Tampa Bay will take the field in Detroit for the rubber match of this three game set, this afternoon at 1:05 PM. Coming off of a thrilling victory yesterday, Jeff Niemann (1-2 with a 3.48 ERA lifetime against the Tigers) will take the hill, in an attempt to keep this very dangerous Tigers team at bay. Tampa Bay is riding high on momentum that will take them to Boston tomorrow to face a very beleaguered (as of now) 1-5 Red Sox team.
Jeff “The big Dayquil” Niemann has never pitched in a game below 45 degrees. Then again, that shouldn’t be a factor today; the high is expected to be about 53. More pertinent are his career numbers in April, where he is 5-6 with a 4.38 ERA. Niemann also has better stuff at night than in the day, so one would imagine that the Tigers are going to try to pounce on him early. To his credit, in his last start at Comerica Field on August 30, 2009, Niemann went seven strong innings, giving up only two runs (both earned).
Tampa Bay will throw Jeff Keppinger back into the DH spot in the lineup after going one-for-two, with a run scored yesterday. Rookie lefty, Drew Smyly, will take the bump in his first major league start for the Tigers. Today’s starting lineup is below. As always, Let’s Go Rays!
Tampa Bay Rays' Ben Zobrist watches his game-winning single that drove in teammates Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria in the ninth inning to defeat the Detroit Tigers 4-2 in a baseball game on Wednesday, April 11, 2012, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
…And then it all came down to the ninth inning. Tigers ace, Justin Verlander, had thrown a gem of a game. Up to that point, Verlander had only given up a hit and a walk, while holding the Rays to eight innings of shutout baseball. Meticulously slicing the Rays up like a surgeon with a killer knee buckling curve-ball, along with the other dangerous weapons in his arsenal of pitches, the Rays batters looked as though they didn’t have a chance. James Shields held his own as well. Finding his way to the dugout after the eighth inning, we all thought that he would be handed his first loss of the year, even though he’d only given up two runs (both earned) on six hits, while walking one and striking out five.
Maddon put Jeff Keppinger in to pinch hit for Sean Rodriguez in the top of the ninth, and Kep did something that seemed nearly impossible: he hit a single to center field. After a Reid Brignac strikeout, Desmond Jennings slapped a single to right, moving Keppinger to third. All of a sudden the Rays Republic let out a collective breath as the thought of beating Verlander became a possibility. With one out and men on the corners, Carlos Pena made his way to the plate. Could Pena be the Rays hero yet again?
Prior to the Pena at bat, Verlander began to ratchet up the heat; a tactic that he’s known for. The Jennings hit came off of a 99 MPH fastball. Verlander continued this strategy with Pena at the plate, and with a full count he did the unthinkable; Verlander threw a 100 MPH wild pitch which scored Keppinger, and sent Jennings to second and Los to first. Evan Longoria was next, and he preceded to tie the game on a one out single to left field. Jim Leyland tried to stop the bleeding to no avail, by removing Verlander with one out and two on. And at that point the improbable no longer seemed so. Not only would Verlander leave the game with at least a no decision, but Tampa Bay might actually get a chance to beat him.
Schlereth came on in relief of Verlander, and Maddon put Elliot Johnson in to pinch hit for Matt Joyce. Schlereth promptly loaded the bases by walking Johnson, and Leyland pulled Schlereth for Jose Valverde. It was now up to Ben Zobrist to drive in the go ahead run off of the often times wild Jose Valverde. With one out and the bases loaded, Valverde tossed a meatball over the plate that would meet its destiny in right-center, by means of a single off of the bat of one Ben “Zorilla” Zobrist. Tampa Bay took a 4-2 lead that they would not relinquish in the top of the ninth.
Fernando Rodney came on in relief of James Shields in the top of the ninth, and got a 1-2-3 inning to finish the, now 4-1, Tigers off.
The Rays faced a reigning Cy Young winner for 20th time today, and are 7-7 with 6 no decisions. Under Joe Maddon, the Rays are now 4-2 vs reigning Cy Young winners, with victories against King Felix in 2011, Zack Greinke in 2010, and Johan Santana 2007, and now Verlander in 2012.
Tampa Bay will take on Le Tigre for the rubber game of the set tomorrow at, again, 1:05. Jeff “The Big Nyquil (urm, we’ll call him The Big Dayquil)” Niemann will take the hill for the Rays. How sweet would it be to saunter into Fenway as a 5-1 team to face, an as of now, 1-5 Red Sox?!
The Rays came from behind to beat Verlander and the Tigers 4-2. See Red Sox, that is how you come back and beat the Tigers. Shields a win, Rodney his third save, and the Rays are 4-1 to start the season! …Oh yeah, the Sox are 1-5. Zoinks! More to come soon.
RHP Jeremy Hellickson was released from the hospital and was back in the Rays clubhouse during Wednesday’s game, and said afterward he felt fine and planned to make his next start. “I’ll be out there Saturday,” he said.
Hellickson had x-rays, a CT scan and concussion-related tests at Harper Hospital, and will have addiitonal concussion-related tests on Thursday. But aside from some swelling near his left eye, he said he had no other injuries.
And while several members of the Rays said Hellickson did not lose consciousness, Hellickson said he thinks he blacked out briefly since he didn’t remember falling to the ground.
Manager Joe Maddon said a decision will be made Thursday on when Hellickson next pitches.
-Reposted from Marc Topkin and the Tampa Bay Times
12:50 Update:
Raysbaseball.com (you know…that “other” site) reporting that Hellickson should be fine. Sounds like a Tigers fly ball that caught him in the bullpen, rather than a line drive comebacker. Was alert but taken to hospital for observation. Whew!
………………………..
Details are sketchy at the moment, but it appears that Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson was hit in the side of the head with a baseball, presumably batted, while throwing a bullpen session at Comerica Park this morning.
Marc Topkin is tweeting from the scene. He spoke with Joe Maddon who says that Hellickson was taken out of Comerica Park on a cart, but that he was not bleeding and did not lose consciousness. He’s on his way to the hospital to be examined. More details as we get them.
Please be "Big Game" James and not "All Fields" Shields today.
With yesterday’s tough loss to the Tigers, the Rays are now 19-25 at Comerica Field in Detroit. Yeesh. They’ve now lost five games in a row at Comerica Field, with their last victory coming off of a Jeremey Hellickson start, way back on August 10, 2010. I think it’s safe to say that we all hope James Shields gets a quality start today. Lord knows that it’s going to be tough enough having to face the 2011 AL MVP, Justin Verlander.
Here are a few fun little facts to fill your brain going into todays game: The Rays will face a reigning Cy Young winner for 20th time in franchise history. They are 6-7 with 6 no decisions in the previous 19 games. That said, under Joe Maddon, the Rays are 3-2 vs reigning Cy Young winners, with victories against King Felix in 2011, Zack Greinke in 2010, and Johan Santana 2007. So yes, beating Verlander is possible. Probable? I’ll leave that up to you to decide.
In other news, when responding to a question regarding putting Jake McGee on the mound to face Miguel Cabrera in the eighth inning yesterday, Joe Maddon insisted that McGee was the right choice. He also mentioned that there really were no good options Vs. Cabrera. Then again, that’s all in the past, and today is, well…today. Moving forward. Todays starting lineup is below for the 1:05 matinee. Vogt will step in the DH spot for the ailing Luke Scott.
Tampa Bay Rays (3-1) 4/11/12 starting lineup:
Jennings CF
Pena 1B
Longoria 3B
Joyce LF
Zobrist RF
Vogt DH
Lobaton C
Rodriguez 2B
Brignac SS
Shields P
By the by, CF BJ Upton will see five innings of work today in Port Charlotte. He is still expected to return from the DL on April 20th (whoooaaaa, 4/20 bro), in time for the Rays home series against the Twinkies.
