Game 1: For a change the Rays came into a series against a team with a better record as the Twins were 31-15 vs the Rays' 33-17, giving the Rays a chance to see if they measure up as they've fattened up on the Blue Jays and Yankees this year with nearly half their wins (16) coming against those 2 teams. Well they came up short tonight in a sloppy, ugly 10-5 loss. Walker Buehler got the start and although he's been let down by his bullpen and the offense in some of his previous Rays starts, tonight he was the architect of his own downfall, giving up 3 HRs and 6 runs (5 earned) over 5 innings. He got his strikeouts (8) but that was about it. The other culprit tonight was Ronaldo Hernandez, who came on when Keibert Ruiz suffered a 2-day intercostal strain injury. Hernandez committed three throwing errors, two on SB attempts and the other on a grounder in front of the plate, leading to 4 unearned runs. Keston Hiura and Rafael Devers each went 2-5 with an RBI to lead the offense, which had the game at 3-3 after 3 before the Twins really went to work on Buehler. The Red Sox with a win cut the division lead to 5 1/2 games.
Some news from the International League:
Kjerstad got off to a terrible start in April but as you can see above really kicked it into gear in May. Also in my player development update he was upgraded to a 55 in CF from 45, and his eye was upgraded from 40 to 45.
Game 2: The Rays struck back, and struck late, to even the series with Minnesota riding a 4-run 9th to a 7-3 win. The Twins brought on their closer Zack Littell and the Rays' bats went to work. Seth Beer singled, and after Triston Casas whiffed, one of yesterday's goats Ronaldo Hernandez (who also threw out a would-be basestealer) managed an infield single and then Brandon Marsh ripped a double scoring Beer. Vidal Brujan followed with a sac fly and then Keston Hiura hit a mammoth homer to deep left to cap the inning. They were in the game thanks to a fine performance from Matt Manning, going 6.2 7 3 3 0 7 and whom I left in one batter too long, thinking (hoping?) he could retire Yu Chang with men on 1st and 3rd. He didn't and the Twins tied the game, so Ian Hamilton put out the fire again. Jose Alvarado got through the 8th (and was the beneficiary of that Ronaldo CS) picking up the win, and with a 4-run lead and some lefties due up Will Smith got to pitch in the 9th again and allowed only a Nick Gordon double. The Rays got their earlier runs on a pair of RBI hits from Casas (a double and single) and an Alec Bohm RBI double. Casas was in because Rafael Devers needed a rest, but I'm seriously considering installing him as the DH against righties over Beer, who despite 2 hits tonight is only hitting 222/331/359 with 4 HRs for the season starting about 80-85% of the time. Meanwhile Marsh has been on fire since coming off the IL earlier in the week and is now hitting 404/500/617 in his 47 AB this season before and after the injury. Tonight he was 3-4 with that game-winning RBI double and also has 9 steals in limited action as well. Boston won (behind a 4-4 day from Abraham Toro and 7 RBI from Ryan Mountcastle) so the lead stays at 5 1/2.
Game 3: It was a laugher until it wasn't, but the Rays held on to beat the Twins 7-5 and take 2 of 3 over the weekend against the team with the best record in the AL. It looked like it would be a Sunday stroll at the ballpark when the Rays jumped on Jhoan Duran for 6 runs in the 3rd inning highlighted by 2-run doubles from Vidal Brujan and Keibert Ruiz. Rafael Devers and Nick Schnell had RBI singles as well and with Tyler Glasnow on the mound a win looked assured. And when Brandon Marsh answered the Twins' run in the 4th with a solo HR in the 6th to make it 7-1, pulses around Tampa Bay remained at resting level. But Royce Lewis and Miguel Andujar hit solo HRs in the 6th to cut it to 7-3, and Schnell's dropped fly ball helped create a mess in the 7th. Glasnow left with two out and two on and Mitch Keller came on, but he gave up a 2-run double to Lewis and suddenly it was 7-5. The back end of the pen got the job done, though, as Jose Alvarado whiffed a pair around a single and Jasseel De La Cruz got two flyballs and a strikeout to finish it off for save #6. Glasnow picked up his league-high 7th win going 6.2 5 5 3 1 7 on 114 pitches and Marsh stayed nuclear by doubling along with the HR to raise his average to .412. And Wander was back in the lineup today and celebrated with a 3-hit game so perhaps he'll get going again. Boston lost so we're back up 6 1/2.
Team record: 35-18. Next up: the road trip takes us to Texas for 3 games, and Tuesday is the draft.