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Art Deco · 07-06-2020, 02:56 PM

Game 1: After blowing a 9-0 lead yesterday and losing, the Rays nearly blew a 7-0 lead but hung on to win 7-6 in another game that got the blood pressure rising. With LA starting a lefty (as they will the next 2 nights also), Whit Merrifield got a start over Brendan Marsh in LF and made his statement with a 3-run HR in the 2nd inning. Keibert Ruiz had a 2-run double in the 4th, and Abe Toro went deep for a pair in the 5th and it was 7-0 behind Tyler Glasnow, who was rolling. But Glasnow got into some trouble with one out in the 6th, yielding a couple runs and with his pitch count at the century mark Trevor Gott came on and got him out of the inning. But Gott yielded an Anthony Rendon HR to make it 7-3 and then after a man got on, the immortal Connor Justus went deep to make it 7-5. Shane McClanahan got Gott out of the 7th. And the virtually untouchable Jose Alvarado got touched in the 8th, losing the lefty-lefty matchup to Ohtani, who went yard to make it 7-6. Like yesterday an insurance run or two would have been nice but they did nothing in the late innings so it was up to Brad Hand to save the day and he did, getting #21 with a 1-2-3 9th as brows were wiped across Tampa Bay. Glasnow got the win going 5.1 4 2 2 1 7 to go to 7-2, and Yusniel Diaz was 2-3 with a walk and 3 runs scored in a rare start. Toronto won, and also won the night before while the Rays were idle, so the lead is down to 5 1/2, 5 in the loss column. The win was costly for the Jays though as their ace and reigning AL Cy Young winner Nate Pearson suffered a torn labrum and is done for the year.

Game 2: Well that was ugly. Ohtani hit a 2-run HR and Mike Trout a solo shot off Joe Ryan in the top of the first, and that was all LA would need as they went on to an 8-0 win. Trout's HR was his 400th. Ryan was Mr. Three True Outcomes today, also giving up a HR to Tom Murphy and putting up a 5 4 5 5 1 10 line. In other words, he was dominant when he wasn't giving up HRs. Meanwhile the offense could only muster 5 hits all day against Andrew Heaney (who left in the 5th injured), Shelby Miller and Patrick Sandoval. We got the bad Joey Gallo today in his return from knee soreness, 0-4 with 3 strikeouts, but days like that are part of the bargain. Elsewhere, the Rays aren't the only team who can build a big lead and blow out as the Jays squandered an 8-3 lead in the 7th inning to lose 10-8 at Oakland so no damage done in the standings today.

August 4: Optioned P Shane McClanahan to AAA Durham, added P Chris Paddack to the active roster.

Paddack makes his debut today vs the Angels (as does McKay for the Padres at Wrigley Field).

Game 3: Now that's Rays baseball. Solid starting pitching, timely hitting and fine bullpen work. These type of games have been few and far between but that's what we had today as Chris Paddack won his Rays debut 6-2. It almost looked like he'd end up a hard luck loser as he finished the 6th (and the game with 99 pitches) down 2-1 but Ronaldo Hernandez hit a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the inning to make it 5-2 and Nelson Cruz added #28 in the 8th for the final margin of victory. Paddack was an excellent 6 5 2 2 1 9, only running into trouble in the 4th inning when he loaded the bases with one out. He got a popup for the second out, but former Ray farmhand Nick Solak hit a 2-run single up the middle to score LA's runs. Giovanny Gallegos threw a perfect 7th with a pair of Ks, Jose Alvarado got the Angels 1-2-3 in the 8th, and after Cruz's HR took away the save situation, Will Harris got three groundballs to finish the game. Also of note, Vidal Brujan had another fine day at the play, going 2-4 with an RBI double for the Rays' first run and is hitting 310/384/422 with a real shot at AL rookie of the year. Seattle, with the best record in the AL thanks to the Rays' two-month run of mediocrity, knocked off Toronto 2-0 so the lead increases to 6 1/2. The Mariners' winning hit came from former Ray Mike Brosseau, his 17th HR of the year and having a great season as Seattle's starting 2B. He was sent with Colin Poche for Austin Adams and Mitch Haniger last year, and that deal has worked out well for the Mariners. But at least Adams brought Gallegos and Haniger brought Seth Beer, who's raking at Durham and is line to be next year's DH unless I go and do something like sign Nelson Cruz again.

Oh, and in case you were wondering how McKay's debut with San Diego went, he was used as a follower and came on in the 2nd inning and went 3.1 6 5 5 1 3, allowing 2 HRs as the Cubs pasted the Padres 17-5. Also getting tagged were Resly Linares, who pitched for Durham last year and has done well until today when he gave up 5 runs, and old friend Oliver Drake allowed 4 runs in an inning for San Diego. Speaking of former Rays, with all the deals I've made with the Cubs over the past couple of years, it was fitting that Jose Martinez and Yandy Diaz had HRs for Chicago today.

Team record: 67-42.

