Odorizzi allowed seven hits, five of them for extra bases, although he allowed just a single run on a Xander Bogaerts triple in the second inning. Odorizzi kept Boston in check, holding the Red Sox to 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, while also making the big pitch when he needed too. Odorizzi didn’t allow any self inflicted wounds by way of the walk, fanning six along the way.
The righty found himself in the franchise history books, becoming one of four pitchers to not allow a homer for the sixth consecutive start to begin the season, joining Erik Bedard (2014), Scott Kazmir (2008) and James Shields (2006).
In all fairness to Odorizzi, two of the five extra base hits came courtesy of Steven Souza Jr., who had a tough night in right field. Souza Jr. allowed a Dustin Pedroia fly-ball to pop out of his glove, and Bogaerts to turn a single turn into a triple as a routine liner to bounded away toward the wall. In the case of Pedroia’s hit, to his credit, Souza at least knocked the ball down, consequently holding him to a double instead of a homer. Still, it was definitely a ball he should have caught.
Ernesto Frieri followed Odorizzi and worked a scoreless eighth, while Erasmo Ramirez put together a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the victory. Rene Rivera deserves credit for coaching Ramirez through his frame. Don’t look now, but Ramirez has been pretty good since his two shaky starts at the beginning of the season, allowing only one run on four hits and a walk in eight innings of work. Perhaps the bullpen suits him well?
The Rays broke out early against Clay Buchholz, due in part to a play that resulted in a shoulder injury to Boston’s left fielder, Hanley Ramirez. With two out and none on, James Loney lined a ball to left. On the move toward the wall, Ramirez made a running catch but quickly ran out of room in foul territory, subsequently running into the wall. Ramirez dropped the ball, allowing Loney to reach second with a double. Evan Longoria finally got a pitch to hit and did not disappoint, lining an RBI double (his 999th hit) to left for a 1-0 lead. David DeJesus broke out of his 0-17 slump and singled Longoria home for all the runs they would need.
The Rays then added two more against Buchholz in the second. Asdrubal Cabrera, who was bumped down to seventh in the order, continued to beat up on Buchholz by leading off the inning with a single, snapping an 0-14 slump. DH Joey Butler followed by crushing his first major league homer over Green Monster on a hanging slider that Buchholz left over the plate.
The Rays tacked on their final run in the seventh inning against Junichi Tazawa. The typically dependable reliever gave up a one-out walk to Longoria, advancing Souza (who reached on his second hit of the night) to second. Souza got into Tazawa’s head by taking more than a few aggressive leads at second, disrupting the reliever enough for him to leave a mistake fastball over the plate. David DeJesus hammered the ball past Pedroia, subsequently plating Souza and giving the Rays a 5-1 cushion. Souza reached base four times, snapping an 0-18 slump and accruing two of the team’s 11 hits.
The New What Next
Game two of the series is on Tuesday, when LHP Drew Smyly will toe the rubber opposite of RHP Rick Porcello. Smyly and Porcello were teammates with one another on the Detroit Tigers. You can read about the pitching match-up in our series preview.
Rays 5/5/15 Starting Lineup
Kiermaier CF
Souza RF
Loney 1B
Longoria 3B
DeJesus LF
Forsythe 2B
Cabrera SS
Butler DH
Wilson C
Smyly LHP
Noteworthiness
— 5:45 Update: The Rays have confirmed that RHP Alex Cobb has a partial tear in his right elbow ligament, however, he will try to pitch through it instead of opting for surgery.
Team president Matt Silverman fielded questions from the media on Tuesday, saying “we’re still in wait and see mode,” and he expects to know more in couple days.
Silverman also said any speculation on surgery is premature, rather the team’s focus is on “re-starting rehab.” The ultimate decision will be based upon the tests Cobb has undergone: Cobb “has had some tests performed and we’re awaiting results.”
According to Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times), informed speculation is that a new more detailed MRI revealed a partial tear in Alex Cobb’s elbow ligament, which in the short term puts him on a program of rest and treatment and longer-term could lead to surgery.
There is the possibility that Cobb could undergo various treatments, such as PRP therapy, where platelet rich plasma is used to speed healing, and try to pitch through it. However, if PRP therapy doesn’t work and rest doesn’t help, the only remaining choice may be to undergo surgery, which “would sideline him for the rest of this season and if a Tommy John procedure was required he could miss a large portion of 2016 as well,” writes Topkin.
The righty saw orthopedist Dr. Koco Eaton as well as noted specialist (and Rays medical director) Dr. James Andrews.
Cobb has been out since leaving a Spring Training game in Clearwater on St. Particks Day. After extended rest, he started throwing off a mound on April 24, however, manager Kevin Cash said he had “a little bit of a setback. … Just doesn’t feel quite right,” continuing with, “We’ll have more probably in the next two or three days. He just didn’t feel as good as he was hoping. Anytime you’re dealing with a pitcher’s arm its obviously concerning.”