Game One Update:
For the fourth time in five road games, the Tampa Bay Rays fell in walk-off fashion. This time the Rays lost in grand-slam fashion by a score of 9-5, after Brad Boxberger allowed three batters to reach after getting the first out of the inning. He then gave up the slam to rookie Paulo Orlando.
For his part, Boxberger said there were times he didn’t know where was ball was going, and the homer was on change-up.
However, as the saying goes, you can’t win games if you don’t score runs — and the team had an opportunity to plate more than their five runs in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings against Chris Young and a Royals ‘pen that looked less than stellar. Compound that with a second frame when Matt Moore, who lacked command throughout the course of his outing, gave up two runs with two outs. In that inning, Moore walked one and hit to Royals with pitches (Drew Butera and Alex Gordon).
We’ll have a proper recap of both games later. Until then, you can relive the first contest in all of its gory glory at our Tumblr page, where I live blogged the first of two.
Due to the inclement weather in the greater Kansas City area, the series opener between the Rays and Royals last night was postponed. As of 6:00 PM CDT on July 6, a tornado warning forced the evacuation of the media from the press area in Kaufman Stadium, while heavy rain wiped out any chance to get in a ball game last.
The teams will play a day/night double header today at 2:10 and 8:10 (respectively). The Rays will start LHP Matt Moore in the first game of the double header, opposite of Chris Young. They’ll also call up RHP Matt Andriese (as the 26th man) to pitch in the second game (instead of Alex Colome), opposite of Volquez.
Rays 7/7/15 Starting Lineup — Game 1
Sizemore DH
Butler LF
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Forsythe 2B
DeJesus RF
Elmore SS
Kiermaier CF
Rivera C
Moore LHP
Rays 7/7/15 Starting Lineup — Game 2
Jaso DH
Sizemore LF
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Forsthye 2B
Cabrera SS
Guyer RF
Kiermaier CF
Casali C
Andriese RHP
Noteworthiness
— A roster move is afoot. RHP Andrew Bellatti is with the team in Kansas City, although a roster move has not been announced. Per Marc Topkin, it doesn’t sound like Bellatti will be activated for the second game today, and it’s likely he’d be added after the game.
— Did y’all really think there was going to be a game last night with all of this rain?
5:30PM KC sprinkle pic.twitter.com/I23x6gpJ3c
— Rocco Baldelli (@roccodbaldelli) July 6, 2015
— The Rays have placed Steven Souza on DL, activated John Jaso from the DL, and DFA’d Preston Guilmet. You can read more about that, and this afternoon/tonight’s pitching matchups, in our series preview.