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Art Deco · 03-15-2021, 06:18 PM

Game 1: Nate Clark had a monster night at the plate and Alec Sachais threw 7 shutout innings as the Rays bombed the White Sox 13-5 in a game that really wasn't even that close. Clark was 4-6 with a 2-run double in the 4th to make it 5-0 and then a majestic 3-run homer in the 8th which may still be in orbit. Jasson Dominguez hit #19 in the 5th, Eloy Jimenez homered for the second straight day and hit his 45th overall, and Victor de Jesus came off the bench to swat #20 in the 8th. While the hitters were circling the bases, Sachais overcame a bunch of runners in the early innings (including one whom Dominguez threw out at the plate) to settle in and mow down White Sox hitters to the tune of 7 6 0 0 1 8 and improved to 11-6, 3.50. With the big lead Nate Thompson took over in the 8th and retired the first four men he faced - and then couldn't get anyone out, giving up 5 runs on 7 straight hits including a pair of homers (unlike him with 70 movement). Mike Mooney had to finally come in and got a double play grounder on his 3rd pitch to end the game.

Game 2: The Rays continue their win one, lose one post-ASB pattern after falling 3-2 to the White Sox. Danny Ceja started, and while he wasn't as bad as he was recently, he wasn't as good as he was last time out and was fortunate to leave the game with a 2-0 lead after giving up a leadoff single in the 6th and despite allowing a parade of baserunners. Jon Whiteleather took over and coughed up a 2-run homer to Justin Ellison to tie the game, leaving Ceja 5 6 1 1 3 4. Whiteleather stayed on for the 7th and he was probably pushed too far, as after getting 2 quick outs he served up another homer to Amed Rosario and that turned out to be the game-winner. The rookie reliever seems to have a bit of a wall after pitching to a 1.86 ERA before allowing 6 runs over his last 3 appearances covering 4 innings. Evan Godwin went the final 1 1/3 as he's trending in the opposite direction, only allowing 1 run in his last 13 innings. Of course limiting the opposition to 3 runs is usually a recipe for victory with this offense but that wasn't the case tonight as their only runs came on solo shots from Jasson Dominguez, on a HR binge of late (4 in his last 3 games) and up to 21 for the season. Otherwise they got some hits (10 in total, 3 from Ricky Widmar) but couldn't get one when it counted, including in the 9th when they had 1st and 2nd with 2 out only for Dayle Jenkins to ground out to end the game.

Game 3: Jon Hayes got the start today, so you know what that means: the Rays won. The final was 8-4, and Hayes was excellent as usual in winning his 13th straight start and 15th straight decision, going 7 4 1 1 1 3 to improve to 17-2, 3.03. That looks like an efficient line but it actually took Hayes 112 pitches as he ran a fair number of deep counts. As excellent as Hayes was though, the big star today was Joe Barker who ripped a pair of 2-run homers and drove in another to give him a 5-RBI day. Barker had an RBI single in the first, a 2-run homer in the 3rd to make it 3-0, and then delivered a big 2-run homer in the 9th (#21) after Chicago had pulled to within 6-4. Also homering for the third time in four days and for the 46th time overall was Eloy Jimenez in his old stomping grounds as his solo shot in the 6th made it 4-0. Jasson Dominguez's RBI groundout and Bobby Witt Jr's sac fly scored the other two runs. Hayes left with a healthy 6-1 lead but Mike Mooney imploded taking over for him in the 8th, giving up two hits and then a 3-run homer to Zac Veen to suddenly make it 6-4. Jordan Diaz immediately entered and got the Rays out of the 8th, and even though the save situation was gone after Barker's second homer, Jose Alvarado had a 2-strikeout scoreless 9th to end the game.

Team record: 86-23. Next up: An off-day, then the Mets make their first-ever visit to Publix Park for the weekend. The New Yorkers have MLB's worst record at 36-72 but they do boast one of the young rising stars of the game in Vince Giangrasso, the #2 overall pick in 2028. The second-year CF leads the NL with 5.6 WAR and is hitting 306/372/587 with 25 HR.

