Well that certainly was an inauspicious start to the ceremonial second half of play. The Tampa Bay Rays finally saw first hand what the highest scoring team in the majors can do on Friday, as the Blue Jays scored five times in the fifth, knocking out Jake Odorizzi en route to a 6-2 victory over Tampa Bay. Both teams are now 46-46.
It was clear that Odorizzi didn’t have his best stuff from the jump, as the righty labored through the first three innings and needed more than 50 pitches to do so. He allowed four free passes through the front three and struggled to find his location. In short, he found himself in far too many deep counts Friday night, and seemed timid on the mound — lacking the confidence and attack we’ve become accustomed to.
The Rays took a 1-0 lead in the third inning, after Grady Sizemore homered to right-center against Drew Hutchison.
Grady delivered the game-winning RBI in #Rays last W. Gets ’em started with a solo HR. WATCH: http://t.co/yw8zTFDL9o pic.twitter.com/pZR9CZVeJI
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 18, 2015
Hutchison, who posited a 2.12 ERA at home, kept Tampa Bay in check otherwise, allowing his only other run in the sixth, when Evan Longoria doubled to center field to start the inning, and Logan Forsythe later doubled him home.
Odorizzi didn’t give up his first run until fourth inning after Justin Smoak hit a one-out double. Smoak went to third on a Russell Martin single and scored on Chris Collabello’s sacrifice fly to deep center field.
And that’s when it all came crashing down.
In the fifth, after Devon Travis singled, Josh Donaldson sent an Odorizzi offering into the left field seats, breaking a 1-1 tie. After the Donaldson round-tripper, Jose Bautista worked a walk, Edwin Encarnacion hit a double to center, and Smoak capped the Blue Jays scoring with a three-run, opposite field blast.
Rays manager Kevin Cash finally pulled Odorizzi one out in the fifth.
His final line: 4.1 IP/6 H/6 ER (season high)/5 BB (season high)/1 K on 93 pitches (55 strikes). Alex Colome followed Jake Odorizzi with 1-2/3 scoreless innings. Steve Geltz followed with another zero in the seventh — with a little help from Kevin Kiermaier who made an excellent, leaping catch at the wall.
Most batted balls are just a hop, skip and a jump away from KK. Like this: pic.twitter.com/MY4hE8NGGJ — Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 18, 2015
Brandon Gomes completed the relief trifecta with a perfect eighth, but the Rays were unable to score against Toronto’s bullpen.
The New What Next
Erasmo Ramirez (8-3, 3.63) will make his 14th start of the season, opposite of knuckle-baller R.A. Dickey (3-10, 4.87 ERA). Ramirez has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last eight starts (extending back to May 30) — the third longest streak in team history. Since moving into the starting rotation, he has made 11 starts and gone 8-2. Dickey has allowed three earned runs or less in seven of his last eight starts and has a 3.73 ERA over that same span of games. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.
Rays 7/18/15 Starting Lineup
Jaso DH
Butler LF
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Forsythe 2B
Guyer RF
Kiermaier CF
Beckham SS
Casali C
Ramirez RHP
Noteworthiness
— John Jaso has hit safely in eight of nine games since being activated off the disabled list, batting .385 (10-26) in that span.
— A day after the Rays came to terms with second round draft pick Chris Betts, the team announced that Betts will undergo Tommy John surgery. The injury was discovered during the team physical before the catcher signed with the team. Betts was limited to DH duties during his senior high school season, thanks to what he and the Rays called a forearm strain.
An aside, the Rays have signed their top 15 selections, 25 of their first 26, and 32 of 40 picks overall.