Evan Longoria has gone yard in three consecutive games. He’ll try to make it four this afternoon. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)The Tampa Bay Rays look to close out their 11-game road trip today on the winning side of the ledger this afternoon in Baltimore, in the season finale against the Orioles. They too have the opportunity to take a series from the O’s — something that seemed unfathomable at the start of the series, as the Rays previously had gone 0-6 in Baltimore this season. Tampa Bay has won five of seven after a 5-2 victory last night.
The Rays are now 30-30 since the All-Star Break, and need to go 8-6 over the remaining 14 games to finish with a winning mark since the unofficial midway point of the season.
The New What Next
Jake Odorizzi (9-6, 3.81 ERA) will get the start for the Rays this afternoon, opposite of Wade Miley (8-13, 5.80 ERA).
Odorizzi hurled seven strong innings on Monday, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk while fanning four in a no-decision against Toronto. Jake bounced back from his worst start of the season by collecting the eighth quality start of his 11 second-half turns. Not counting his forgettable start against Baltimore on September 6th, Odorizzi hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in a game since the All-Star Break. He’s 6-1 with a 2.78 ERA since the break.
Miley was pounded early by the Red Sox on Monday, lasting just 1-1/3 innings while allowing six runs on eight hits and a walk. 10 of the first 12 Red Sox hitters reached base against lefty, and Showalter removed him after just 41 pitches — his shortest outing of the season. It marked Miley’s third consecutive loss, while each outing has been progressively worse than its predecessor. Since the start of August, Miley has an incredibly gaudy 8.41 ERA despite surrendering just six homers over eight starts. Be that as it may, Miley is 3-2 with a 2.38 ERA in seven starts against Tampa Bay (extending back to 2013). This season, while pitching for Seattle, Miley allowed four runs in six innings and dished up homers to Steven Souza Jr. and (now Oriole) Steve Pearce.
Mahtook LF
Kiermaier CF
Longoria 3B
Miller SS
Souza Jr. RF
Dickerson DH
Staffer 1B
Ramirez 2B
Maile C
Odorizzi RHP
Noteworthiness
— Logan Forsythe has this afternoon off, with Alexei Ramirez slotting in at second and hitting eighth, and Brad Miller handling the shortstop duties, hitting fourth.
— After hitting his single-season career high 34th homer on Friday, Evan Longoria reached another milestone last night, hitting a triple and his third homer in as many days. Longoria currently has 310 total bases — the most he’s had in a single season. Per Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) his total of 35 homers is the third most by a Rays player in a single year, with Carlos Pena holding the top two numbers (46 in 2007 and 39 in 2009). Longoria now is six RBI shy of reaching 100 for the third time in his career, and first since 2010.
— Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) reported that Steven Souza Jr. is heading to Nashville on Monday to see a specialist, who will look into what may be ailing his left hip. There are a wide range of outcomes, including potential season-ending surgery.
— In other surgery related news, the season is over for Orioles’ deadline acquisition Steve Pearce, who is in need of elbow surgery. Pearce, 33, started the season with Tampa Bay, and experienced right forearm/elbow discomfort throughout his time with the Rays. A free-agent at the end of the season, both Pearce and the Rays have expressed an interest in a reunion of sorts next season. Like Logan Morrison before him, one could only imagine that there will be an effect in Pearce’s stock due to the surgery.
If you squint your eyes and pretend, last night’s game between the Rays and the playoff contending Orioles was a sellout. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)The Tampa Bay Rays scored four runs over the first and second innings, but squandered the lead and fell to the Baltimore Orioles, 5-4. Baltimore, who currently holds the top Wild-Card spot, has won seven of eight contests against Tampa Bay at home this season.
Early in the game, it appeared that Tampa Bay was en route to a fourth consecutive win. Kevin Kiermaier hit a first inning, one-out double to right that skipped just over the glove of Chris Davis, then Evan Longoria followed with a massive homer to left-center off Ubaldo Jimenez.
It was the second first inning homer for Longoria in as many days, and his career high 34th on the season — also tying the Rays’ single-season record for home runs by a right-handed batter (Jose Canseco, 1999).
The Rays were able to extend the lead in the second inning after Steven Souza Jr. singled to left, and Richie Shaffer followed with a two-run homer to left for a 4-0 lead.
