Tampa Bay starts the day one game ahead of the Cleveland Indians and the Baltimore Orioles in the Wildcard race, following another sloppily played game against the Seattle Mariners, Saturday night. The game had the all the hallmarks of a team that’s struggling to keep it together: Poor fielding, questionable pitching, and a non-existent offense. Going into yesterday’s game, Rays skipper, Joe Maddon, was quoted as saying,
“This has been our worst baseball all year.”
If last night’s game did anything, it’s firm up Maddon’s sentiments. Game peripherals are below.
- After putting together a string of three consecutive 7 IP outings, where he gave up a total of four earned runs, Chris Archer is ebbing once again. The Rays rookie RHP couldn’t pitch into the fifth inning for the second consecutive start, this time giving up three runs (two earned) in four innings of work. The kid just didn’t have it right out the gate, though it didn’t help that James Loney geeked the first play of the game — a play that inevitably gave the Mariners their first run. Archers final line: 4 IP/4 H/3 R/2 ER/1 BB/2 K/2 HR.
- Alex Torres didn’t help the cause, giving up a big leadoff double to Nick Franklin to start the fifth inning. Franklin ultimately came home on a poorly played bunt to third. And though it was scored a sacrifice and not an error, Torres fanned right over the ball when attempting to field it, allowing the run to score and the batter (Almonte) to reach first safely.
- Good on Evan Longoria and Wil Myers for each going 2-4 at the plate. Longo scored the Rays only runs on a 428 foot two-run blast (29) to left field, driving in Zobrist who reached on a walk in advance.
- Tampa Bay had a scoring opportunity in the second, not to mention runners on the bags in a handful of other innings. They, however, could do nothing to capitalize on any opportunities. And talk about going out on a whimper, not a bang, with one out and Lobaton on first in the ninth, Yunel Escobar ground into the game ending double play. The Rays ended the night having gone 0-4 wRISP, stranding seven men on base.
- The 6-2 loss found the Rays 2-7 on road trip, having lost 11 of their last 14 games.
The New What Next
Matt Moore will try to salvage the final game of the Rays lackluster road trip, opposite of Erasmo Ramirez. You can read about the pitching match-up here.
Rays 9/8/13 Starting Lineup
DeJesus RF
Zobrist SS
Longoria 3B
Scott DH
Loney 1B
Joyce LF
Johnson 2B
Lobaton C
Fuld CF
Moore LHP
Noteworthiness