Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Well, You Can’t Win Them All

The Rays couldn’t close the door on the woeful Yankees Sunday, thanks to a ninth inning Alfonso Soriano walk-off RBI ground-ball up the middle, off Jake McGee. Tampa Bay starts the day a half game back of the Boston Red Sox, with another battle for first looming tonight in the makeup game of the rainout in the previous series.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Archer Does It Again (Updated)

The last time Chris Archer tossed a complete game shutout (the 5-0 shutout of the Astros just prior to the All-Star Break), he called the outing the best of his career. Keep in mind, up to that point Archer had never gone more than seven innings in a game. Well kids, backed with an electric fastball and a sharp slider, Archer not only tossed another complete game shutout, he did so by giving up only two hits. I’d reckon that yesterday’s outing may have superseded his first complete game shutout.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: From Last to First

Think back to the middle of June. The Rays were a part of an ultra-competitive AL East which found the Red Sox, Orioles, and Yankees in first, second, and third. Sitting in last place, most knew that Tampa Bay would eventually move up in the standings. Fast forward to last night, the Rays were finally able to claim sole possession of first place following a 10-6 win over CC Sabathia and the New York Yankees.

The New What Next: Rays Will Attempt to Bury Yankees in A Three Game Weekend Series

The Rays will attempt to bury the Yankees — consequently relegating them to their rightful place at the bottom of the AL East — in a three-game set in the Bronx, starting Friday. Tampa Bay is coming off a franchise tying eighth consecutive series victory, following the aborted game four in Boston, Thursday.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: All Hail Kings David, Escobar, and Zobrist

It was a hallmark type game that you’ve come to expect out of the Rays, a game that had everything: excellent pitching, outstanding defense, and a scrappy offense that was able to push across five runs — all on base hits. Tampa Bay again moved a game closer to owning sole possession of first place Wednesday night, with a 5-1 win against its AL East rivals Boston. Handcuffing the Red Sox, the Rays made a four run deficit feel like a wide chasm that was impossible to cross. And to be fair, it was an impossible chasm to cross when you consider that nothing was getting by the Gold Glove caliber infield of Longoria/Escobar/Zobrist/Loney. I’ll highlight (below) a few things that I may have neglected to talk about in our live blogged coverage of last night’s game, on our Tumblr page.