At this point in the ballgame Souza had reached base in 11 of 17 plate appearances, while Shaffer’s blast was his first with the big league squad this season.
However, Jimenez found his stride and shutdown the Rays from then on, at one point retiring 14 of 16 batters. He ultimately posted seven solid innings and held the Rays scoreless over the remainder of his start, allowing the Orioles to chip away at the lead.
Chris Archer, meanwhile, worked around a pair of first inning errors before Pedro Alvarez put Baltimore on the board in the second with a homer to right-center. Then in the fourth inning, Chris Davis hit an opposite field homer to left, making it a two-run game. Archer was otherwise stingy through through six, posting a decent 6.1 IP/7 H/3 ER/1 BB/4 2 HR line on 100 pitches (63 strikes, 14-of-27 first pitch strikes, 13 whiffs).
Baltimore threatened in the seventh, yet a big play by The Outlaw kept the Rays in front. After allowing back-to-back, one-out singles to JJ Hardy and Michael Bourn, Archer departed the game with the lead intact. Danny Farquhar, dead set on blowing things for the Rays ace, entered in relief and promptly plunked Adam Jones with his first pitch, loading the bases.
Outfielder Hyun-Soo Kim was next, and he drove a ball to the wall in right-center, yet Kiermaier — timing the fly-ball perfectly, then making a leap in front of the wall — prevented the ball from leaving the ballpark for a grand slam. The ball, however, fell out of his glove as he crashed into the wall, leading to (as BA called it) the longest single ever seen, making it a 4-3 game.
Though Kiermaier was visibly upset with himself, for what he likely deemed to be a misplay, bringing that ball back was pivotal — Farquhar recovered to strike out Manny Machado and Davis (both swinging) to end the threat, each in eight-pitch at-bats.
If there’s one thing we know to be true, you can’t keep the Orioles down for long…especially when you don’t execute your pitches. And though the Rays maintained a late lead, albeit a shaky one-run lead, the Orioles once again showed why they are in playoff contention, and Tampa Bay isn’t.
Brad Boxberger, who got two key outs the previous day, took the mound for Tampa Bay. Yet unlike Thursday, Boxberger promptly walked Jonathan Schoop and Pedro Alvarez, then hit Matt Wieters with a 1-2 pitch — loading the bases with none out. With Baltimore’s fans loudly singing the chorus Seven Nation Army, Hardy hit a ground ball deep into the hole at short. And while Alexei Ramirez fielded the play cleanly, he couldn’t fire off a throw to any of the bases — consequently allowing the tying run to score. Bourn then followed with a sac-fly to left, making it 5-4. Boxberger and Ryan Garton paired up for the final two outs of the from, but the damage was already done.
Zach Britton, the league’s only closer without a blown save, took the mound for the Orioles in the ninth and was able to keep his streak alive. Steven Souza Jr. came close to handing Britton his first blown save of the season, working an 11-pitch at-bat before flying out to the warning track in left for the second out. Undeterred, Mikie Mahtook singled off second base before Ramirez lined a base hit into the left-field corner on a 3-2 pitch. Mahtook, who was off with the pitch, tried to score all the way from first, but was thrown out at the plate to end the game.
Rays fall, 5-4.
The New What Next
Matt Andriese (7-7, 4.46 ERA) will take the mound for the Rays, opposite of Chris Tillman (16-5, 3.68 ERA) in the third game of the set. Andriese Snapped a 17-game, eight-start dry spell with solid start on Sunday against the Yankees, allowing one run in five innings. He is 0-3 with a 9.24 in five games (two starts) against the Orioles. Tillman has struggled a bit, going 2-3 with a 5.68 ERA in six games following a 14-2, 3.18 ERA start to the season. Saturday marks his 25th career start against Tampa Bay, over which he is 8-9, with a 4.09 ERA, having allowed 156 baserunners in 141 innings. You can read more about the pitching matchup, in our series preview.
Rays 9/17/16 Starting Lineup
Forsythe 2B
Kiermaier CF
Longoria 3B
Miller SS
Dickerson DH
Souza RF
Shaffer 1B
Mahtook LF
Casali C
Andriese RHP
Noteworthiness
— Kevin Kiermaier currently has a 22 defensive runs saved (DRS) rating, good enough for third in Major League Baseball. It should be noted, hose ahead of him have played at least 50 more games this season.
