To say that last night’s win was big is like saying concrete is hard, or water is wet. The Rays were able to crush Justin Masterson by scoring 10 runs on 13 hits, including a pair of two run homers from Ben Zobrist in the first inning and Luke Scott (yeah, that Luke Scott) in the fifth.
Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing the Rays boppers bash the ball out of the park. However, I’m more excited with how the Rays got ’em one, got ’em over, and got ’em home in the third and the fifth innings. True, the Rays had a few other opportunities to score runs. For example, Tampa Bay had two on and two out in the second, but Masterson was able to strike out Desmond Jennings, getting out of the inning unscathed. Yet, the Rays were able to consistently apply the pressure in the first, second, third, fifth, and seventh innings. It goes without saying that the Rays come up big time and again, when they consistently apply pressure, while making the opposing pitcher pay for mistakes.
I have to give credit where it is due, Alex Cobb did a hell of a job following a very shaky first inning where he gave up two runs and three hits. Cobber settled down and gave up only one other run on three hits and two walks while striking out four. What’s more, Cobb was able to keep the ball on the ground, capping the night with an 11-2 ground ball to fly ball ratio.
Kyle Farnsworth, Wade Davis, and Burke Badenhop came on in relief, closing out the game and slamming the door shut in the tribe. Farnsworth came out on wobbly legs in the seventh, giving up a hit on a misplaced cutter…the same pitch that gave him trouble against the Yankees. Farnsy was ultimately able to settle down, inducing four pop flys, three for outs (cough…that Rhymes error should have been an out), to get out of the inning.
Oh yeah, did I mention that Luke broke out of his 0-41 slump?
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=22889627&topic_id=28033182&c_id=tb&tcid=vpp_copy_22889627&v=3
Also, Baseball America reported that the Rays have signed 16 year-old Venezuelan LHP prospect, Jose Castillo, for $1.55 MM. Of Castillo, Baseball Instinct noted:
Castillo is another young lefty but clocks in at 6’4” and 200 pounds. He is the one player in this class who truly already looks like a grown man. He has a low 90s fastball that could reach into the mid 90s as his body matures. He also has a changeup and a curve, with the changeup currently his second best pitch. Castillo doesn’t have the advanced secondary pitches that I normally like in young pitchers. However, not to sound like one of the much-maligned pre-Moneyball scouts, he just looks like a Major League pitcher. He has nice, clean mechanics and shows the ability to develop into something special.
Moving Forward
The Rays will take on Ubaldo Jimenez (7-7, 4.59 ERA) in game three of this pre All-Star Break four game set. Typically a very solid pitcher, Jimenez hasn’t been quite as sharp, overall, this year. To his credit, Jimenez still owns a 2.93 ERA over his last six outings. Despite limiting the damage on the scoreboard, Jimenez has been backed by 11 total runs of support in those outings, leaving him with a 2-3 record. Ubaldo has given up a fewer number of ground balls this season, while giving up more fly balls and homers. This tells me that he’s keeping the ball up in the zone. Though the Rays have posted a .156 BA/.206 OBP/.156 SLG/.362 OPS line against Jimenez past, they have ample opportunity to force him to pitch up in the zone. The Indians will be facing Matt Moore (5-5, 4.17 ERA) who’s been great lately. He has been able to drop his ERA from 5.54 back in April, to 4.17 now. If Moore is on, Jimenez won’t be getting any run support tonight.
Rays 7/7/12 Starting Lineup
Jennings LF
Pena 1B
Zobrist RF
Upton CF
Keppinger 3B
Scott DH
Molina C
Conrad 2B
Rod SS
Moore LHP