It’s true, the Rays have, and have had, a lot of players on the DL this season. You certainly wouldn’t wish injury upon any player. However, the tightness in Hideki Matsui’s hamstring might have actually been one of the best things to happen to the Rays in last night’s game. Why? With Matsui pulled from the game, Ben Zobrist ended up in right, Will Rhymes ended up at second, and Jeff Keppinger ended up at third. Without Matsui in right-field, the defense is stabilized, effectively putting the players involved where they should have been from the get go.
Consider this: Had Zobrist started the game in right field, Matsui’s misplayed Mark Teixeira pop-fly in the first never would have happened, and a run is saved.
Hypothetically speaking of course, Jeter wouldn’t have tagged up on the Teixeira pop, scoring the first run. Yes, he inevitably scores on the A-Rod single. And sure, back-to-back singles by A-Rod and Cano would find men on first and second with one out. But, another scoring opportunity is averted when Swisher grounds into the double play. Matt Moore gets out of the inning by relenting only one run.
In any case, it was ugly, but the Rays won. It was particularly nice to see them catch a break for once. The Rays haven’t had many breaks go their way this season. Things felt hopeless earlier in the game with Zobrist missing a two-run homer by inches and Keppinger getting doubled up on a ball Luke Scott smoked to first.
In the end, watching BJ Upton and Carlos Pena hit a pair of one run dingers certainly didn’t suck. Neither did Brooks Conrad’s hard hit RBI double to right in the seventh, driving in Sean Rodriguez for the tying run. Teixeira misplaying a sharply hit Elliot Johnson grounder seemed like Kismet. Teixeira’s error allowed Johnson to drive in the go ahead run, and allowing him to reach third.
James Shields (7-5, 4.04 ERA) will battle Ivan Nova (9-2, 4.03 ERA) in the second game of a three game set tonight. Don’t let the 4.03 ERA deceive you, Nova has been very good on the road and against the Rays. Nova is 12-0 with a 3.17 ERA in his last 16 road outings. Nova’s gone 6-0 with a 3.44 ERA in eight road starts this year. The Yankees have won all six starts by Nova against the Rays, with the right-hander going 4-0 with a 2.82 ERA. That includes a 2-0 mark and 1.80 ERA in two this year. Rays hitters have posted a combined .169 BA/.234 OBP/.339 SLG/.573 OPS line against Nova in 118 at bats. Yeesh.
Tampa Bay made the dominoes fall into place last night, and Shields & Co will need to do the same tonight. Shields is going to have to suppress the Yankees hitters and the hitters are going to have to eek out as much production possible against a pitcher that tends to not relent anything to the Rays. This should be another fun one.
July 3, 2012 Starting Lineup
Jennings LF
Pena 1B
Upton CF
Keppinger 3B
Zobrist RF
Scott DH
Molina C
Rodriguez 2B
Johnson SS
Shields RHP