That’s what happens when you let bad teams hang around.
-AM sports talk radio host
Yeah, the remark above says it all. The Rays were incapable of putting the Mariners away last night as a late inning Carlos Pena error, combined with an offense that couldn’t capitalize on scoring opportunity after scoring opportunity, blew any chance of an eighth consecutive win. Bulleted highlights…and low-lights are below.
- Let it be said that Desmond Jennings, BJ Upton, and Jeff Keppinger did their part. Those three combined to go 7-12 with two RBI, a run, two doubles, and a triple.
- Matt Moore was unbelievable. For shame that a ninth inning error left Moore with a non-decision. Posting a 7 IP/6 H/1 ER/1 BB/9 K line, Moore threw 95 pitches (70 for strikes) while getting close to an even split between swinging and called strikes.
- Desmond Jennings is hitting .311 BA/.365 OBP/.491 SLG/.856 OPS since the all-star break with a .391 wOBA.
- 0-9 wRISP, leaving nine on base…Ugh.
- Carlos Pena’s costly error in his own words:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRKWV3CGKzE]
The New What Next
The Rays find themselves the underdogs walking into today’s game against King Felix and the Seattle Mariners. Tampa Bay has beaten Hernandez before, so it is possible. If anything, this will more than likely be a low scoring affair. Hellickson, who has a 7.00 ERA in his last two outings this month is going to need to look like the Helly of April 30th, when he allowed a run and six hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings in his last outing against Felix Hernandez. Hellickson is 3-0 against the Mariners, with a 0.92 ERA. It will be incumbent on him to snap out of whatever funk he may have been in the last two starts, keeping the Rays in the game until they can run into a few runs…after all, runs will be at a premium today.
Rays 8/15/12 Starting Lineup
Fuld LF
Upton CF
Joyce RF
Longoria DH
Zobrist 2B
Pena 1B
Lobaton C
Johnson SS
Rodriguez 3B
Hellickson RHP
Noteworthiness: Evan Longoria is back at DH today, but noticeably missing from the lineup is Jeff Keppinger, Desmond Jennings, and Ryan Roberts. As always, Let’s Go Rays!