Tyler Glasnow put together a fantastic outing, while late-game heroics by Brett Phillips allowed the Tampa Bay Rays to walk it off against the Mets, 3-2. That ended a seven-game win streak for the National League East Division leaders.
Tyler Glasnow got the start Friday against the Mets and allowed two runs on five hits and a walk while striking out 10 across eight dominant frames on 105 pitches (70 strikes, 67% strike rate). The only damage against Glasnow came off a fifth-inning two-run homer by Jonathan Villar which started a stretch where he allowed four consecutive hits. Yet, they were four of only five hits he allowed over a season-high eight innings. Friday marked the fifth time in nine starts the right-hander has racked up double-digit strikeouts. He, however, has surrendered seven long balls in his last five turns. Overall, Glasnow maintains a 2.35 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 4.25 K/BB across 57-1/3 innings.
Meanwhile, Mets hurler David Peterson was a touch stingier. The Rays had limited chances to push across runs against the left-hander, but chances they did have. In the second inning, Yandy Díaz started a rally with a leadoff double up the left field line. After Mike Brosseau struck out on a breaking ball off the plate, Willy Adames and Mike Zunino worked back-to-back walks, loading the bases. But as fate would have it, Kevin Padlo and Brett Phillips each struck out, ending the threat. That started a stretch of 17 batters retired in order.
Even so, the Rays still had some fight in them. Down 2-0 in the eighth inning, Gator Mike crushed a 2-0 pitch 450 feet away into the (former) TBT Party Deck for his eighth homer of the season. Padlo followed with a double to center — his first big-league hit in 11 at-bats. Phillips couldn’t get a sacrifice bunt down, and subsequently struck out, but that ended Peterson’s night.
Trevor May relieved Peterson and Randy Arozarena lined a bullet to third, but right at Villar. Two down. But, Manuel Margot came up huge, pulling an RBI double down the left field line, tying the score at two.
Pete Fairbanks took over for Glasnow in the ninth and quickly got the first two outs of the frame. Yet, Kevin Pillar hit a check swing single past the mound for his second infield hit, while Villar — who homered in the fifth — hit an easy ground ball to Adames which glanced off his finger. As a consequence, the shortstop booted it, putting runners at first and second. All’s well that ends well though, as James McCann bounced out, keeping the game knotted at two.
With one more shot to win the game in regulation, Rojas called upon righty Miguel Castro, who Tampa Bay had accrued 30 innings experience against. Pinch-hitter Brandon Lowe walked with one out and Adames singled to right — allowing Lowe to move into third. Adames is now 6-for-9 against Castro. Gator Mike walked for a second time, loading the bases once again, setting up the late in the game heroics.
Joey Wendle pinch-hit Padlo, but Rojas countered with former Ray Aaron Loup — the only New York left-hander. Wendle went down looking at a 94 mph fastball over the heart of the plate, however, Phillips ripped Loup’s first pitch slider to right, scoring Lowe for the game-winning run. It was Phillips’ second walk-off hit as a Ray, with the first one coming in the 2020 World Series. “Baseball is fun” indeed, Brett.
The New What Next
Shane McClanahan (0-0, 3.75 ERA) will get the start in the second game of the set, pitching opposite of Joey Lucchesi (1-2, 7.71 ERA) although Mets skipper Luis Rojas hasn’t named a starter yet.
Shane McClanahan allowed four hits and two walks while striking out five on Sunday against Oakland. As in his previous two outings, McClanahan struck out five over four innings, and he did so Sunday while allowing three runs. The southpaw threw 50 of 80 pitches for strikes (63% strike rate) and tossed first-pitch strikes to 13 of 18 batters (72% first-pitch strike rate). He has now surrendered five earned runs over 12 big-league innings while registering a 3.75 K/BB.
Joey Lucchesi allowed one unearned run on two hits and a walk while striking out three across 3-1/3 innings against the Diamondbacks on Saturday. Lucchesi didn’t allow any earned runs for the first time since his first appearance this season. The 28-year-old has had a rough start to the season, maintaining a 7.71 ERA and 1.43 WHIP across 14 frames. He relies primarily on a 91 mph sinker with a little arm-side run and a 78 mph changeup with surprising cut action. Lucchesi is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA in one career start against the Rays.
You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup is below.
Rays 5/15/21 Starting Lineup
- Arozarena DH
- B. Lowe LF
- Diaz 1B
- Wendle 3B
- Margot RF
- Adames SS
- Zunino C
- Phillips CF
- Brosseau 2B
- McClanahan LHP