There’s a certain irony when you compare Saturday’s game against Mark Buehrle and the Toronto Blue Jays, with Buehrle’s last start against Tampa Bay on July 11. In both contests, the Rays were able to tag Buehrle for a crooked number of runs. In both contests, the Rays knocked Buehrle out of the game early. And in both contests, a reliever relinquished the go-ahead runs to give the Rays an unfortunate loss.
Tampa Bay got on the board first in the third inning after collecting four hits, yet they managed only one run. Yunel Escobar led off the inning with a single but was quickly eliminated when Jose Molina grounded into a double. Despite quadruple clutching the ball (BA’s words) Munenori Kawasaki was still able to throw the sloth-like Molina out to complete the double play. With two outs and no one on, Sean Rodriguez hit a single through the left side of the infield to give the Rays a baserunner once again. Desmond Jennings followed by hitting a base hit to left-center which allowed Rodriguez to move to third. Somewhat surprising, Ben Zobrist then laid down a perfect bunt down the third base line to plate a run. As the Toronto’s Danny Valencia and Buehrle attempted to field the ball, the dynamic duo collided. The gaffe resulted in the run crossing plate, and an appearance from the Blue Jays’ head trainer. Brandon Guyer followed by reaching on an error committed by Valencia to load the bases. But, as has been kismet for Evan Longoria this season, Number Three grounded out to end the inning, stranding three on the bags
The lead was short lived. With one out in the third inning Valencia walked, then moved to second with two outs on a wild pitch by Hellickson. To be fair, Molina’s inability to move behind the plate had just as much to do with the runner moving into scoring position. Had he tried to block the ball with his largess, the Blue Jays third baseman may never have moved up. Another fielding gaffe came when Jose Reyes hit a hard line drive into left that Guyer dove for, but missed — he appeared to stumble when he made an attempt to field the play, and the ball glanced off his glove. Melky Cabrera then drove Reyes home on a double of his own, giving the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead. Hellickson was able to strikeout Bautista to end the inning and limit the damage to two runs.
A rather perplexing play happened in the top of the fourth inning, after Wil Myers singled to third — Valencia struggled to make a strong, accurate throw to first, and the ball bounced in front of Lind, allowing the hustling Myers to reach safely. Yet Myers was picked off first after initially being called safe by first base umpire Bill Welke. Just as Buehrle stepped onto the rubber, John Gibbons came out of the dugout to ask for a challenge on the safe call. The call was reviewed and overturned; Myers was as out. It should be noted, the rules state that a play cannot be reviewed after the pitcher is ready to throw the next pitch. That is, Gibbons never should have been granted the opportunity to challenge the play first place. The Rays decided to play remainder of the game under protest for when the replay was initiated.
Both teams remained silent until the top of the seventh inning when Logan Forsythe hit a leadoff single to left. Myers grounded into a fielder’s choice which deleted Forsythe at first, yet the Blue Jays couldn’t complete the double play which allowed Myers to reach. Escobar walked to push Myers into scoring position and Jose Molina (of all people) drove in Myers with a single up the middle. Sean Rodriguez followed Molina’s RBI single with a double to left, scoring Escobar but not Molina. Buerhle’s day was done.
Aaron Sanchez replaced Buehrle and put down Jennings and Zobrist on a ground out and a strikeout (respectively) to end the inning, but not before the Rays took a 3-2 lead… Though the lead wouldn’t last.
Hellickson came out to start the seventh, and Adam Lind welcomed him with a hard hit fly ball to wall in right. Jumping against the wall, Zobrist robbed Lind of extra bases.
Joe Maddon made the move to bring Brad Boxberger into the game to face Edwin Encarnacion. He welcomed Boxy with a ground rule double to left on the first pitch. Dioner Navarro followed the extra base with a two run blast after an eight pitch at-bat. When Colby Rasmus doubled to center after another lengthy at-bat, Maddon opted to pull Boxberger, in favor of Grant Balfour. The much maligned reliever got two outs without any more damage for seemingly the first time this season.
The Rays mounted a comeback against Casey Janssen to force extra innings, and it all started when Myers drew a leadoff walk. Myers moved second with one out on a pinch hit single by Kevin Kiermaier, and James Loney tied the game with a pinch hit single of his own, to left — plating Myers. But the ever hustling Kiermaier couldn’t put on the brakes when Tom Foley put on the stop sign, and ran past third. KK couldn’t get back to the bag in time, and the throw into third proved costly — wiping out the lead runner in a crucial RISP opportunity with one out. While there was still a runner at second, Desmond Jennings grounded out to short to end the inning.
Joel Peralta pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth for the Rays.
The Rays couldn’t take advantage of a leadoff single by Zobrist in the top of the tenth, after Matt Joyce popped out to short, and Evan Longoria flew out to center. Logan Forsythe was able to push Zobrist into scoring position on a walk, though Myers flew out to right to end the inning.
Peralta came out again to pitch in the top of the tenth, and Rasmus laid down a bunt single to lead off the inning. After striking out the next two batters (and after Rasmus stole his way into scoring position), Peralta was pulled in favor of the lefty Jeff Beliveau.
It took Beliveau exactly one pitch to serve up the game winning hit to Jose Reyes — a ground ball to left. Jays win, 5-4.
The New What Next
The Rays will go for a series win tomorrow when Chris Archer takes the mound against Drew Hutchison. Hutchison (8-11, 4.81 ERA) was at his best against the Rays in his first start of the season, back on April first. Since he’s yielded 11 earned runs in 10-1/3 innings of work, for an overall 5.96 ERA against Tampa Bay. Hutchison is coming off a seven inning outing against the White Sox which he was tagged for eight hits and seven runs. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.
Rays 8/24/14 Starting Lineup
Jennings CF
Zobrist 2B
Joyce LF
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Myers DH
Escobar SS
Casali C
Kiermaier RF
Archer RHP
Noteworthiness
- All streaks are meant to come to an end, and the Rays’ streak of 19 consecutive road games without allowing more than three runs (the second longest such streak of all time, 1908 Cubs) came to pass when Boxberger gave up the two run homer in the seventh.
- Maddon said he is confident it is a “legitimate protest” and would be surprised if it was upheld. He went on, saying it’s “pretty cut and dried” that with pitcher on rubber and batter in the box, the chance to review a call “is locked.” Crew chief Bob Davidson said it was “extremely close,” but he felt that Gibbons made the protest just as Escobar was in box, so he allowed it. Per Marc Topkin, MLB says it usually is a few business days for a protest to be heard, and is decided by Joe Torre’s department.
- Saturday is believed to be the fourth protested game in team history. The Rays won the three other games, so the protests were dropped.