Logan Forsythe got the bucket treatment after Friday's game. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)
Logan Forsythe got the bucket treatment after Friday’s game. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)
The Tampa Bay Rays scored all of their runs with two outs in first and second innings on Friday, then held on to beat the Houston Astros 4-3 to begin a nine-game home-stand. At 28-31, Tampa Bay has now won six of its last seven games.

Tampa Bay built a four-run lead in the first two innings before local product, Lance McCullers, could settle in. However, a potentially game changing event occurred before any of the Rays stepped into the batter’s box.

George Springer reached on a single to right, then swiped second against Hank Conger, who couldn’t throw out a lumbering 45 year-old in a Sunday softball game. The red hot Jose Altuve followed with single to left, and Springer, who had every intention to put his team on the board first, tested the arm of Corey Dickerson. Dickerson threw a bullet home, nabbing Springer at the plate.

The Rays answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. With one out and a runner (Brad Miller) on first, it appeared that Evan Longoria grounded into an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play. However, Longoria beat the throw over by a half-step, and the play was ruled safe upon appeal. Logan Morrison walked on four pitches to put a pair on with two outs before Steve Pearce plated a pair on a double to left-center.

In the second inning, Desmond Jennings — who reached on a four pitch walk — took off on a 1-2 offering with Logan Forsythe in the box. Forsythe lined a double up the left-field line, scoring the speedy Jennings.

Brad Miller followed with liner off first baseman Tyler’s White’s glove, capping the Rays scoring.

While the team had opportunities to score after the second, McCullers stifled the Rays for the remainder of his start. One of their better scoring opportunities came the fourth inning after Longoria crushed what was originally ruled a three-run homer. Yet the call was overturned after the umpires discussed it — it also stood upon review. Instead of a seven run advantage, Longoria grounded into an inning ending double play.

Meanwhile starter Matt Andriese allowed nine batters to reach base on five hits and four walks over the first four innings, but somehow still managed to keep the Astros off the board.

However, after a 1-2-3 fifth, Andriese ran out of gas in the top of the following frame.

With one out, Luis Valbuena doubled high off the wall in right. The leaping Steven Souza Jr. attempted catch the liner, yet the ball bounded away. Tyler White followed with an RBI single to the right-center gap, bringing Houston within three. Jason Castro followed with a two-run homer to right, making it a one-run contest — chasing Andriese and forcing the bullpen to get the final 11 outs.

Andriese, who battled through 5-1/3 innings, conceded that he didn’t have his A stuff:

Rays manager Kevin Cash also spoke about the right-hander’s start after the game.

Matt Andriese, I thought he was good, but I thought he was battling quite a bit. The tempo, the pace just wasn’t quite like we had seen in the past. And that’s OK, you’re not always going to be locked in out there.

Erasmo Ramirez collected the final two outs in the sixth, before throwing a scoreless seventh, allowing just a base hit. Erasmo was able to lower his ERA by 10 points because of his 1-2/3 scoreless innings of work. Xavier Cedeno entered the ballgame in the eighth and threw a perfect frame, fanning a pair. But things got hairy in the ninth with Alex Colome on the mound.

Colome walked Tony Kemp in a nine-pitch at-bat to start the inning. He was able to come back with a three-pitch strikeout of Springer before Marwin Gonzalez lined an 0-2 single to right off the hurler. For whatever reason, Souza threw to third in an attempt to catch Kemp. However, that allowed Gonzalez to safely move into to second. Longoria was able to make a heads up play, quickly firing over to Miller, who covered second. It initially appeared that Miller placed the tag on Gonzalez for an out, however, the play was overturned upon review. It was an unfortunate gaffe on the part of Souza. Instead of one out and runners on the corners, Colome had to face Altuve with two runners in scoring position.

Because of it, Altuve was intentionally walked, which loaded the bases and set up the force. It was eerily reminiscent of the bases loaded, two-out situation in Wednesday’s series finale agains Arizona…albeit a higher leverage situation. Houdini Colome would have to figure something out.

Colome came back with a three-pitch strikeout of Colby Rasmus, then got Evan Gattis to ground out toward the hole at short. Miller collected the ball, but made a poor throw over to Pearce at first. Thankfully Pearce scooped Miller’s one-hopped throw to finish off the game.

Rays win 4-3, and Houdini Colome is now a perfect 18-18 in save chances.

The New What Next

Chris Archer will take the mound Saturday afternoon, opposite of Mike Fiers. Archer is in the midst of a 15-2/3 consecutive scoreless inning streak against the Astros, including a complete-game one-hitter last August. Two of his three career complete games are against Houston. Fires will make his first career start against Tampa Bay. He has walked two or fewer batters in 12 straight starts. His 1.61 BB/9 is second best in AL. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.

Rays 6/11/16 Starting Lineup

Forsythe 2B
Miller SS
Longoria 3B
Morrison 1B
Pearce DH
Dickerson LF
Souza RF
Jennings CF
Casali C
Archer RHP

Noteworthiness

— Per the Elias Sports Bureau, Alex Colome is the first player with six saves in seven team games since Francisco Rodriguez (April 2014).

— Oh yeah, Conger did throw out a runner last night, but only because Marisnick came off the bag.

Leave a comment