Sizemore RF
Jennings LF
Longoria 3B
Jaso DH
Forsythe 2B
Cabrera SS
Loney 1B
Kiermaier CF
Casali C
Karns RHP
Noteworthiness
― Major League Baseball handed Rays 1B James Loney a one game suspension, and fined an undisclosed amount for making contact with umpire Paul Nauert following an ejection from Saturday’s game. The suspension was expected to start tonight, however, he has opted to appeal so it won’t be served until after a hearing.
― The Rays begin the game at .500 for the 19th time this season, which, not surprisingly, is a team record.
― Jake McGee (knee) told Roger Mooney (Tampa Tribune) that he will begin throwing next week and, if rehab goes well, could return for the final homestand.
Jake Odorizzi winds up during the second inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015. (AP Photo/Beck Diefenbach)
The Tampa Bay Rays and the Minnesota Twins are both still fringe contenders in the American League Wildcard race, and neither can afford to lose a series. The Rays will try to push their four-game home win streak to five* at the expense of the Twins when they open a three-game series against Minnesota, beginning Tuesday.
In spite of a 62-62 record, Tampa Bay remains within shouting distance of the second Wildcard spot, thanks in part to wins in three of their last four games. The Rays have put up an average of 2.3 runs over the last six games, however, the pitching staff has kept the team in the thick of things with a 3-3 mark in that span.
Both clubs are among four that are within 2-1/2 games of the Rangers for the final playoff spot:
I know that they’re neck-and-neck with us and there’s a lot of teams involved in all of this but we’ve gotta play good baseball regardless of who we’re playing against, Rays manager Kevin Cash told Fox Sports on the importance of facing the Twins.
Minnesota is a game up on Tampa Bay in the overall standings, as they started to slow some of their woes on the road with a four-game sweep in Baltimore over the weekend ― including three straight one-run victories. That pushed Minnesota to 25-37 away from Target Field.
The Rays will throw Nathan Karns (7-5, 3.44), Chris Archer (11-9, 2.77 ERA), and Drew Smyly (1-2, 3.42 ERA) over the next three days.
Karns did not factor in the decision at Houston on Wednesday despite allowing one run and striking out eight in six innings. The righty allowed only one walk in that outing after walking five in 4-2/3 frames at Texas in his previous turn. He is 3-0, with a 2.81 ERA in six starts since All-Star break, and has made an AL-most 18 starts while allowing two runs or fewer, and an MLB-most 10 with three hits or fewer.
Archer was outstanding last Thursday, allowing just one hit and a walk while fanning 11 in a complete game shutout over the Astros. The Rays ace was sharp and efficient as he drew 19 swinging strikes and needed only 98 pitches to complete his start. He previously allowed 12 earned runs over his previous three starts, so it was nice to see him pitch well once again.
Smyly posted 5-2/3 scoreless innings Saturday in a win over Oakland, scattering seven hits and no walks while striking out two. It wasn’t his sharpest outing, but it’s hard to complain about a shutout. This was his second start after returning from the DL, and he looked far better here than he had in his previous outing against Texas.
Minnesota won two of three at home over Tampa Bay from May 15-17, yet the Rays captured seven of the last nine home meetings.
*Six and seven as well, in an ideal world.
Rays and Twins series starters over the last 14 days.Rays and Twins offensive numbers over the last 14 days.Rays and Twins by the numbers.
Ervin Santana (2-4, 5.53 ERA): Santana will make his 10th start since returning from an 80-game steroids suspension. He fell to 0-4 in his last five starts after being touched for four runs in 7-2/3 innings against the Yankees on Wednesday. The righty surrendered a pair of home runs in that outing and has yielded seven blasts in his last five starts. Santana is 6-6 with a 4.98 ERA in 14 career starts against Tampa Bay, with his last one coming in June 2013. Key matchups: John Jaso (8-21, 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB), James Loney (5-16, 2 2B, 2 RBI, BB), Evan Longoria (6-15, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB), Rene Rivera (1-4, BB), Grady Sizemore (9-28, 2 2B, 2 3B, HR, 3 RBI, 5 BB).
