In our series preview, I put forward the idea that the outcome of each game may come down to which respective hurler happens to blink first. That has been the case in each of the last three games, last night not withstanding. Time for some true talk, raise your hand if honestly thought the Rays were going to put up a run against King Felix. Forget not, Hernandez has been particularly stingy against Tampa Bay, holding the team to just four runs* over the last three seasons. That they even scored a run seems like a minor miracle.
Hernandez seemed sloppy from the jump, and the Rays found themselves in a prime scoring opportunity in the first inning after Kevin Kiermaier worked a leadoff walk and swiped a couple of bags. Yet Felix fanned Joey Butler and, after allowing a free pass to David DeJesus, put down the next two batters to end the threat. To be fair, the king had the luck dragons working in his favor; in that inning, Logan Forsythe slapped the first of four hard hit liners that happened to be snared by a defender.
Jake Elmore reached on a one-out single in the second, but he was promptly deleted when Nick Franklin hit a liner to Robinson Cano, who turned an inning ending double play.
With the Mariners up by one, Tampa Bay got on the board in the sixth when Kiermaier tripled to right, and scored on a wild pitch. It ended Hernandez’s shutout streak against the Rays at 21 innings.
The Rays came close to taking a lead in the top of the seventh after Asdrubal Cabrera drew a two-out walk in an 11-pitch at-bat against Hernandez. Cabrera found himself in scoring position after being wild pitched to second, but Jake Elmore lined to Austin Jackson in center to end the rally.
Meanwhile Colome did a good job to keep the game close, although it certainly wasn’t clean. He stranded runners on base in each of the first three innings before the M’s broke through in the fourth. Seth Smith blooped a double to left, and moved to third on Logan Morrison’s single to left. Willie Bloomquist plated a run on a single to center. Colome loaded the bases on a five pitch walk of Mike Zunino, but the hurler buckled down and coaxed an Austin Jackson fly-ball out, and Robinson Cano to hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.
Colome didn’t allow a runner past first in the next two innings, and departed after six.
It was not pretty by Colome, but it was effective.
— Brian Anderson
With Jake Odorizzi’s status in question, it is incumbent upon Kevin Cash to get some length out of his starters. Colome has now strung together back-to-back six inning affairs, after working past the sixth only once this season (back on May 11 against the Yankees).
Seattle took the lead once more in the seventh against reliever Steve Geltz when Jackson hit a full-count no-doubter over the bullpen in left center with one out in the frame. That put Felix Hernandez on the winning side of the ledger. The Mariners have won all 10 starts Hernandez has made against the Rays at Safeco Field.
*Five, if you include the run last night.
The New What Next
Chris Archer will start Sunday against rookie left-hander Mike Montgomery. Archer finished his last start with a 2.01 ERA and 97 strikeouts, a combination unmatched through June 2 since Boston’s Pedro Martinez in 2001. He became the first Ray ever to strike out 12 or more in back-to-back games in his last start. Montgomery will make his second big league start after he allowing just one run over six innings in his last start against the Yankees. Montgomery was traded by the Rays to Seattle on March 31 in exchange for Erasmo Ramirez. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.
Rays 6/7/15 Starting Lineup
Elmore 3B
Guyer LF
Butler DH
Forsythe 2B
Souza RF
Mahtook CF
Franklin SS
Rivera 1B
Wilson C
Archer RHP
Noteworthiness
— Neither Asdrubal Cabrera, who seemed out of sorts in his seventh inning at-bat against Hernandez last night, nor Longoria are in today’s lineup. The Rays had some concern, after Saturday’s game, that Cabrera may have hyper-extended right elbow, although he said he was fine. Rene Rivera will handle the first base duties.
— Ernesto Frieri cleared waivers and accepted and assignment to with the Triple-A Durham Bulls. Friere was designated for assignment on June 2nd when the Rays, citing the need for long relief in the bullpen, recalled Andrew Bellatti.
— Rene Rivera helped both Colome and Steve Geltz (who followed) by throwing out two would be base-stealers. He’s now thrown out 11 of his last 19:
— Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) thinks it isn’t a question of if Jake Odorizzi will be placed on the DL. Topkin wrote that manager Kevin Cash said no decisions have been made, but it was “fair to say” Odorizzi would miss some time.
I wouldn’t say a lengthy period of time, but he’s sore, Cash said. We have to be smart with him. The last thing we want to do is get him out there and test it, and then something more or worse happens.
Odorizzi remained optimistic based on how he felt waking up Saturday:
It was no worse than Friday, he said. I was able to move around and turn around and do all that stuff. I wasn’t locked up or anything like that, so that’s a good sign.
He allowed, however, that he won’t know for sure until he tries to throw, which won’t happen until after he sees team orthopedist Koco Eaton on Monday.
The question is, who will take Odorizzi’s spot in the rotation if he is out past the 15-day minimum, assuming he is placed on the 15-day disabled list?
Per Topkin, the off-day Monday off gives the Rays some time to adjust their rotation assuming Odorizzi is out. Nathan Karns will start Tuesday and Erasmo Ramirez Wednesday against the Angels. Odorizzi was scheduled for Thursday, but the Rays could bring Alex Colome back on regular rest, or call up a starter from Triple-A Durham, with either Matt Andriese or Andrew Bellatti being the most likely candidates.
Dylan Floro remains an intriguing option, although he is not currently on the 40-man roster. While the placement of a player on the DL would open up a roster spot, the team would have to designate Floro for assignment following the DL stint, thus the opening the possibility of Floro being acquired by another team via waivers.