The Tampa Bay Rays battled back from deficits of 4-0 and 7-4 on Tuesday night, coming from behind to beat the Seattle Mariners, 8-7. Tampa Bay has now amassed 15 come-from-behind wins this season.
Look at that rollercoaster! Source: FanGraphs
Seattle took a four-run lead in the second inning against Jake Odorizzi, after he hurled an efficient 11-pitch first. Odorizzi started the frame by giving up a Nelson Cruz double to left center, while Kyle Seager followed with an opposite field homer to put the Mariners up by a pair. Chris Iannetta worked a walk and Nori Aoki laid down a bunt single up the left side, putting two on with one out. Odorizzi composed himself and struck out Ketel Marte (swinging), however, Leonys Martin hit a two-run double to right-center, capping the four-run frame. Marte was thrown out trying to swipe third to end the inning, but the damage was done.
As they have been wont to do this season, the Rays answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Steve Pearce reached on Marte’s fielding error at short, before Corey Dickerson hammered a two-run, 448 foot blast off the D ring in right-field, his 12th of the season.
.@MCoreyDickerson hit this so hard, it hasn’t landed yet. #RaysUp
WATCH: https://t.co/wGef9qWm5L pic.twitter.com/O7psFmj43b
— #VoteRays (@RaysBaseball) June 15, 2016
Nevertheless Seattle answered in the third when Seth Smith hit a ground-rule double to left, then scored on Cruz’s single up the middle, extending the advantage to three runs. But Tampa Bay pulled to within a run of Seattle in the fourth after Pearce homered to left off Taijuan Walker, his ninth home run of the season. Dickerson, who ended the night a double shy of the cycle, then tripled off the wall in left, hustling ahead of Aoki’s throw.
Off to a good start tonight, @MCoreyDickerson:
1st AB: Home Run
2nd AB: Triple#RaysUp pic.twitter.com/oAlFbHM7TG— #VoteRays (@RaysBaseball) June 15, 2016
Walker left the game with an Achilles injury, and was replaced by Edwin Diaz. With Steven Souza Jr. at the plate, Diaz uncorked a first pitch passed ball off Iannetta’s glove, allowing Dickerson to come home.
Odorizzi was faced with control issues all night — especially on his split changeup, which was flat coming out of his hand — yet he was able to prevent any further damage, and ended up throwing 5-2/3 innings before being ejected for arguing balls and strikes.
About that ejection…
Jake worked a 2-2 count to Martin, then threw two consecutive cutters on the inside corner of the zone.
Somehow both pitches were denied by home plate umpire Jerry Meals, who had an inconsistent strike zone throughout the duration of the contest.
After 116 pitches the writing was on the wall — Jake knew his night was likely over. Why not make a show of the walk to Martin, right?
The ever shaky Dana Eveland took over for Odorizzi and got the final out of the sixth.
It’s showmanship, George is trying to get out on a high note.
— Jerry Seinfeld
In my mind, Eveland shouldn’t have retaken the mound in the seventh, rather Kevin Cash should have let him get out on a high note. Cash’s crystal ball must have been cloudy, as Eveland allowed the first three batters to reach. Adam Lind followed with a long sacrifice-fly to the wall in right-center, where Taylor Motter — who entered the game for the injured Steven Souza Jr (left hip soreness) — made a leaping catch to extend the Mariners’ lead to two. Cash had seen enough of Eveland, and called upon Ryan Garton with runners on the corners and one out.
Seager promptly swiped second against Garton, though not that it mattered since Iannetta ultimately walked, re-loading the bases. Recalling his time with Kansas City, Aoki chopped a ball over the mound, scoring Cruz for a three-run advantage. However, the stingy Garton kept the Mariners from tacking on any other runs.
If the Rays have done one thing well of late, it’s possess a never say die attitude — an attitude that allowed them to take the lead in the bottom of the inning. Trailing by three runs, Curt Casali singled to left with one out against Nick Vincent. Yet the Mariners hurler put down Logan Forsythe on three pitches, giving Tampa Bay just one out to play with. The heat was on, but Brad Miller saw to it to put the pressure back on the pitcher. Miller walked on eight pitches, bringing Evan Longoria to the plate.
On the first pitch he saw from Vincent, a slider down and on the outside corner, Longoria hammered his 16th homer of the season to left-center, tying the contest.
Vincent was lifted for Mike Montgomery, who walked Logan Morrison and Steve Pearce before surrendering the go-ahead, opposite field single to Dickerson for a one-run lead.
Xavier Cedeno threw a perfect eighth, and Alex Colome took over in the ninth.
El Caballo struck out Cruz to start the frame, before Seager drew a walk on 10 pitches. Two pitches later, Colome got Lind to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the game. Colome has now collected 19 consecutive saves to begin the season. As for the team, Tuesday night’s one-run win was just their sixth of the season
The New What Next
Pitching on nine days rest for the only the second time in his career, Drew Smyly will take the mound opposite of Nathan Karns. Smyly won his last outing to snap a three-game losing skid. The lefty allowed six runs on 10 hits earlier this season at Seattle. Karns was the Rays rookie of the year last season after going 7-5 with a 3.65 ERA. He is 4-1 with a 3.73 ERA over his last eight starts, although Karns walked five in 4-1/3 innings in his last start against Cleveland. .
Rays 6/15/16 Starting Lineup
Forsythe 2B
Miller SS
Longoria 3B
Morrison 1B
Pearce DH
Dickerson LF
Jennings CF
Conger C
Mahtook RF
Smyly LHP
Noteworthiness
— Eveland has now posted a 7.56 ERA/6.13 FIP in 16-2/3 innings of work. And while his 9.18 K/9 is excellent, his 7.02 BB9/1.62 HR9/14 ER/13 BB isn’t.
— Because of Souza’s injury, and Eveland’s inability to offer the Rays bullpen much of anything, the team has designated the left-handed reliever for assignment, while adding OF Jaff Decker to the active roster. Decker, 26, is out of options, so they’d have to run him through waivers to try to send him back down. The outfielder made a strong impression on the Rays during Spring Training (hustling, hitting everything, good defender), although he posted a modest .233 BA/.351 OBP/.358 SLG/.709 OPS/.330 wOBA with Triple-A Durham, hitting five homers and collecting 22 homers and 14 RBI over 54 games.
— Souza told Roger Mooney his left hip is still sore, and said he’ll know more tomorrow.