Tyler Duffey (2-1, 4.60 ERA): Tampa Bay has never faced Duffey, who was promoted to the bigs at the beginning of August. The 24 year-old righty relies primarily on his 92 mph four seam fastball and 80 mph curve, which he uses to coax an extreme number of fly balls. He also mixes in a 91 mph sinker and an 85 mph whiffy change-up.
Tommy Milone (6-3, 3.69 ERA): Milone was pressed into action in an extra-inning ballgame on Sunday with the Twins already short of rested relievers. He threw a scoreless 12th inning to earn his first career save. The 28 year-old righty has not fared well against the Rays over the last few seasons, posting a 2-2 record and a 6.17 ERA over his last four starts (23-1/3 innings). Key matchup: James Loney (1-3, RBI).
Noteworthiness
― Evan Longoria is 0-12 with five strikeouts in the last three games.
― James Loney is 5-16 off Santana, though the Rays are unsure of whether or not he will be suspended after bumping umpire Paul Nauert during Saturday’s 5-4 victory against the Athletics in which he was ejected. Loney went 0-2 in Sunday’s loss and is in the throes of a 3-24 slump.
― Twins rookie Miguel Sano is hitting .321 with four homers and nine RBI in his last seven games.
Let me just say what everyone is thinking, thank god that 10-game road trip is over! To be fair, the Tampa Bay Rays performed fairly well against the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics…well, better than they had against Texas. They were able to win some games against some pretty good pitchers, and the good guys four of their last seven. That being said, their showing Sunday looked more like the softball team I play on, and less like a team vying for a playoff berth. In the end Tampa Bay couldn’t win its first-ever road sweep of Oakland, although the team was able to take two-of-three from the A’s. After a well needed off-day Monday, the Rays will welcome another fringe contender into the Trop, the Minnesota Twins.
Let’s take look at some of the peaks and valleys from the week past.
The Rays entered the only other citrus themed facility in the bigs on Monday to start a four game set against the Houston Astros. Erasmo Ramirez earned his 10th win of the year, holding Houston’s powerful bats to just two single tallies on six scattered hits, including an opposite field homer to Evan Gattis on a pitch that was well out of the zone. For the life of me, I still cannot understand how Gattis poked that fastball to right-field!
The offense supported Erasmo — and the pitchers that followed — with nine runs of support, while going 6-17 wRISP (.353 BA) and scoring six two-out runs.
However, fortune did not favor the Rays on Tuesday and Wednesday, after they dropped a pair of extra inning contests by a 3-2 margin. The bullpen failed the team in both games, although they walked away from Tuesday’s fiasco with a far worse predicament — Jake McGee became the injury bug’s next victim when the lefty tore the meniscus in his left knee on the second to last pitch of his outing.
McGee, who is expected to miss 6-8 weeks after going under the knife, will likely miss the rest of the regular season. Kevin Cash said they will use several pitchers to take McGee’s late-inning role, including lefty Xavier Cedenno and righties Steve Geltz, Brandon Gomes and Alex Colome. He also said this less than operative situation doesn’t automatically mean Brad Boxberger will become the full-time closer. Rather there could still be situations where Boxberger pitches in the eighth, and one of the others closes out the game.
In dire need of a pick me up, the team closed out the stint in Houston with a big 1-0 shutout of the Astros, culminating in a one-hit/11 strikeout complete game gem by Chris Archer. When all was said and done, the starting rotation held the Astros to just four runs (1.33 ERA), while the offense was able to collect 42 total hits. However, they also went 9-for-40 wRISP (.225 BA), so…
The westward trek continued in Oakland on Friday, when Drew Smyly and Desmond Jennings led Tampa Bay to a 2-1 win. Smyly bounced back from a disappointing start against Texas by scattering seven singles and fanning two. And while his start wasn’t spectacular, he was good enough to keep Oakland at bay. The lefty focused more on pitching to contact, and — playing off the Athletics aggressiveness at the plate — forced a good number of weak poppers and fly balls. More importantly though, his command was much better and he was able to locate all of his pitches.
“It just helps when you can locate all your pitches, Smyly said. In Texas I was pretty much throwing two pitches: fastball, slider. Today I threw some changeups, I threw a lot of curveballs, my slider was good. All in all it felt good out there.”
Up by two runs in the ninth, Boxberger took over and almost allowed another walkoff loss. Instead he eventually settled down to earn his 30th save.
On Saturday, for the first time in 50 previous attempts, Tampa Bay notched its first ninth-inning comeback of the season as the team rallied for two runs late to win 5-4. Logan Forsythe, John Jaso, and Asdrubal Cabrera combined to tag Sonny Gray for three home runs, and the Rays became the first team to do as much off the excellent righty. Previous to that, Gray had given up only two homers in one game. Equally as impressive though, Alex Colome, who was the only reliever used by Cash, entered the game in the eighth inning and retired all six batters he faced (over a two inning spread) on an incredibly efficient 20 pitches. In 11 relief appearances and 17-1/3 innings since the All-Star break, Colome has allowed just one earned run. Only time will tell, but the former starter could be an apt replacement for McGee while he recoups from surgery.
It might be best if we just skip over the series finale.
When all was said and done, it was the fourth game on the trip in which Tampa Bay blew a lead from seventh inning on. In retrospect, perhaps the quote at the bottom of Sunday’s lineup card was prophetic:
X-Rays Spex, Suburban Apologist (SubAp), and Green Bench Brewing Company are teaming up to host a Tampa Bay Rays Watch Party on Friday, September 25, when the Rays take on the Toronto Blue Jays in a game that may have playoff implications. We’re bringing all of the camaraderie of the game, just a stones throw from the Trop!
Enjoy the game on the two flat screen televisions in the tasting room, then make your way to the beer garden at sunset, where the game will also be projected on an adjacent wall in all of its big screen glory.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:07 pm, so make sure to get down to Green Bench early to enjoy some family friendly pre-game activities including cornhole and giant Jenga among others. While away the time by sipping on some ice cold craft brews and consuming some delicious foodstuffs from a local food truck on premises.
Green Bench will take $1.00 off per beer for folks wearing Tampa Bay Rays gear – including our very own Rays inspired designs. We will also raffle off some great Rays swag throughout the night.
Alex Colome and Curt Casali celebrate defeating the Oakland Athletics 5-4 on August 22, 2015. In 11 relief appearances since the All-Star break, Alex Colome has allowed just one earned run in 17-1/3 innings. (Photo Credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)For the first time in 50 attempts, the Tampa Bay Rays notched their first ninth-inning comeback of the season, as the team rallied for two runs late and won 5-4 over the Oakland Athletics. The Rays (62-61) have now won three straight and start the days just 1-1/2 games back in the Wildcard race.
The Rays took an early one run lead in the second inning after Logan Forsythe took Sonny Gray deep to left, his 14th homer of the season. It was also the first of three Rays’ home runs, making Tampa Bay the first team to go yard three times in one game off Gray.
But Oakland struck back against Ramirez to tie the game in the second inning. Brett Lawrie reached on a one-out infield hit to short, and then scored on a Josh Phegley double to right-field line that was just inside the foul line. Yet John Jaso answered in the third inning, turning on a hanging breaking pitch, and sending it to the right-center seats for a 2-1 lead that held up until the home sixth.
Tampa Bay led in the sixth, when James Loney was ejected after being called out on a 3-2 pitch that appeared low to end the top of the frame. Loney mouthed “god dammit,” flipped both his bat and helmet to the ground, and was immediately ejected by home plate umpire Paul Nauert.
