Rays 8/15/14 Starting Lineup
Jennings CF
Zobrist LF
Joyce DH
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Forsythe 2B
Escobar SS
Casali C
Kiermaier RF
Cobb RHP
Rays 8/15/14 Starting Lineup
Jennings CF
Zobrist LF
Joyce DH
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Forsythe 2B
Escobar SS
Casali C
Kiermaier RF
Cobb RHP
I can distinctly recall the mantra of the 2011 season being “Impossible? No. Improbable? Yes.” The Tampa Bay Rays put themselves into a hole that no other team, historically, had been able to dig themselves out of — yet they did. Then last season, with their playoff hopes quickly slipping away, they put together a season ending run which found the Rays in the postseason for the fourth time in six years. This year is different, and I’d imagine that the lyrics, “All I know is that I don’t know, all I know is that I don’t know nothing,” would be an apt maxim for the remainder of the season.
Had you asked Joe Maddon or Jim Hickey what they hoped for out of Wednesday night’s game, they would have said a win, and the opportunity to allow the tired relievers some rest following Tuesday night’s 14-inning marathon. Two pitchers, 13 strikeouts, and two hours and 51 minutes later, the Rays not only met Maddon and Hickey’s expectations, they exceeded them. Tampa Bay put together a 10-1 shellacking of the Rangers, thanks to a masterful seven IP start by Chris Archer, and a 12 hit/10 run offensive charge (which included three early home runs) led by Matt Joyce, Sean Rodriguez, and Brandon Guyer.
In short, Tampa Bay was able to tag Colby Lewis and the Rangers for seven runs in the series opener, behind an excellent start by Drew Smyly.
On a cool and windy day on the north side of Chicago, the Tampa Bay Rays walked away from the friendly confines of Wrigley Field with their second consecutive win — a combined 4-0 shutout of the Chicago Cubs. Jake Odorizzi, Kirby Yates, and Jake McGee were dominant, limiting the Cubs to five hits, while posting a staggering 15 strikeouts. I, one of X-Rays Spex’s field documentarians, took in the sights and sound of the game from the left hand side of Wrigley. You can read a realtime account* of Saturday’s contest at out Tumblr page. Otherwise, what follows is a recap from Michael Nazarro, and a few game peripherals from yours truly.