In an ideal world, a team composed of major league hitters would support their starting pitcher, especially when victories are at a premium. Those hitters would be able to give him a healthy cushion, and because of it a pair of solo shots wouldn’t feel like an insurmountable void to overcome. That is, in an ideal world pitching and hitting would be in synch with one another. That wasn’t the case Wednesday night when the Rays dropped their second straight game, and the series, to the Baltimore Orioles by a score of 4-3.
Say what you will about Cesar Ramos, though I’d caution you about saying anything other than he was deserving of a win — anything on the contrary would be doing the Rays lefty a huge disservice. It’s safe to say that Ramos was on point, tossing 5-2/3 innings of solid baseball, while slashing H/2 R/2 BB/4 K/2 HR/72 pitches (45 strikes, 63% K%), and coaxing six ground outs and two fly-ball outs. He, for the most part, did what was expected of him; keep the Orioles off the base paths, work around any self incurred jams, and put together efficient innings — as it relates to his pitch count. Ramos made two mistakes by leaving a pair of fastballs up in the zone to Adam Jones, and paid dearly. However, in light of what he accomplished on the mound over the course of his 5-2/3 innings of work, the loss could — and should — be blamed on an offense that wasn’t able to touch Bud Norris for more than two runs. Ramos said he was definitely disappointed to get pulled in sixth after tossing only 72 pitches, then again he also understood what Joe Maddon was trying to accomplish by putting Brandon Gomes in the game, with the specter of Adam Jones looming. Ramos’ pitching breakdown: 10 fastballs (7 strikes), 34 sinkers (23 strikes), 13 change-ups (7 strikes, 2 whiffs), 9 sliders (4 strikes, 1 whiff), 6 curve balls (4 strikes, 1 whiff).
Game Peripherals
- Yunel Escobar came up big on Cruz’ grounder to short, starting an inning ending double play in the first.
- Down by two, David DeJesus brought the Rays back to within a run with a leadoff homer to right in the fifth inning.
- Each team put the leadoff batter on base in the front four innings, while the Rays put the leadoff man on in the first five innings and six innings overall. They only scored runs in two of those innings however.
- The Rays tied the game with a two out rally in the bottom of the sixth inning. James Loney got things started with and HBP in the knee. Wil Myers moved him up to second on a single, signaling the Bud Norris’ night. RHP Brian Matusz entered the game, bringing Sean Rodriguez out to pinch hit for DeJesus. Rodriguez hit a huge single to center, scoring Loney from second as Jones’ throw to home skipped away from the catcher.
- Tommy Hunter entered the game in the ninth inning and was promptly welcomed by a Wil Myers a leadoff double to left center. Rodriguez was next, though he struck out looking at a full count change-up, bringing Escobar to the plate. Yuni singled to center, Myers was held up at third base as Jones quickly fielded the ball. Maddon pinch ran Logan Forsythe for Escobar, while Ryan Hanigan continued the rally, driving in Myers on a base hit and moving Forsythe to third with only one out. Maddon made another pinch running move, calling for Brandon Guyer in lieu of Hanigan, representing the winning run. Ben Zobrist lined out to J.J. Hardy for the second out of the inning, giving Desmond Jennings a last chance to drive in a run. Jennings steamed a liner back up the middle — though it was caught by Hunter, ending the game in a Rays’ defeat.
- …A game of inches. With the game knotted up at two apiece in the seventh, Brandon Gomes threw an 0-2 cement mixer to Jonathan Schoop which, consequently, found a new home in the left field stands. Gomes was one pitch away from getting the Rays out of the inning unscathed. “One mistake,” Gomes said. “And in this division, that’s it. It’s a game of inches.”
The New What Next
David Price will take the mound, opposite of Ubaldo Jimenez, Thursday night when the Rays attempt to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Orioles. You can read about the pitching match-up, and so much more, in our series preview. I’ll post the starting lineup when it becomes available.
Rays 5/8/14 Starting Lineup
Zobrist 2B
Jennings CF
Joyce LF
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Myers RF
DeJesus DH
Escobar SS
Molina C
Price LHP
Noteworthiness