After a 5-4 extra-inning win over Baltimore on Monday, the Tampa Bay Rays will play a doubleheader this afternoon to wrap up the season series against the Orioles. The Rays have won five straight games, and lead Cleveland by a half-game for the top AL Wildcard spot; they are in front of the Athletics by 1.5 games for the final AL Wildcard spot.
Because of the win, the Rays increased their chances of a postseason berth by 3.8%, and enter play with a 77.1% chance of reaching the postseason for the first time since 2013 (per FanGraphs). Baseball Prospectus gives Tampa Bay a more favorable 82.5% chance.
Ryan Yarbrough got the start on Monday and battled over six innings, allowing four runs on nine hits while fanning four against Baltimore. Yarbrough cruised through the first five frames, but the Orioles dinged him up for four runs in the sixth inning on a homer, three singles, and a double. Still, the 27-year-old has put together a solid 2019 campaign, posting a 3.49 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP, with a 7.29 K/BB across 121-1/3 innings.
Tommy Pham (3-4, 3 RBI) walked it off in the 10th inning on a hard-hit grounder to left field, scoring Joey Wendle from second base.
That particular at-bat started with pitches by Dillon Tate that buzzed Pham up and in. Those pitches were accompanied by chirping from the Orioles bench, which Pham was none too pleased about.
I’m more frustrated with their dugout hollering after the pitches that were thrown. … Kind of like they were cheering him on that he was buzzing me up and in. But success is revenge and I got the game-winning hit for us.
— Tommy Pham
Yet Pham got the last laugh. When asked about his plate approach, the outfielder did not mince words about his dissatisfaction with the Orioles hurler.
First pitch he threw it at my head, and after that I wanted to just kill him … I’m glad we won.
— Tommy Pham
According to Neil Solondz (Rays Radio), Tampa Bay now has seven walk-off wins this season, including five in the team’s last 12 home games. The Rays are also 19-15 in one-run games and 18-8 after a 1-7 start in those close contests.
The New What Next
Both teams have decided on a game one starter and will determine who begins game two after the first contest is complete. Trevor Richards (4-12, 4.29 ERA) will make his fourth appearance for Tampa Bay, pitching opposite of Ty Blach (0-2, 12.81 ERA).
Trevor Richards exited Thursday’s contest against Houston after hurling just 2-1/3 innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks while striking out four. Richards entered with two Astros on base in the second inning and served up an RBI double to allow an inherited run to score. He also served up a leadoff homer in the third inning to George Springer and got himself into trouble with a pair of walks and a throwing error in the fourth before being pulled from the game. Although Richards has allowed just three earned runs while striking out 15 hitters in 11-2/3 innings since joining the Rays, Kevin Cash appears determined to keep his pitch count low; he has averaged a mere 72.3 pitches in his three outings. Richards blanked Baltimore on five scattered hits and a walk across six innings on August 23.
Ty Blach will make his sixth appearance and fourth start for Baltimore after being promoted from Norfolk. Blach faced the Rays on August 23rd and allowed seven runs (four came on Austin Meadows’ grand slam) over four innings in a 7-1 Tampa Bay victory. Key Matchups: Jesus Aguilar (7-14, 3 2B, 2 RBI, BB), Travis d’Arnaud (1-2, 2B, RBI), Kevin Kiermaier (1-2, 2B, RBI), Austin Meadows (1-3, HR, 4 RBI), Tommy Pham (3-4, RBI), Mike Zunino (1-2, RBI)
You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineups and Noteworthiness are below.
Rays 9/3/19 Game 1 Starting Lineup
- Heredia CF
- Pham LF
- d’Arnaud DH
- Garcia RF
- Aguilar 1B
- Duffy 3B
- Adames SS
- Robertson 2B
- Zunino C
Rays 9/3/19 Game 2 Starting Lineup
- Sogard 2B
- Pham DH
- Meadows LF
- d’Arnaud C
- Choi 1B
- Garcia RF
- Kiermaier CF
- Adames SS
- Wendle 3B
Noteworthiness
— Tampa Bay currently carries 34 players on the active roster, as they have promoted OF Guillermo Heredia and LHP Brendan McKay. Baltimore will add Blach and are expected to add pitchers David Hess and Chandler Shepherd now that Triple-A Norfolk’s season is done.
— Tyler Glasnow threw 1-1/3 scoreless innings for Triple-A Durham yesterday, allowing two hits and two walks while fanning three. He threw 20 of 33 pitches for strikes (61% strike rate). It isn’t yet clear if he’ll make another appearance for Durham or rejoin the team for the Toronto series.
— #NeverForget: