Rays lineup update (below)
Tampa Bay put crooked numbers on the score board for the second consecutive night Wednesday, taking game two of their current three game set against the Evil Empire by a score of 8-3. What looked early on to be a back-and-forth between Rays starter David Price and Phil Hughes, quickly turned into a handcuffing in the Rays favor. The games peripherals are below.
- The Rays took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first (more on that below), and the Yankees responded in kind, hitting a pair of doubles to tie the score. Price limited the damage and got out of the inning, but not before he threw 25 pitches. New York put up another run in the third when Nunez sent a solo shot to left. However, that’s all they’d get off the Rays ace — Price settled down and did not allow another run in his seven inning outing. DP ended the evening with eight strikeouts and no walks, limiting the Yankees to just six hits (four of which came in the first three innings) and two earned runs. Price came up big when the Rays needed him too, and he was gladly rewarded with run support. Price struck out Alex Rodriguez twice (looking) on a pair of nasty cutters, while both Alfonso Soriano and Brendan Ryan struck out three times as Price mowed over the Evil Empire en route to the win.
- Maddon turned to the dynamic duo of Brandon Gomes and Alex Torres to work the eighth and ninth innings. Gomes got into a bases loaded jam before getting pulled in favor of Joel Peralta. The dependable righty quickly walked pinch-hitter Lyle Overbay, cutting the lead to four, but then retired Curtis Granderson on a groundball to Loney to end the inning.
- Tampa Bay quickly took advantage of the struggling Phil Hughes. Wil Myers got things started in the first inning, doubling off the right field fence. He was driven home by a James Loney double into the right field gap, giving the Rays an early 1-0 lead. Then in the sixth inning, a lackadaisical turn by Robinson Cano allowed Wil Myers to extend the inning and avoid double play. James Loney followed Myers with a two-out single to center, then Evan Longoria launched his first homer of the game to deep left field off Yankees reliever David Huff, giving the Rays a comfortable four run lead. But they were not done. The toasty David DeJesus ended the relievers night, sending a solo shot to right field on the first pitch of the next at bat. After the Yankees threatened in the eighth, ultimately tagging Brandon Gomes for an earned run, Longo hit a short-porch shot to right, once again giving Tampa Bay a five run advantage. The Rays ended the night 5-16 wRISP, with the three through five hitters doing most of the damage — combining to go 9-for-14 with seven RBI and six runs.
- Joe Maddon made an odd move, pinch hitting Desmond Jennings and immediately removing him for pinch runner Sam Fuld after singling on the first pitch. BA questioned the motivation of the move, and I concur — it made little sense.
The New What Next
The Rays have put together their best post-All Star Break streak, winning six straight games while eliminating both the Yankees and the Oriole from playoff contention in the process. The Tribe defeated the ChiSox, so the Rays maintain just a one game lead over Cleveland with four left to play. They’ll attempt their second consecutive streak with Alex Cobb on the mound. Cobber will take on Ivan Nova, and you can read about the pitching match-up here.
Rays 9/26/13 Starting Lineup
Zobrist 2B
Myers RF
Loney 1B
Longoria 3B
DeJesus CF
Young DH
Joyce LF
Lobaton C
Rodriguez SS
Cobb RHP
Noteworthiness
- Yunel Escobar has been scratched from tonight’s lineup. Ben Zobrist will moves to short, while Rodriguez will take over at second base, hitting ninth.
- Yankees have hit nine home runs against the Rays this season. Evan Longoria, on the other hand, has hit nine home runs against Yankees this season.
- RHP JD Martin cleared waivers and accepted his assignment to Durham.