rays will take on the Boston Red Sox Thursday night, in the rubber match the current three-game set. There really wasn’t much to like about the previous game. Tampa Bay gave up nine runs over the course of two innings, while the bats — though alive — couldn’t score more than two runs off Jon Lester — who was more lucky than dominant.

Rays 5/14/13 Starting Lineup, Etc

Rays skipper Joe Maddon was back at it Tuesday, brining a Latin band into the clubhouse, and hanging nine bunches of three plantains by the players lockers (specifically by Fernando Rodney and Joel Peralta’s lockers). As you may recall, plantains were the Dominican mascot of the 2013 World Baseball Classic; something Rodney brought to the Rays in May after a rough month in April.

Looking Backward While Forward: The Win That Almost Wasn’t

Going into the seventh inning Saturday night, Jeremy Hellickson appeared to be on cruise-control. The Rays were up 6-2 and he’d given up only two runs on three hits, while retiring 16 consecutive batters — including six strikeouts. But then Helly did something that he’d done a few times this season: he gave up four or more runs, evaporating the Rays sizable lead.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: The Rays Win Big, and the Pen Doesn’t Blow It (Updated)

Upon entering Wednesday night’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Rays desperately needed a solid victory. A big 10-4 win was precisely what the doctor ordered. Matt Moore got his sixth win of the season, as the Rays chinked away at the Blue Jays all night, scoring 10 runs on 13 hits and five walks