Knowing first hand what Clay Buccholz is capable of, the Rays needed a great start out of their co-ace David Price. And a great start they got, as Price and Tampa Bay rolled to a 5-2 complete game victory over the Red Sox last night. The Rays were able to pull within three games of the wildcard and 3.5 games of the Orioles in the AL East following losses by the A’s and O’s. The Rays will try to make it seven consecutive victories tonight, when Alex Cobb and the Rays take on Jon Lester and the Red Sox in their final match-up of the season.
Price was outstanding last night. Though had you asked me, after the second and third innings whether I thought he’d go deep into the game, I’d have said no.
The Cy Young candidate started things off on a good note, coercing a 1-2-3 inning on a pop out, a ground out, and a strike out. But Price ran into trouble in the second and third innings, giving up two runs on six hits and a rather embarrassing balk. But then something happened, following a meeting on the mound between Jose Molina and Price. “I felt like their approach to me in the second and third inning was very good,” said Price. “I felt like they were trying to hit all the fastballs to right field, [and] that put ’em on time with the cutter. Granted it was catching too much plate and it was too much middle away. Molina came and talked to me after the third inning, told me we’re going to switch some stuff up and give them some different looks and we kept doing that and it was pretty smart words,” Price would tell MLB.com after the game.
Price made an adjustment toward the end of the third inning, relying as he started to rely heavily on his off-speed stuff. Price threw 34 curveballs (78% for strikes, 24% whiffs) and 18 changeups (85% for strikes, 24% whiffs) in the innings that followed his shaky start. What’s more, Price used an off-speed pitch to record 13 of the final 18 outs. David Price would go on to finish what he started, ultimately posting a 9.0 IP/7 H/2 ER/0 BB/13 K line, giving up only one more after he gave a total of six in the second and third innings combined, while striking out 13.
With this, his 19th win of the season, Price became the third pitcher (since 1918) to have at least 13 strikeouts and no walks in a complete game against the Red Sox. David Price and James Shields, became one of pair of seven teammates to post 200+ strikeouts in back-to-back years, while they both have also accrued 200+ innings for the second consecutive season.
I’d be hesitant to call Price the absolute hero of the game, as the Rays hitters were able to do something that many have failed to do against Clay Buccholz since the end of May: score more than four runs. Tampa Bay was able to tag Buccholz for five runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks, including a huge Jeff Keppinger three-run blast over the Green Monstah in the second inning, giving the Rays a lead they’d never relent. I should mention that Kepp had flu like symptoms, and didn’t know if he was even up to playing until just before the game. That kids, is called grittiness.
I’d like to give a shout out to Jose Molina, who went 2-3, driving in Jeff Keppinger on a sixth inning single to left. Molina pulled a quad muscle on that play, and is listed as day-to-day. I’ve got to give credit where it’s due; Molina has raised his batting average 39 points and his slugging percentage 61 points since August 1st. Perhaps that he has seen more consistent play has benefited him well. And to be fair, the Rays looked good at the plate overall, striking out six times while plating five runs and converting 33% of men in scoring position.
Having dropped his last three starts to the Rays, Jon Lester is 10-7 in 21 career outings against Tampa Bay, with a 4.29 ERA. But I’m certainly not dumb enough to call this a sure win for the Rays. I will say however, that it would suit them well if they approached Lester like they did Buchholz the night before. And if the Rays could repeat what they did to Lester back in May, that would be cool too. Anything to give the Rays momentum going into their next big series against the other Sox is okay by me.
Rays 9/26/12 Starting Lineup
Jennings RF
Upton CF
Zobrist SS
Longoria 3B
Keppinger DH
Pena 1B
Francisco LF
Roberts 2B
Lobaton C
Cobb RHP
Noteworthiness: Francisco in left and Jennings in right…wha??? Odd? Yes. Without reason? Absolutely not. Joe Maddon chose to put Jennings and Francisco in these positions because there’s much more ground to cover in right than in left.