Despite scoring five runs on ten hits — including three home runs by David DeJesus, Desmond Jennings, and James Loney — the Tampa Bay Rays dropped the first game of their current three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 10-5. Simply put, Erik Bedard couldn’t string together another good outing and the Blue Jays made him pay, tagging the lefty for eight runs on 12 hits. With a pitching duel between Alex Cobb and Mark Buehrle slated for Tuesday evening, Tampa Bay really needed to win this game — yet they failed to do so after running into the home run hitting buzz-saw that is the Blue Jays.
I live blogged the game for the most part, and you can read that account at our Tumblr page. A few brief observations are below.
Game Peripherals
- Erik Bedard was hit hard in 4 IP/12 H/8 ER/0 BB/2 HR outing. Though he didn’t walk anyone, he couldn’t make it through the fifth inning, after tossing 78 pitches innings. Of the twelve hits he relinquished, Bedard gave up back-to-back home runs to Dioner Navarro (ouch) and Steve Tolleson, as well as three doubles. Bedard was quoted after the game, “You’re facing a hot team and they’re hitting every hole and everything was going their way.”
- The newly promoted (and promtptly demoted) Alex Colome was tasked with soaking up innings, which he did. Yet Colome failed at preventing runs. Colome allowed six batters to reach base in the fifth inning alone, slashing 4 IP/3 H/2 ER/3 BB/1 HR overall.
- Alex Colome was optioned back to Durham following the game. The corresponding move has been described below.
- Jose Molina pinch-hit for Ryan Hanigan, who is in the throes of an 0-for-23 skid. As it turns, Hanigan’s hamstring flared up once again; the same one that sidelined him over a week ago.
The New What Next
Alex Cobb looks to extend streak of three scoreless starts (21.2 IP) against Mark Buehrle. At 8-1 with a 2.16 ERA, Buehrle has been on a tear. The question du jour, how long can Buehrle sustain the run he’s been on? The Rays have had success against the soft tossing lefty in the past. It’s only a matter of time before he regresses. You can read about tonight’s pitching match up in our series preview, and I’ll post the starting lineup when it becomes available.
Rays 5/27/14 starting Lineup
Escobar SS
Longoria 3B
Forsythe 2B
Jennings CF
Rodriguez LF
Myers RF
Loney 1B
Molina C
Joyce DH
Cobb RHP
Noteworthiness
- The Rays have called up C Ali Solis to fill Brandon Guyer’s spot on the roster while he mends. Solis will provide insurance at catcher with Hanigan dealing with hamstring injury. LHP Matt Moore has been placed on the 60-day DL to make room for Solis on the 40-man roster.
- MLB should decide by today if there will be any further discipline from Sunday’s benches-clearing incident with the Rays-Red Sox. Red Sox Jonny Gomes and Rays Yunel Escobar and Sean Rodriguez were ejected.
- Joe Maddon on Mark Buehrle, whom they face tonight: “He’s having a career year right now, and he’s had a pretty good career.”
- Jeremy Hellickson will throw a simulated game Wednesday in Port Charlotte, where he’ll go two innings (15 pitches each). Ben Zobrist is scheduled to play nine innings at second base tonight and Wednesday for Charlotte, with hopes of being activated for Friday’s opener in Boston.
- …And since we’re a mere three days away from our watch party this Friday, I’m compelled to mention something about it every day this week. We sincerely hope that each and every one of you can make it out!
