de·pres·sion
-
Severe despondency and dejection, typically felt over a period of time and accompanied by feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy.
- The act of lowering something or pressing something down.
I’d say the first meaning sums up what many of us are feeling right now. Hell, I know I feel despondent, dejected, and hopeless — and Tuesday night’s loss certainly didn’t help the cause. Despite a four run, two-inning uprising, the Tampa Bay Rays dropped the second game of the series to Pirates by a score of 6-5. Truth told, this was a pretty odd game, filled with an inconsistent strike zone, awkward hits, and a rare multi-run outing off the most consistent Rays starter, Chris Archer.
This particular game recap comes in a form that I like to call The Good, the Bad, and the Argyle. Since this may be viewed by you as a rather morose recap, I’d suggest that you click play on the video (below) before you start reading.
[youtube_sc url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcBx1HHmJok”]
The Good
- Despite grounding into a pair of double plays (Ben Zobrist in the first, and Yunel Escobar in the second), the Rays offense didn’t fare terribly against the Pirates. Consider that Desmond Jennings (2-4, R, BB), Brandon Guyer (2-5, R, 2 RBI, 2B), Evan Longoria (1-4, R, 2 RBI, HR), James Loney (2-4), Logan Forsythe (3-4, 2 R, 3B), and Jose Molina (2-3, RBI, 2B) all did well at the plate. In fact, six of the nine starters all reached base at least once.
- Good on the Rays hitters for disrupting closer Mark Melancon, who started the ninth inning with a sub two ERA, yet ended it with a 2.48 earned run average. In 33 total at-bats (including Tuesday night) against the Pirates closer, the Rays have owned Melancon, slashing .303 BA/.324 OBP/.515 SLG/.839 OPS with two homers and nine RBI.
- Juan-Carlos Oviedo lowered his ERA to 2.33 after tossing a six pitch (five strikes) ninth inning, ringing up Alvarez along the way.
The Bad
- Chris Archer laid an egg, tossing a 7 IP/7 H/5 R/4 ER/2 BB/7 K outing. Anticipating he’d throw strikes, the Pirates jumped on Archer early, quickly working a leadoff walk, and forcing a throwing error on an errant pick-off play (both of which put Polanco on third with no outs) — never looking back. The Pirates hitters were more than happy to BABIP Archer on pitches down in the zone.
- To be fair, home plate umpire Mark Ripperger did make some pretty egregious calls — something which proved costly in the sixth inning. Still, those calls were responsible for one run off of Archer, not the other four. Credit where it’s due, the Pirates’ hitters were pretty adept at disrupting Archer, and pouncing on their opportunities.
- Whereas Jose Molina and Logan Forsythe were mightily productive, Ben Zobrist, Yunel Escobar, and Sean Rodriguez were not — combining to go 0-11 with two strikeouts and two double plays.
The Argyle
- Had you told me the Rays would score their first run of the night on a Logan Forsythe bloop triple, followed by a Jose Molina RBI double to left, I’d have laughed in your face. Yet, that was the case. For Molina, that was his first extra-base hit since 9/23/13.
- Here’s a vantage point, of Jose Molina/Sean Rodriguez’s caught stealing of Starling Marte. Marte left the game with concussive symptoms after sliding, head first, into SeanRod’s knee.
The New What Next
The Tampa Bay Rays will try to close out their home stand with a win Wednesday, with David Price on the bump. He’ll be opposed by Charlie Morton (4-8, 3.47 ERA) who has been categorized as a two-pitch pitcher, thanks to his reliance on the fastball and curve ball — a tandem he relies upon over 90% of the time. Morton owns a +52% GB% due in part to a nasty, sinking two-seam fastball which, historically, destroys right-handed batters, and creates serious problems against left-handers. Welcome to consternation station, where it’s widely assumed that Wednesday’s start could be the last for Price in a Rays’ uniform. Whatever the case, you can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview, and I’ll post the starting lineup when it becomes available.
Rays 6/25/14 Starting Lineup
Jennings CF
Zobrist SS
Joyce DH
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Guyer LF
Kiermaier RF
Forsythe 2B
Molina C
Price LHP
Noteworthiness
- Tampa Bay has lost 12 of its last 16 series. Wednesday, they look to avoid being swept for the seventh time this season.
- The Rays will start Alex Colome in the first game of the upcoming double header against the Orioles. It was initially thought that game would mark the return of Jeremy Hellickson. Jake Odorizzi will get the start in the second game.
- Your tweet of the day:
#Rays Escobar left with sore right shoulder, will sit out Weds. Expected back Friday.
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 25, 2014