May 7 Update: Leftfielder Desmond Jennings was pulled in the second inning of yesterday’s game with knee soreness. Jennings had an MRI which revealed the root of his knee soreness: a left knee sprain. The good news is that Jennings will not go on the disabled list, and is expected to be with the Rays on their upcoming eight game road-trip.
It’s been speculated by Rays manager, Joe Maddon, that the injury occurred in the first inning when Jennings slid home, head first, on a Jeff Keppinger sac-fly.
We live tweeted the game today. May as well kill two birds with one stone, and use that series of tweets as the game synopsis. Enjoy.
First Inning:
And just like that, runners on second and third after two consecutive Milone walks, two steals, and a passed ball.
#Keppinger with a bases loaded sac-fly to drive in #Jennings. #Rays jump out early 1-0 in the first with two on and one out. #LukeScott AB.
#LukeScott HBP to re-load the bases with only one out.
#Joyce drives in two on a line drive to RF. #Rays up 4-0. Runners on the corners with two outs. #Jimenez AB.
After 40 pitches by #Milone, and four #Rays runs, the #A’s finally get out of the first on a Jimenez DP. #Rays strand one RISP.
Whoops, that was one out. Now the inning is over.
Second Inning:
#Moore with his fourth K on a beautiful changeup. #Rays still up 4-0, now in the middle of the second.
Defensive change with #Johnson in LF, and #Rhymes at 2nd. No word why #Jennings was pulled out of the game just yet.
Third Inning:
After getting the first two outs, #Moore looks shaky, giving up two runs. Runners on the corners with two outs. #Moores pitch count over 50.
#Moore gives up a 3-1, three-run blast to left. #A’s take the lead, 5-4.
#ElliotJohnson puts an end to that threat by grounding into a DP to end the inning. #Rays still down by one, 5-4.
@CorkGaines one wonders if they may have pulled him as precautionary move akin to pulling #BJUpton the other day. Keep him fresh for Tues.
#Jennings pulled b/c of left knee soreness. Precautionary move, akin to #Upton’s early exit a few days ago?
@CorkGaines they just did…left knee soreness. Mind you it took a couple of innings for news on BJ too.
Fifth Inning:
#A’s score another on a #JohnnyGomes RBI double to score Taylor.
A #Moore wild pitch moves the runners to second and third with two outs.
Two more runs on another double. #A’s up 8-4. #Moore getting pulled with a 100+ pitch count. He looked great in the 1 and 2nd innings.
Sinker baller, #BurtBadenhop in with two outs and one on in the fifth.
Now #Badenhop advances the runner on a wild pitch, but then induces a groundout on the very next pitch. On to the #Rays half of the fifth.
#BJUpton with a blast to the section 141/143 exit in left. #Rays now down by three. Could they eek it out?!
#LukeScott pops out to CF, ends the inning with #JeffKeppinger on first.
Sixth Inning:
Beautiful snag by #Rhymes to get the first out in the sixth, and a nice play by #Pena and #Badenhop to get out number two.
#Badenhop looks good after his wild pitch, getting four straight groundouts.
#Keppinger pops out to right-center to end the inning, stranding two base runners along the way. #D’oh!!!
Seventh Inning:
#WadeDavis on in relief of #Badenhop after Burt gets four batters in a row in the fifth and sixth innings.
After #Badenhop retires four in a row, #Davis promptly walks and gives up a hit to the first two batters in the seventh. #JohnnyGomes up now
Now a #Davis wild pitch. All three #Rays pitchers have WP’s on the day.
#Davis gets #JohnnyGomes on a curveball on the inside corner. Runners on second and third with one out.
#BrandonInge with his fourth RBI of the day on a sac-fly to bring home #Reddick. #A’s again with a four run lead, 9-5 in the seventh.
After two walks, a hit, and a sac-fly, #Davis FINALLY gets out of the seventh.
@JoseCanseco humility is your best quality. (In response to a Canseco tweet)
#Pena walks after a 10 pitch battle. #Upton and #Los on first and second with two outs, and Kep up next. #A’s pitching change.
#Keppinger pops out to right-center to end the inning, stranding two base runners along the way. #D’oh!!!
Eighth Inning:
#WadeDavisLooksLikeDogCrapToday.
@TBTimesRays2 Not too shabby, the last two nights. (In response to a TBT tweet about the attendance)
#JoshReddick looks like #HillarySwank. Deep thoughts…
@CorkGaines Apparently you don’t have an affinity for Hillary Swank.
#Davis works his way out of a two on jam. On to the #Rays half of the eighth.
#Rays again strand two two base runners as #ElliotJohnson watches strike three pass him by. On to the ninth.
Ninth Inning:
#CesarRamos on in the ninth.
Cue the #SportsCenter music for that #SeanRod play!
1-2-3 inning for #CesarRamos. Three more outs for the #Rays.
A #Rhymes K and and #Upton foul out…#Rays are down to their last out.
….And a #Pena pop-out to RF ends the game. #Rays lose their third series of the year on a 9-5 loss to the A’s in front of 24,000 @ #Trop.