The Rays first baseman lost it! Loney got into Nauert’s face and ultimately bumped the ump, and because of it, a few coaches had to come out and get Loney to go to the dugout. He must not have been too mad:
#Rays Loney must not have been too upset, he gave a ball to a fan as he headed back to clubhouse
After the game, Rays manager Kevin Cash said Nauert told him he was okay with the bat, but the helmet flip is what led to the ejection. Cash also said Cash said it was obvious both parties were frustrated, but allowed, “It was a little unique he didn’t say anything directly to him.” Which was Loney’s main argument:
If I’m not saying anything to you, just relax. Nobody is coming to watch you. Nobody cares that you’re back there calling balls and strikes. You could tell his personality is not the best and he’s just kind of there. If I’m not saying anything to you, don’t throw me out. Flipping my bat and throwing my helmet down? Just relax.
Erasmo Ramirez, who has never had much success against Oakland, wasn’t his pristine self — yet he managed to hold the lead. He walked the razor’s edge in all but the fifth, where he put the A’s down on seven pitches. Still, things looked like they were turning around for the righty…until the bottom of the sixth, when Oakland ambushed Ramirez.
Mark Canha belted the first pitch he saw to center field for a game tying homer. Stephen Vogt followed by hitting a hard liner, but right at Daniel Nava for the first out of the frame. Lawrie reached on a hustle double to left-center. Kevin Kiermaier, who fielded the play, attempted to throw Lawrie out, but his throw wasn’t clean and Forsythe was unable to handle the short hop. With one out and one on, Phegley hit the very next pitch over the left-field wall for a two-run advantage. Ramirez came back and retired the next five batters.
Forsythe attempted to spark a rally in the seventh inning by lining a ball to the left-center gap, yet Billy Burns stretched out and made an impressive diving catch to rob Logan of a triple. All wasn’t lost, however — Asdrubal Cabrera helped the team chip away at the Athletics’ lead by crushing a solo shot to left-center, bringing the Rays within one.
Gray put down the next five hitters before being lifted after eight.
Alex Colome, the only reliever used by Cash, entered in the eighth and retired all six batters he faced (over a two inning spread) on an incredibly efficient 20 pitches. In 11 relief appearances since the All-Star break, Colome has allowed just one earned run in 17-1/3 innings.
Switch-pitcher Pat Venditte took the mound in the ninth and got Evan Longoria to chase the 10th pitch of the at-bat — a fastball well off the plate. But Venditte walked Daniel Nava on four pitches, giving the Rays a one out base runner. After Cash pinched Nava for the speedy Tim Beckham, Forsythe doubled to left-center, moving both runners into scoring position. The novelty of Venditte wore off, and Bob Melvin quickly called upon the services of lefty Drew Pomeranz. Cabrera jumped on the first pitch he saw from Pomeranz, and turned it into a two-run double to right for a 5-4 Rays lead, and subsequently the win. Before the late rally, the Rays were 0-49 when trailing after eight innings.
The New What Next
Jake Odorizzi (6-6, 3-02) will take the mound for Tampa Bay, opposite of RHP Kendall Graveman. Odorizzi is coming off an impressive outing in which he yielded one run in six innings to the Astros. The righty is 1-1 with a 0.91 ERA in five starts against American League West opponents this season. Graveman is 0-5 with a 6.89 ERA over his last seven starts. He was the winning pitcher in his only career appearance against Tampa on May 23, a six-inning scoreless outing in which he allowed just three hits. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.
Rays 8/23/15 Starting Lineup
Sizemore DH
Nava RF
Longoria 3B
Jaso LF
Forsythe 2B
Cabrara SS
Loney 1B
Guyer CF
Rivera C
Odorizzi RHP
Noteworthiness
— The Rays lineup has John Jaso in LF.
— Saturday was the first time since May 13, 2014 at Seattle that Tampa Bay won after trailing entering the ninth inning.