Alex Colome’s 33rd save last night gave the RHP a .943 save percentage, trailing only Zach Britton for the AL lead. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)After winning a third consecutive game against a playoff contending team on Thursday, the Tampa Bay Rays look to make it four straight wins tonight in the second game of the four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles.
The win was just the fifth in 16 games against the Orioles, who who enter the day two games behind the Red Sox in the AL East, and tied with the Blue Jays for the top Wild-Card berth.
Evan Longoria tied his career high with five RBI in last night’s 7-6 win. He also tied his career high with his 33rd homer of the season. Longoria now has 91 RBI, needing just nine RBI to reach 100 for the third time in his career (first time since 2010). However, amidst the good news, the Rays suffered an injury last night when Nick Franklin incurred a left hamstring strain while turning a double lay; he is listed as day-to-day.
The New What Next
Chris Archer (8-18, 4.05 ERA) will get the start for the Rays, opposite of Ubaldo Jimenez (7-11, 5.98 ERA).
Archer surrendered three earned runs on four hits and a walk over seven innings Saturday afternoon. He struck out six. The righty was a tough-luck loser, putting together an efficient outing yet still ending the day with a loss. 72 of his 102 pitches went for strikes, while he notched 23 of the 27 first pitch strikes. He also coaxed 12 swinging strikes and now has tallied six strikeouts or more in 11 consecutive starts, including three consecutive quality starts. He has faced Baltimore three times this season, allowing 10 runs in 19 innings.
Jimenez surrendered two runs over seven innings against the Tigers on Saturday. Even though he hasn’t been the most consistent starter, Jimenez has delivered four quality starts in a row while winning each of his last two starts — including a 9 IP/2 H/3 R/1 HR/1 BB/6 K start against Tampa Bay on September 5th. The righty has lowered his ERA by almost a run along the way.
Forsythe 2B
Kiermaier CF
Longoria 3B
Miller LF
Dickerson DH
Souza Jr. RF
Shaffer 1B
Ramirez SS
Wilson C
Archer RHP
Noteworthiness
— With Nick Franklin hurt, the Rays have promoted OF Jaff Decker to add a left-handed bat to bench. Logan Morrison has been placed on the 60-day DL to make room for Decker on the 40-man roster.
— Speaking of LoMo, word broke that he will undergo surgery to repair a torn left wrist sheath. Though disheartening, Morrison caught a break, as the extent of the tear is relatively minimal, meaning that the slugger can begin baseball activities in about 12 weeks and should be ready to go for Spring Training.
The news will undoubtedly impact Morrison’s market, as the injury is reasonably significant surgery. Former Ray Sam Fuld missed several months of the season after suffering a similar injury — also requiring surgery — toward the beginning of the 2012 season.
After an underwhelming start to the season for Morrison, the 1B/DH put up a .275 BA/.350 OBP/.498 SLG/.848 OPS slash line over 303 plate appearances since, while knocking in 14 homers and driving in 43 RBI.
Per Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times), Rays skipper Kevin Cash said Morrison has not made the decision to undergo the procedure, and will get a second opinion on Monday.
The Tampa Bay Rays plated 16 runs over the course of the three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays (an average of 5.33 runs per game). (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)
The Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles are set to start a four-game, wrap-around series at Camden Yards on Thursday. A lot is on the line for the Orioles, while the Rays are still playing meaningful baseball…just in a different manner.
Tampa Bay enters the series fresh off two straight wins over the Blue Jays. Corey Dickerson and Kevin Kiermaier both homered in the series finale with Toronto, giving the club a new record of 200 homers in one season.
Tampa Bay skipper Kevin Cash said even though his team’s long been out of contention, games against the AL East give them a good look at where they’re at going into 2017.
You gauge yourself against the teams you play in your division. For whatever reason, we’ve played some good games against (Toronto). That’s a trend we need to continue against the rest of the division.
Baltimore enters the set on the heels of a series win against Boston, allowing them pull to within one game of Red Sox in the AL East and surpassing Toronto by one game.
The Orioles not sit atop of the AL Wild-Card race, leading Toronto by a game and Detroit by two. They also are 35-40 on the road this season, but boast a 45-25 record at home, where they will take on the Rays. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, the Orioles are 11-4 (6-0 at home) this season against the Rays — the most wins for Baltimore against any other team.
