A big question preceded the start of the All-Star Break: Could the Rays keep maintain their momentum in the (symbolic) second half of the season? After all, Tampa Bay went 21-12 — extending back to June 11 — while a cloud of uncertainty, over the future of David Price and Ben Zobrist with the team, lingered overhead. If their 6-2 victory against the Minnesota Twins did only one thing, it’s answer the question to an extent — yes they can. The victory also found them 4-1/2 games out of third in the AL East, and 7-1/2 out in the Wildcard race.
Kyle Gibson started off looking pretty strong, needing only 10 pitches to mow down the Rays in the first. Alex Cobb, who’s been faced with his own set of, ahem…extenuating circumstances of late, was able to work around a two-out, Kendrys Morales single with no damage done.
In the second inning, James Loney got a one out base hit, bringing Yunel Escobar to the plate. And though Escobar made a bid to put a runner in scoring position, Brian Dozier made an excellent play to keep the ball in the infield. The Twinkies settled for a fielder’s choice, even though they almost doubled up Escobar. Cole Figueroa was next, grounding out to end any threat. Cobb ran into a bit of trouble in the bottom of the inning. After coaxing a ground ball out from Oswaldo Arcia, Cobb gave up a one out walk and a base hit put Twins on first and second with two outs, bringing former Rays Sam Fuld to the plate. But Cobb was able to get Fuld to fly out harmlessly to left.
Both teams exchanged runs in the third inning. The recently recalled Curt Casali led off the inning with a line drive single to center — his first major league hit in his first at-bat. Kevin Kiermaier made a bid for an opposite field hit in the next at-bat, but was stopped by a diving Sam Fuld. However, Desmond Jennings came through with a single, and Ben Zobrist followed with a walk, loading the bases with one out. With the bases juiced, Matt Joyce did what he’s wont to do — pop out in foul territory. If anything was going to come of the situation, it would be up to Evan Longoria. And Longo did not disappoint, scorching a 2-0 pitch to center; plating three runs and giving the Rays an early lead.
The Twins struck back in the bottom of the inning, with a two-out, two-run homer to left field off the bat of Trevor Plouffe. Cobb, despite allowing a one out single to Dozier, was ahead of everyone to this point — Plouffe included. And he wasn’t happy about not putting a zero on the board after the Rays took a three-run lead.
Both Cobb and Gibson settled down in the fourth, both needing only 10 pitches to set their opponents down in order. In the fifth, Kiermaier (being Kiermaier) hustled out an infield, bunt single on which he was originally called out. Joe Maddon quickly exited the dugout, only to make the slow walk to the umpires, requesting that the play be reviewed. The replays were pretty definitive on the first look, and the call was quickly overturned. Zobrist, with one out, then launched a ball into the right field, putting the Rays up 5-2.
The Twins mounted yet another threat against Cobb. After giving up a seeing eye single, Cobb plunked Brian Dozier on the finger while he tried to bunt — his first of two HBP’s on the night. Fortunately he was able to work around the jam with no runs allowed. If anything, it illustrated that he hasn’t been nearly as sharp this season.
The Rays went down quietly in the sixth, on just seven pitches. The Twins, however, did not.
Cobb quickly got the first two outs on a pair of flat split-changeups, yet he hit Kurt Suzuki in the next at-bat on…you guessed it, an inside split-change. He followed with a two-out walk, spelling his doom. Cobb was pulled in favor of Brad Boxberger. After giving up an uncharacteristic walk to Sam Fuld (on 10-pitches) to load the bases, Boxberger was able to induce a groundout to end the inning.
Kevin Kiermaier led off the seventh with a ball hit so hard to right field, that even could not stretch it into a double. Jennings moved Kiermaier to second on a sac-bunt, and Zobrist followed with another walk, bringing Joyce to the plate with runners on first and second. Joyce didn’t disappoint this time around, lining a ball to right field off of reliever Matt Guerrier — scoring Kiermaier in the process, and putting the Rays up 6-2. Longo grounded into a double play to end the inning, but not before the damage was done. Boxberger came back out in the bottom of the inning and struck out the side on 11 pitches.
Maddon trusted Balfour with the eighth inning, and he — somewhat surprisingly — set down the Twins 1-2-3, without allowing a walk no less.
Despite a Jennings a hit in the ninth, the Rays went down quietly. Jake McGee came in for the final three outs. And though the Rays ace reliever allowed Eduardo Escobar to reach second on a single and a steal, he put down the final three batters in order; all on swinging strikeouts.
The New What Next
David Price will get the start against Phil Hughes Saturday night. The Rays have had previous success against Hughes (10-5, 3.92 ERA) over the last few seasons, tagging the 28 year-old RHP with a 1-2 record, and a 4.78 ERA. Still, Hughes has been has been very good this season — producing a slightly higher WAR than Mashiro Tanaka this season (the highest of his eight-year career), while putting together a league-best walk rate of just 2.4%. If Hughes’ overall ERA speaks to anything, it’s that he’s been somewhat inconsistent. In eight of his 19 starts, Hughes gave up four (or more) earned runs. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview, and I’ll post the starting lineup when it becomes available.
Rays 7/19/14 Starting Lineup
Jennings CF
Zobrist RF
Guyer LF
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Forsythe 2B
Escobar SS
Molina C
Rodriguez DH
Price LHP
Noteworthiness
- Well what d’ya know? The Rays increased their playoff odds from 6% to 7.4%. How the Red Sox still have a better chance of a postseason berth is well beyond the realm of my understanding.
- Ben Zobrist is batting .359 with 2 HR, 10 RBI, 6 2B, and 12 BB in the last 16 games.
- Thanks to all who attended our watch party. What better way to end it than with a huge 6-2 victory?! There’s a proverbial bun in the oven… That is, our next watch party is in the works. We’ll keep you posted!