07-06-2020, 02:56 PM	#59
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,639	August 2-4, 2022 vs LA Angels (3) Game 1: After blowing a 9-0 lead yesterday and losing, the Rays nearly blew a 7-0 lead but hung on to win 7-6 in another game that got the blood pressure rising. With LA starting a lefty (as they will the next 2 nights also), Whit Merrifield got a start over Brendan Marsh in LF and made his statement with a 3-run HR in the 2nd inning. Keibert Ruiz had a 2-run double in the 4th, and Abe Toro went deep for a pair in the 5th and it was 7-0 behind Tyler Glasnow, who was rolling. But Glasnow got into some trouble with one out in the 6th, yielding a couple runs and with his pitch count at the century mark Trevor Gott came on and got him out of the inning. But Gott yielded an Anthony Rendon HR to make it 7-3 and then after a man got on, the immortal Connor Justus went deep to make it 7-5. Shane McClanahan got Gott out of the 7th. And the virtually untouchable Jose Alvarado got touched in the 8th, losing the lefty-lefty matchup to Ohtani, who went yard to make it 7-6. Like yesterday an insurance run or two would have been nice but they did nothing in the late innings so it was up to Brad Hand to save the day and he did, getting #21 with a 1-2-3 9th as brows were wiped across Tampa Bay. Glasnow got the win going 5.1 4 2 2 1 7 to go to 7-2, and Yusniel Diaz was 2-3 with a walk and 3 runs scored in a rare start. Toronto won, and also won the night before while the Rays were idle, so the lead is down to 5 1/2, 5 in the loss column. The win was costly for the Jays though as their ace and reigning AL Cy Young winner Nate Pearson suffered a torn labrum and is done for the year. Game 2: Well that was ugly. Ohtani hit a 2-run HR and Mike Trout a solo shot off Joe Ryan in the top of the first, and that was all LA would need as they went on to an 8-0 win. Trout's HR was his 400th. Ryan was Mr. Three True Outcomes today, also giving up a HR to Tom Murphy and putting up a 5 4 5 5 1 10 line. In other words, he was dominant when he wasn't giving up HRs. Meanwhile the offense could only muster 5 hits all day against Andrew Heaney (who left in the 5th injured), Shelby Miller and Patrick Sandoval. We got the bad Joey Gallo today in his return from knee soreness, 0-4 with 3 strikeouts, but days like that are part of the bargain. Elsewhere, the Rays aren't the only team who can build a big lead and blow out as the Jays squandered an 8-3 lead in the 7th inning to lose 10-8 at Oakland so no damage done in the standings today. August 4: Optioned P Shane McClanahan to AAA Durham, added P Chris Paddack to the active roster. Paddack makes his debut today vs the Angels (as does McKay for the Padres at Wrigley Field). Game 3: Now that's Rays baseball. Solid starting pitching, timely hitting and fine bullpen work. These type of games have been few and far between but that's what we had today as Chris Paddack won his Rays debut 6-2. It almost looked like he'd end up a hard luck loser as he finished the 6th (and the game with 99 pitches) down 2-1 but Ronaldo Hernandez hit a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the inning to make it 5-2 and Nelson Cruz added #28 in the 8th for the final margin of victory. Paddack was an excellent 6 5 2 2 1 9, only running into trouble in the 4th inning when he loaded the bases with one out. He got a popup for the second out, but former Ray farmhand Nick Solak hit a 2-run single up the middle to score LA's runs. Giovanny Gallegos threw a perfect 7th with a pair of Ks, Jose Alvarado got the Angels 1-2-3 in the 8th, and after Cruz's HR took away the save situation, Will Harris got three groundballs to finish the game. Also of note, Vidal Brujan had another fine day at the play, going 2-4 with an RBI double for the Rays' first run and is hitting 310/384/422 with a real shot at AL rookie of the year. Seattle, with the best record in the AL thanks to the Rays' two-month run of mediocrity, knocked off Toronto 2-0 so the lead increases to 6 1/2. The Mariners' winning hit came from former Ray Mike Brosseau, his 17th HR of the year and having a great season as Seattle's starting 2B. He was sent with Colin Poche for Austin Adams and Mitch Haniger last year, and that deal has worked out well for the Mariners. But at least Adams brought Gallegos and Haniger brought Seth Beer, who's raking at Durham and is line to be next year's DH unless I go and do something like sign Nelson Cruz again. Oh, and in case you were wondering how McKay's debut with San Diego went, he was used as a follower and came on in the 2nd inning and went 3.1 6 5 5 1 3, allowing 2 HRs as the Cubs pasted the Padres 17-5. Also getting tagged were Resly Linares, who pitched for Durham last year and has done well until today when he gave up 5 runs, and old friend Oliver Drake allowed 4 runs in an inning for San Diego. Speaking of former Rays, with all the deals I've made with the Cubs over the past couple of years, it was fitting that Jose Martinez and Yandy Diaz had HRs for Chicago today. Team record: 67-42. Last edited by Art Deco; 07-06-2020 at 06:01 PM.