Nathan Karns continued his bid for the fifth starter spot with a three inning, 49 pitch outing, relinquishing two runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk. Karns told Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) was pleased to go three innings and get in work on his change-up; a pitch he wants to improve. His change, though not wholly consistent, was effective enough to get Carlos Beltran to whiff. In an ideal world, the outcome of that at-bat will resonate with Karns as a growth moment.
Tag Archives: New York Yankees Suck
Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Win 6-1 Amidst Flared Tempers
If Monday night’s three hour and 28 minute 1-0 walk-off victory was odd, Tuesday night’s contest must have been drafted by David Lynch. On a night when the Rays organization celebrated the career of Derek Jeter, Tampa Bay handed the Yankees a 6-1 loss, complete with a bench clearing almost brawl, and a pair of big hits by Nick Franklin who made his debut with the Rays. Jake Odorizzi was spotty, yet he held the Yankees to one run in six innings of work, while Franklin went 2-4 with a double, a stolen base that almost wasn’t, a run and an RBI. The game had everything anyone could ever want: the first time in Rays history two runs were scored on a sac-fly, three Yankee ejections, and a customized kayak.
The New What Next: Rays Head to the Bronx For Three — A Series Preview of Sorts
The end is nigh. The Tampa Bay Rays will follow their recent 4-6 home stand with their penultimate road trip of the season. First stop New York, where the Rays are set to start a three game series against the Bronx Bummers.
Tampa Bay has been relegated to two roles for the remainder of the 2014 season:
1. Spoilers
2. A team that can finish the final month of play strongly
As it relates to task number one, the Rays took two-of-three from the Orioles this weekend past. However, at 3-4 with a -10 run differential, the Rays haven’t really played that well in September. To be fair, at 3-3 over their last six games, neither have the Yankees — a team who is struggling to stay relevant down the final stretch.
Looking Backward While Moving Forward: .500
They didn’t win the World Series or clinch a playoff berth Friday night, but there was reason to celebrate — the Tampa Bay Rays became only the fourth team of the modern era to team to get back to .500 from 18 games below (joining the 1899 Louisville team, the 2004 Rays, and the 2006 Marlins). They did so by putting together their 15th shutout of the season, tagging the New York Yankees with a 5-0 loss in the series opener.
Rays 8/15/14 Starting Lineup, Etc
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