Over the next four days, Kevin Cash will lean upon Blake Snell (5-8, 3.62 ERA), Chris Archer (8-18, 4.05 ERA), Matt Andriese (7-7, 4.46 ERA), and Jake Odorizzi (9-6, 3.81 ERA). Buck Showalter will counter with Yonavi Gallardo (5-7, 5.44 ERA), Ubaldo Jimenez (7-11, 5.98 ERA), Chris Tillman (16-5, 3.68 ERA), and Wade Miley (8-13, 5.80 ERA). Note: pitching matchups and rotation order are subject to change.
Rays Series Starters
Snell allowed three earned runs on six hits and three walks over 2-2/3 innings on Friday. He struck out just three. Snell labored from the get-go and threw a whopping 88 pitches by the time Cash pulled him in the third. Things started poorly for the lefty as he gave up an RBI double in the first inning, then unraveled in the third after he surrendered a solo shot, uncorked a wild pitch, and gave up an RBI single. Aside from his previous start against the Blue Jays, Snell has surrendered 10 runs (nine earned) over the 9-1/3 innings.
Snell looks to reverse his skid and finish his rookie campaign strong, telling Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times):
I only have three starts left and they are all really important to me. The growth I can gain from three outings is huge, so it’s definitely important. I think it’s something I need to do, so then in the offseason it allows me to be that much more focused, have more of a positive offseason. I definitely need to finish strong.
Archer surrendered three earned runs on four hits and a walk over seven innings Saturday afternoon. He struck out six. The righty was a tough-luck loser, putting together an efficient outing yet still ending the day with a loss. 72 of his 102 pitches went for strikes, while he notched 23 of the 27 first pitch strikes. He also coaxed 12 swinging strikes and now has tallied six strikeouts or more in 11 consecutive starts, including three consecutive quality starts.
Andriese bounced back from a string of rough starts, holding the Yankees to one run on six hits over five solid innings Sunday afternoon. After starting the season 6-0, the righty dropped seven consecutive decisions — including five of his last six starts — before snapping the skid Sunday.
Odorizzi hurled seven strong innings on Monday, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk while fanning four in a no-decision against Toronto. Jake bounced back from his worst start of the season by collecting the eighth quality start of his 11 second-half turns. Not counting his forgettable start against Baltimore on September 6th, Odorizzi hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in a game since the All-Star Break.
Orioles Series Starters
Gallardo tossed five innings of two run (one earned) ball against the Rays on Tuesday, allowing five hits and a walk while fanning five. The righty kept the Rays in check en route to his fifth victory of the season. And though Gallardo isn’t the strikeout master he once was — with just 75 strikeouts over 20 starts this season — he still managed a strikeout an inning on Tuesday…which honestly isn’t too hard since the Rays are rocking a 24.2% strikeout ratio. Key matchups: Corey Dickerson (5-11, 2B, HR, 4 RBI), Logan Forsythe (7-19, 2B, HR, 2 RBI), Kevin Kiermaier (4-11, 2B, RBI, 3 BB), Luke Maile (2-2, RBI), Brad Miller (4-13, 3B, 3 BB)
Jimenez surrendered two runs over seven innings against the Tigers on Saturday. Even though he hasn’t been the most consistent starter, Jimenez has delivered four quality starts in a row while winning each of his last two starts — including a 9 IP/2 H/3 R/1 HR/1 BB/6 K start against Tampa Bay on September 5th. The righty has lowered his ERA by almost a run along the way. Key matchups: Logan Forsythe (1-2, 2B, BB), Kevin Kiermaier (2-7, HR, 2 RBI), Bobby Wilson (2-4, BB)
Tillman allowed one run on four hits and a walk over six innings in a win over the Tigers on Sunday, striking out four. It was a a triumphant return to form after a stint on the DL, as Tillman out-dueled Justin Verlander to keep the Orioles two games ahead of the Tigers for a Wild-Card spot. The Orioles’ ace has stymied the Rays this season, collecting a 3-0 record and a 3.04 ERA over four starts (23-2/3 innings). Key matchups: Logan Forsythe (9-30, 3 2B, RBI, 2 BB), Evan Longoria (17-60, 4 2B, 7 HR, 10 RBI, 5 BB), Alexei Ramirez (5-11, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB), Steven Souza Jr. (6-18, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB), Bobby Wilson (1-2, RBI)
