Yikes, last night’s 8-1 loss to the Tigers wasn’t pretty — thank god for second chances. The true test will be how well the Rays can bounce back tonight.
What follows is a brief recap, because (and let’s be honest here) I have a pile of firecrackers and Roman candles that are begging to be lit.
Game Peripherals
- Erik Bedard wasn’t just so-so, he was really bad. In his worst start of the season, Bedard couldn’t find his spots; pitching well off the plate when he was trying to coax a whiff, and when he did find the zone, he got hammered to the tune of six runs on eight hits — including three home runs in the first inning alone. It was written, “The Tigers have a really good offense and he’s still prone to being Erik Bedard.” Well put.
- To be fair, Tampa Bay wasn’t much better at the plate. After threatening Scherzer with a crooked number in the first inning, the Rays settled for one run on a sac fly. Things looked promising when Desmond Jennings led off the game with a double, yet his extra base hit was one of only two hits the team would collect all night. Adding insult to injury, those two hits came between the first and fourth innings. All told, the last 16 Rays were retired in order. The only solace I find, is that reigning the AL Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer was on the mound for the Tigers. That is, at least this didn’t come against someone like Vidal Nuno or Dallas Braden.
- Vince Belnome made his MLB debut as the Rays DH, and…went 0-3 in front of his friends and family.
- Perhaps the 867-5309 lineup wasn’t the best call, Joe.
The New What Next
Alex Cobb will toe the rubber, opposite of Drew Smyly tonight. Cobb was excellent in his last start in Detroit, blanking the Tigers over 7-2/3 innings last season. On the flip side, the Rays have had a measured amount of success against Smyly in his last two starts, tagging the lefty for four runs on eight hits, including a homer in 11 innings of work — measured being the operative word. Those 11 innings have come over two starts in which the Rays slashed a combined .174 BA/.269 OBP/.391 SLG/.661 OPS line. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview, and I’ll post the starting lineup when it becomes available.
Rays 7/4/14 Starting Lineup
Jennings CF
Zobrist SS
Guyer LF
Longoria 3B
Forsythe 2B
Loney 1B
Rodriguez DH
Molina C
Kiermaier RF
Cobb RHP
Noteworthiness
- The Rays are 5-11 on July 4; 4-4 under Joe Maddon. Overall, on national holidays (Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day), by team count, they are 12-30.
- Jeff Beliveau is back again, this time to replace Cesar Ramos, who begins paternity leave today. Ramos can miss up to three games.
- The two hits by the Rays were a season low.
- Since it’s the Fourth of July, this song begs to be blared as loudly as your little laptop/mobile device speakers will allow:
[youtube_sc url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_tyWt_9Bfs”]