There’s not a lot to say about today – it was not pretty.
– Rays manager Kevin Cash
The Tampa Bay Rays took an early two run lead in the second inning on Monday night, but alas that lead didn’t hold – the worst team in the majors scored three runs in the bottom of inning, and beat the Rays 5-3. With the loss, Tampa Bay fell to 47-48 on the season, five games off the pace.
The Rays found themselves with an excellent bases loaded scoring opportunity in the first inning, yet they failed to score against David Buchanan, as Tim Beckham whiffed on four pitches to end the inning. The team, however, was able to cash in with a two-out rally in the second inning. Kevin Kiermaier reached on a double to right, then was moved to third on a well executed sacrifice bunt to third by Matt Moore. After Grady Sizemore walked, Logan Forsythe plated a pair with a two-run double to left center field.
The lead didn’t last long.
After throwing a 1-2-3 first, Moore lost his command of the zone. The lefty walked the first two batters of the inning (Jeff “Frenchy” Francour and Darin Ruf), although he was able to come back and coax a fly-ball to right out of Freddie Galvis for the first out of the inning. Yet Moore loaded the bases after Odubel Herrera reached on a bunt single to Evan Longoria at third. Cameron Rupp then popped out in foul territory for the second out, but with the pitcher Buchanan at the plate, Moore uncorked run scoring wild pitch. Buchanan inevitably walked, and Cesar Hernandez followed with a two-run double to left for a one run Phillies lead.
Something wasn’t right with Moore, be it his command or control of the strike zone, or the lack a good grip on the ball due to the heat – he was seen wiping the sweat off his throwing hand multiple times in the 36 pitch frame.
Rays skipper Kevin Cash said while Moore is competing, he isn’t consistently in synch:
He shows some glimpses but then he’ll have some hiccups along the way.
To his credit, Moore was able to throw a scoreless third and fourth, yet he left the game in the fifth with a runner at third and two outs. For those concerned about his velocity, Moore hit 93 and 94 mph with his fastball multiple times over the course of his 4-2/3 innings. The problem, however, doesn’t seem to be his velocity, rather the same thing that has always plagued Moore is hampering his progress now: his command, or lack thereof.
Curt Casali called it a quirk in his mechanics:
I think he was just struggling a little bit with the timing between his arm and his body. We had some conversations on the bench, what I saw and what Hick saw. But I was happy with the way he battled.
Moore concurred:
I would assume it was something like [a release point problem], but the way I’m working out there is more of a feel, going after the hitter and just competing. Not really thinking too much about what I’m doing. … I think some time in about the fourth inning, I started to feel myself in a good spot. And that’s too late. I have to be able to figure that out in the second inning out there. Keep them off the board.
I wouldn’t feel very good about it if I was timid out there and things like that. Even with the walks, I was attacking. The ball just wasn’t going where I was aiming. So there’s some things that we need to clean up.
Alex Colome came on in relief and quickly allowed a base hit to Maikel Franco off the left field wall to give Philadelphia a two run lead. James Loney, who committed only one error all year, misplayed a Franceour foul pop up in foul territory for an error. Frenchy then reached on an infield hit, and Evan Longoria’s throw got past Loney for a second error on the usually sure handed first baseman. Ruf followed with an RBI single off Colome to make it 5-2.
Buchanan settled in and retired the next 12 batters before Kiermaier tripled to lead off the seventh inning. Brandon Guyer plated Kiermaier on a one-out single to bring the Rays within two. Yet Tampa Bay went 2-9 wRISP, and didn’t get a hit over the final 2-2/3 innings against the Phillies back end relievers.
We didn’t do much at all to deserve to win the game, Cash said.
I couldn’t agree more, Kevin.
The New What Next
The Rays will look to get back to .500 on Tuesday when Nathan Karns (4-5, 3.63 ERA) takes the mound opposite Aaron Nola (3-1, 3.58 ERA in AAA), who makes his MLB debut. Karns will make his first start since July 9 at Kansas City, when he yielded a career-high seven earned runs. He finished the first half with 99 strikeouts, which lead all Major League rookies before the All-Star break. Nola is the number two prospect in the Phillies organization and number 28 in all of baseball. The rookie represents the 29th pitcher to make his debut against the Rays; Tampa Bay is 12-16 thus far. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.
Rays 7/21/15 Starting Lineup
Jaso LF
Souza RF
Longoria 3B
Forsythe 2B
Kiermaier CF
Elmore SS
Rivera C
Karns RHP
Noteworthiness
– Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg doesn’t expect Tampa Bay to be buyers at the deadline:
Right now, even though we might not be performing as we’d like to be or as others would like us to be, I can’t point to anything so glaring or any of our players so glaring that we could or would replace them.
– Injury update: OF Steven Souza Jr. (finger laceration) was activated from the 15-day DL following the game. Grady Sizemore was optioned to Triple-A Durham in order to make room for Souza on the active roster. The option was part of the agreement when Grady Sizemore signed with the Rays. Per Roger Mooney (Tampa Tribune), Sizemore said he stayed with team longer than he anticipated:
I committed to this team so I’m going to play and do what I can, just finish the season wherever I’m at, Sizemore said. Just continue to get at-bats and continue to get work in.
Drew Smyly (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a two-inning, 40-pitch simulated game today in Port Charlotte. If he continues to look sharp he should advance next to a rehab assignment. OF Desmond Jennings (knee) will bat against Smyly.
– The Rays have eight or fewer hits and scored four of fewer runs in each of their last eight games – the longest such streak in MLB this season. They are 3-5 in those games. The team is hitting .189 and have scored 21 runs during that stretch.
– The Rays, as expected, tweaked their rotation with the Thursday off-day. Chris Archer will get the start on Friday, Ramirez on Saturday, and Moore on Sunday.
– For the second consecutive year, Kevin Kiermaier has been nominated for the Heart and Hustle award. Congrats, Outlaw!