Jake Odorizzi as impressive once again, going eight strong innings while the Tampa Bay Rays scored on two bases-loaded walks by R.A. Dickey to beat the Blue Jays 2-1 Monday night. The Rays improved to 4-3 on the season, sending a sellout crowd of 48,414 home unhappy.
The righty found himself in two sticky situations, yet Odorizzi willing and able to limit the damage to only one run. The first came in the first inning when Odorizzi issued a pair of two-out walks to Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion. Though both runners were able to advance on a wild pitch, Josh Donaldson struck out looking to end the threat. Odorizzi followed by putting down 12 consecutive batters until the fourth inning.
Hitless two outs into the fifth, Kevin Pillar doubled on a shallow fly-ball that bounced past a diving Steven Souza, in right. Devon Travis followed with an RBI single. It could be argued, had Souza played the ball on a hop, we’d be talking about a base hit and a shutout.
Jake wasn’t nearly as dependent on his curveball or Cobber this time around, instead he relied on his upper 80’s cutter to coax a good number of weak nubbers and of infield squibbers — 13 to be exact. In the end, Odorizzi allowed just one run on two hits and three walks, while fanning three on an efficient 103 pitches (avg. 12.85 pitches per inning). His pitch breakout:
Fastball: 36 (24 strikes, 2 whiffs)
Curveball: 4 (2 strikes)
Cutter: 33 (20 strikes, 3 whiffs)
Cobber: 29 (17 strikes, 3 whiffs)
On the offensive end of things, the team had trouble making solid contact early, however, they were able to get men on with a couple of walks, an HBP in the second inning, and a hustling play by Souza to beat out a throw for an infield single in the third. The base runners — especially Desmond Jennings — were effective in rattling RA Dickey, who was unusually ineffective at controlling the running game. Case in point: they were able to coax a third inning balk on a pick-off throw to hold Souza at second, just by the mere threat of a steal. Jennings ended the night with two stolen bases off a pitcher who gave up just three steals in all of 2014.
Jennings and Allan Dykstra singled to begin the fourth, yet Dickey recuperated and retired the next two batters. Rattled again by the speedy Jennings, Dickey walked three consecutive batters to load the bases and drive in the all the runs the Rays would. The knuckleballer hadn’t walked five since an April 17 of 2014. He walked five or more twice in 34 starts last season.
Per the associated press, those were the fifth and sixth bases loaded walks for the Rays this season. Entering play Monday, the 29 other major league teams had combined for eight.
The other story line of the night was Rene Rivera, who was on fire behind the plate. In his first great play, Rivera served warning to the would-be Toronto base-runners by snapping a throw to first that appeared to beat Jose Bautista back to the bag. The subsequent replays showed Dykstra tagging Bautista’s wrist, although Cash did not challenge the call.
In the eighth inning, Devon Travis laid down a bunt that Rivera cleanly fielded. He quickly fired a bullet to first, consequently beating Travis to the bag.
Finally in the ninth, With Brad Boxberger on the mound, Bautista tested Rivera’s arm after he walked to begin the inning. Boxberger struck out Edwin Encarnacion on a nasty 3-2 high fastball, and Rivera followed by gunning down Bautista a few steps in front of second; completing a strike-em-out-throw-em-out double play.
The New What Next
Matt Andriese will make his first career start on Tuesday when the Rays face the Blue Jays in the second game of their current four game set. Andriese is the 25th different pitcher to start for the Rays since 2008, the fewest in baseball over that span. The Blue Jays counter with rookie Daniel Norris (1-0, 4.76). You can read about the pitching match-up in our series preview.
Rays 4/14/15 Starting Lineup
Guyer LF
Souza RF
Cabrera DH
Longoria 3B
Jennings CF
Forsythe 2B
Rivera 1B
Beckham SS
Wilson C
Andriese P
Yes you read that correctly, Rivera is getting thr start at first with Beckham at short, Cabrera at DH for an all right handed hitting lineup. Rivera told Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) he played 15-20 games at first base in winter ball and two games for the Padres in 2014: “I feel pretty good there.”
Noteworthiness
— Introducing Daniel Norris, the Blue Jays’ starting pitcher in tonight’s game. I actually REALLY admire Norris and his simple philosophy; there’s a lot to like.
[youtube_sc url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKPa3uVddbU”]
— Drew Smyly threw in his second rehab start at Class-A Charlotte Tuesday morning (more on that below). Jake McGee threw 30 pitches of live batting practice at extended spring training Monday.
Smyly tossed three scoreless innings Tuesday morning in his second rehab start, giving up one hit and striking four. He threw 40 pitches (28 strikes) then followed by throwing an additional 12 pitches in the bullpen. Smyly is expected to make two more rehab starts before returning to the fold in late April.
It felt good, Smyly told Josh Vitale (SunCoast Sports). Another step forward. I’m just trying to build up my pitch count, work on my pitches. All in all, it was a good day.
Smyly, who has allowed one hit over five scoreless innings in his two rehab outings, talked about his start and the next steps on his road to recovery:
— Allan Dykstra got a black eye on the second pitch of batting practice, after he popped a bunt back into his face. He told the media there was never a doubt he’d play, even going as far as putting ice and cold spoons on his eye during game: “If that’s what it takes, I’ll go ahead and get another one.”
— Per the Rays PR department, Jake Odorizzi is just the third AL pitcher in the last 100 years to begin the season with two starts of six-plus innings, while allowing two hits or less and one run or fewer. He joins Alexi Ogando (Rangers 2011) and Hernandez (Royals 2003). Moreover, the Rays starters have posted three consecutive games with seven or more innings with two hits or fewer — the second such streak in AL history. The other team? The 1992 Oakland Athletics.