03-15-2021, 06:18 PM	#745
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,542	August 4-6, 2031: at Chicago White Sox (3) Game 1: Nate Clark had a monster night at the plate and Alec Sachais threw 7 shutout innings as the Rays bombed the White Sox 13-5 in a game that really wasn't even that close. Clark was 4-6 with a 2-run double in the 4th to make it 5-0 and then a majestic 3-run homer in the 8th which may still be in orbit. Jasson Dominguez hit #19 in the 5th, Eloy Jimenez homered for the second straight day and hit his 45th overall, and Victor de Jesus came off the bench to swat #20 in the 8th. While the hitters were circling the bases, Sachais overcame a bunch of runners in the early innings (including one whom Dominguez threw out at the plate) to settle in and mow down White Sox hitters to the tune of 7 6 0 0 1 8 and improved to 11-6, 3.50. With the big lead Nate Thompson took over in the 8th and retired the first four men he faced - and then couldn't get anyone out, giving up 5 runs on 7 straight hits including a pair of homers (unlike him with 70 movement). Mike Mooney had to finally come in and got a double play grounder on his 3rd pitch to end the game. Game 2: The Rays continue their win one, lose one post-ASB pattern after falling 3-2 to the White Sox. Danny Ceja started, and while he wasn't as bad as he was recently, he wasn't as good as he was last time out and was fortunate to leave the game with a 2-0 lead after giving up a leadoff single in the 6th and despite allowing a parade of baserunners. Jon Whiteleather took over and coughed up a 2-run homer to Justin Ellison to tie the game, leaving Ceja 5 6 1 1 3 4. Whiteleather stayed on for the 7th and he was probably pushed too far, as after getting 2 quick outs he served up another homer to Amed Rosario and that turned out to be the game-winner. The rookie reliever seems to have a bit of a wall after pitching to a 1.86 ERA before allowing 6 runs over his last 3 appearances covering 4 innings. Evan Godwin went the final 1 1/3 as he's trending in the opposite direction, only allowing 1 run in his last 13 innings. Of course limiting the opposition to 3 runs is usually a recipe for victory with this offense but that wasn't the case tonight as their only runs came on solo shots from Jasson Dominguez, on a HR binge of late (4 in his last 3 games) and up to 21 for the season. Otherwise they got some hits (10 in total, 3 from Ricky Widmar) but couldn't get one when it counted, including in the 9th when they had 1st and 2nd with 2 out only for Dayle Jenkins to ground out to end the game. Game 3: Jon Hayes got the start today, so you know what that means: the Rays won. The final was 8-4, and Hayes was excellent as usual in winning his 13th straight start and 15th straight decision, going 7 4 1 1 1 3 to improve to 17-2, 3.03. That looks like an efficient line but it actually took Hayes 112 pitches as he ran a fair number of deep counts. As excellent as Hayes was though, the big star today was Joe Barker who ripped a pair of 2-run homers and drove in another to give him a 5-RBI day. Barker had an RBI single in the first, a 2-run homer in the 3rd to make it 3-0, and then delivered a big 2-run homer in the 9th (#21) after Chicago had pulled to within 6-4. Also homering for the third time in four days and for the 46th time overall was Eloy Jimenez in his old stomping grounds as his solo shot in the 6th made it 4-0. Jasson Dominguez's RBI groundout and Bobby Witt Jr's sac fly scored the other two runs. Hayes left with a healthy 6-1 lead but Mike Mooney imploded taking over for him in the 8th, giving up two hits and then a 3-run homer to Zac Veen to suddenly make it 6-4. Jordan Diaz immediately entered and got the Rays out of the 8th, and even though the save situation was gone after Barker's second homer, Jose Alvarado had a 2-strikeout scoreless 9th to end the game. Team record: 86-23. Next up: An off-day, then the Mets make their first-ever visit to Publix Park for the weekend. The New Yorkers have MLB's worst record at 36-72 but they do boast one of the young rising stars of the game in Vince Giangrasso, the #2 overall pick in 2028. The second-year CF leads the NL with 5.6 WAR and is hitting 306/372/587 with 25 HR. Last edited by Art Deco; 03-15-2021 at 09:59 PM.