Miley was pounded early by the Red Sox on Monday, lasting just 1-1/3 innings while allowing six runs on eight hits and a walk. 10 of the first 12 Red Sox hitters reached base against lefty, and Showalter removed him after just 41 pitches — his shortest outing of the season. It marked Miley’s third consecutive loss, while each outing has been progressively worse than its predecessor. Since the start of August, Miley has an incredibly gaudy 8.41 ERA despite surrendering just six homers over eight starts. Be that as it may, Miley is 3-2 with a 2.38 ERA in seven starts against Tampa Bay (extending back to 2013). Key matchups: Logan Forsythe (6-21, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB), Kevin Kiermaier (4-10, 2B, 3B, HR, RBI, BB), Luke Maile (1-3, 2B), Alexei Ramirez (3-11, 2B, RBI, BB)
Lil deputy Troy on the scene looking might angry over nothing. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)After a 3-2 loss to Toronto at the Rogers Centre on Monday, punctuated by an almost brawl following the final out of the game, the Tampa Bay Rays will try to even the three-game series tonight. At 9-8 on the season against the Blue Jays, the Rays can win the season series with a victory tonight.
Evan Longoria and Brad Miller went back-to-back with solo shots last night, giving the team 196 — three shy of the franchise record of 199. The Rays have hit 13 homers over the first five games of their current 11-game road trip, however, only one of those came with a runner on base.
The New What Next
Drew Smyly Drew Smyly (6-11, 5.05 ERA) will get the start for Tampa Bay, opposite of Marcus Stroman (9-7, 4.55 ERA).
Smyly posted just 3-2/3 innings in a start against the Orioles on Wednesday, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and three walks. He fanned just two. The lefty has disappointed expectations this season, sporting a 5.05 ERA over 28 starts, although he’s done much better of late. And while his 1.28 WHIP suggests some back luck, the 30 home runs allowed (good enough for fifth most in the big leagues) certainly haven’t done Smyly any favors. Smyly allowed five runs against Toronto in his first start of the season, but two runs or fewer in his other three.
Stroman allowed two runs on seven hits over five innings on Wednesday, striking out eight and walking one. Toronto scored under three runs for the fourth time in Stroman’s last seven starts, leaving the righty with little to show for his efforts. He looked good (coaxing 15 whiffs) however, a two-run third inning — including a solo home — was enough to propel the Yankees to a victory. The Rays beat up on Stroman over six innings of work on September 2nd, tagging the righty for four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks, including a homer.
Forsythe 2B
Kiermaier CF
Longoria 3B
Miller 1B
Franklin LF
Dickerson DH
Souza RF
Ramirez SS
Wilson C
Smyly LHP
The Fight That Never Was
Another thing to be on the lookout for is the possibility of flared tempers following last night’s on-field scrum.
In his last at-bat of last night’s game, Steven Souza Jr. crushed what he thought was a go-ahead, two-run homer in the ninth inning against Roberto Osuna, the Blue Jays closer. Much to his chagrin, however, centerfielder Kevin Pillar caught the ball on the warning track, consequently ending the contest.
That was not the end of the on-field action though.
Souza admittedly watched the fly ball a little too long, at which point Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin complimented Souza. After the incident, Martin told the media what was said:
I just told him he crushed that ball, I thought he got it (for a homer). And before I could really get my message across, Tulo jumped in and was like a ball of fire.
Souza initially didn’t hear Martin, whom he thought was angered by the outfielder’s actions at home plate.
I thought Russ was saying something about it, which would have been on me, totally, Souza explained. And I was saying, ‘Dude, I’m sorry, I thought I got it.’ There was miscommunication in that he actually said, ‘I thought you got it.’ And so I said, ‘Oh, my bad,’ and walked away.
At that point, lil deputy Troy Tulowitzki decided to jump in the fracas and say some things that, in Souza’s words, “Weren’t really necessary.”
According to Souza, Tulowitzki said something “below the belt,” leading to the clearing of the benches.
Eventually, the transgressions became moot, and Souza sought out Martin to clear the air.
