[Art Deco]

Game 1: Dayle Jenkins continued to make his case for MVP with 3 doubles and 3 RBI today in an 8-3 win over Boston. The Rays RF, leading AL hitters with both 3.8 WAR and a cool 1.000 OPS came through with a 2-run double in the 5th after Rodolfo Rivas had put the Rays ahead with a 2-run HR (#15) in the 4th, and later knocked in an insurance run with his 3rd double. The other member of their RBI triumvirate today was Bo Angeac, who had a sac fly in the 5th and a 2-run homer in the 8th, his 11th and third in two days. Jon Soranno started for the Rays and wasn't particularly sharp, but managed to gut his way through 6 allowing only 1 run before walking a man and giving up a triple to start the 7th, finishing 6 5 3 3 5 2. Tim Siqueiros got through the 7th, and Jose Alvarado pitched the final two innings scoreless to nab his 6th save. The Yankees fell at home to Texas so the lead has grown to 6 games.

Update: Alexander Beltre was diagnosed with gout, of all things, and will be out 4 days.

Update #2: Our game on the 29th was rained out. This is the first rainout in the game in 3 seasons at Publix Park which of course is highly unrealistic given the summer thunderstorm season in Florida and PP being an open-air park. But it finally happened, so doubleheader tomorrow. We'll go with Aparicio and Hayes and then probably just have Danny Medina start in 5 days.

Game 2: The Rays ending up pounding Boston 9-2 in the first game of their doubleheader, but it was a 2-2 game into the 7th before the Rays scored 7 times with 2 out in the inning. They had loaded the bases with nobody out but looked like they might squander the opportunity when Jaiden Hardaway hit into a force at the plate and Bo Angeac struck out. But Luis Corpus delivered a 2-run single, Ricky Widmar singled in a run, and after Dayle Jenkins walked, Nate Clark stepped up and drilled a grand slam (#23) into the LF seats and 2-2 was 9-2. That was more than enough for Andy Aparicio, who pitched a complete game 3-hitter, going 9 3 2 2 1 11 on 122 pitches and giving the bullpen a rest with another game to play today. AA becomes the first in MLB to 10 wins and lowered his ERA to 3.68. The Rays had scored earlier on a Hardaway homer (#6) and Jenkins' RBI single.

Game 3 (Game 2 of doubleheader): The nightcap followed an similar script to Game 1, tied at 3 in the middle innings before the Rays broke it open and won 14-5, sweeping the 3-game series by an aggregate score of 32-10. D'Andre Hodges was the star today as his 2-run homer in the 5th made a 4-3 game 6-3, and he ended up homering again in the 8th to give him 5 on the season, reached based all 5 times to the plate with 2 walks and an HBP, and scored all 5 times he was on base to tie the team record for runs scored in a game. Of course in a 14-run outburst there were plenty of other offensive heroes as well with Rodolfo Rivas 3-4 with a HR and 4 RBI, Jayden Hardaway was 3-4 with an RBI and Francisco Alvarez knocked in 3. And although he didn't score a run or drive one in, special mention to Xavier Edwards. All he does is get on base in his infrequent appearances for the Rays. He's had 30 plate appearances with a .600 OBP, drawing 9 walks, one HBP and getting 8 hits in 20 AB. Hodges too deserves another shout-out, after his 2-HR performance today he's 288/373/593 in his 59 AB. Jon Hayes started today and wasn't his best, but good enough for the win at 5 8 3 3 1 6 to go to 8-6, 4.13. Nate Thompson was dominant with 5 whiffs in 2 scoreless innings and sports an 0.29 ERA on the season with one ER in 31.1 innings. Bob Sirna had a 1-2-3 2K 8th and an 11-run lead was Jon Whiteleather-proof but even at that he gave up 2 runs in the 9th as his ERA now sits at 7.45 and in his last 5 appearances he's allowed 8 runs in 2 2/3 innings. He's out of options so it's either keep, trade, or dump. He has 70 stuff and 50 movement & control so he looks great on paper but for whatever reason isn't getting it done.

Team record: 50-27. Next up: 4 at home vs Detroit as they return to Publix Park for the first time since shocking Andy Aparicio and the Rays in Game 5 of last year's ALDS.