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Art Deco · 04-11-2021, 05:45 PM

Game 1: It was Wander Franco Day as the game's #1 prospect made his MLB debut but it was a 4-year vet who stole the show as Austin Meadows hit for the cycle (a natural cycle, no less!) to lead the Rays to a 5-1 win over Texas. Meadows singled in the first, stole second and scored on Brandon Lowe's double, doubled in the 3rd and was stranded, and then with the biggest hit of the game, blasted a 2-run triple in the 5th to put the Rays ahead to stay. He then completed the natural cycle with a homer (#14) in the 7th to make it 6-1. He struck out in the 9th but ended up 4-5 with 3 RBI and has 12 hits in his last 4 games with 3 HR and 6 RBI. He has to be the front-runner for player of the week. And Franco? It was a successful debut for him as well, although in his first at-bat in the 1st he popped out to short with 2 men on and 2 men out. He lined to center his next time but then doubled in the 6th for his first MLB hit and added a single in the 8th to start his MLB career 2 for 4. He also flawlessly handled his chances at 3B. Not to be overlooked in the excitement of Meadows' cycle and Franco's debut was another great game from the wily veteran lefty Alex Wood, who went 7 6 1 1 0 4 to make it 3 wins in 4 starts since being acquired from the Giants. The only damage against him was a 3rd-inning Leody Taveras homer. Josh Fleming made his season debut with a pair of scoreless innings to finish the game. And a wonderful day got even better with the news the Yankees were pummeled by Boston 9-2, so the division lead is back up to 3 1/2.

Game 2: The Rays scored early and often in a 13-1 beatdown of Texas today. Ranger starter Mike Foltynewicz was very wild and the Rays managed to score 7 runs in the first two innings despite getting only 2 hits. Two walks and an error loaded the bases for Ji-Man Choi in the 1st and he cleared them with a double. Wander Franco then got his first MLB RBI with a grounder to score Choi an out later. Then in the 2nd after a couple of more walks Brandon Lowe hit a ball that bounced around in LF and eluded Texas OFers long enough for him to circle the bases with a 3-run inside-the-park HR. Lowe later hit an outside-the-park HR with a 450-ft shot to dead center in the 4th to give him 15. Later Willy Adames added a 3-run HR (#5), and Franco had an RBI single. Tyler Glasnow cruised with all this run support, matching his season-high with 13 strikeouts in 6 innings of work allowing only 4 hits and one run on a Khris Davis solo homer. Glasnow is now 5-4, 4.40 as he looks to recover from some recent mediocre starts. Cody Reed pitched an inning and Trevor Richards two to finish the game out. And the Yankees lost in extra innings to Boston so the division lead is a season-high 4 1/2 games.

Game 3: The Rays continue their excellent play of late and completed the sweep of Texas with a 10-3 win that was a 3-1 Rays lead through 8 innings. The ludicrously hot Austin Meadows bashed a 3-run homer in the 2nd (#15) and that stood up for most of the game. Chris Archer started and wasn't exactly Cy Young out there but he got the job done, going 5.2 5 1 1 5 5 and getting key outs when he needed them. Chaz Roe got a key out for Archer with two men on and two out in the 6th, he got a couple of outs in the 7th, and Cody Reed and Diego Castillo held it there through the 8th. Then all hell broke loose in the 9th for the Rays as they scored 7 times. Manuel Margot started it with a pinch-double and Yandy Diaz singled him home, Brandon Lowe and Mike Brosseau had RBI doubles, two runs scored on a Nick Solak error, etc. Josh Fleming came on for the 9th and got two quick outs, and then couldn't get anyone out, allowing 2 runs and loading the bases before finally getting out #3. The Yankees weren't going to be swept by their arch-rival Red Sox so the lead stays 4 1/2.

Team record: 37-24. Next up: An off-day then the Washington Nationals (and Yoshi Tsutsugo!) come to town for a pair.

04-11-2021, 05:45 PM	#23
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,698	June 4-6: at Texas (3) Game 1: It was Wander Franco Day as the game's #1 prospect made his MLB debut but it was a 4-year vet who stole the show as Austin Meadows hit for the cycle (a natural cycle, no less!) to lead the Rays to a 5-1 win over Texas. Meadows singled in the first, stole second and scored on Brandon Lowe's double, doubled in the 3rd and was stranded, and then with the biggest hit of the game, blasted a 2-run triple in the 5th to put the Rays ahead to stay. He then completed the natural cycle with a homer (#14) in the 7th to make it 6-1. He struck out in the 9th but ended up 4-5 with 3 RBI and has 12 hits in his last 4 games with 3 HR and 6 RBI. He has to be the front-runner for player of the week. And Franco? It was a successful debut for him as well, although in his first at-bat in the 1st he popped out to short with 2 men on and 2 men out. He lined to center his next time but then doubled in the 6th for his first MLB hit and added a single in the 8th to start his MLB career 2 for 4. He also flawlessly handled his chances at 3B. Not to be overlooked in the excitement of Meadows' cycle and Franco's debut was another great game from the wily veteran lefty Alex Wood, who went 7 6 1 1 0 4 to make it 3 wins in 4 starts since being acquired from the Giants. The only damage against him was a 3rd-inning Leody Taveras homer. Josh Fleming made his season debut with a pair of scoreless innings to finish the game. And a wonderful day got even better with the news the Yankees were pummeled by Boston 9-2, so the division lead is back up to 3 1/2. Game 2: The Rays scored early and often in a 13-1 beatdown of Texas today. Ranger starter Mike Foltynewicz was very wild and the Rays managed to score 7 runs in the first two innings despite getting only 2 hits. Two walks and an error loaded the bases for Ji-Man Choi in the 1st and he cleared them with a double. Wander Franco then got his first MLB RBI with a grounder to score Choi an out later. Then in the 2nd after a couple of more walks Brandon Lowe hit a ball that bounced around in LF and eluded Texas OFers long enough for him to circle the bases with a 3-run inside-the-park HR. Lowe later hit an outside-the-park HR with a 450-ft shot to dead center in the 4th to give him 15. Later Willy Adames added a 3-run HR (#5), and Franco had an RBI single. Tyler Glasnow cruised with all this run support, matching his season-high with 13 strikeouts in 6 innings of work allowing only 4 hits and one run on a Khris Davis solo homer. Glasnow is now 5-4, 4.40 as he looks to recover from some recent mediocre starts. Cody Reed pitched an inning and Trevor Richards two to finish the game out. And the Yankees lost in extra innings to Boston so the division lead is a season-high 4 1/2 games. Game 3: The Rays continue their excellent play of late and completed the sweep of Texas with a 10-3 win that was a 3-1 Rays lead through 8 innings. The ludicrously hot Austin Meadows bashed a 3-run homer in the 2nd (#15) and that stood up for most of the game. Chris Archer started and wasn't exactly Cy Young out there but he got the job done, going 5.2 5 1 1 5 5 and getting key outs when he needed them. Chaz Roe got a key out for Archer with two men on and two out in the 6th, he got a couple of outs in the 7th, and Cody Reed and Diego Castillo held it there through the 8th. Then all hell broke loose in the 9th for the Rays as they scored 7 times. Manuel Margot started it with a pinch-double and Yandy Diaz singled him home, Brandon Lowe and Mike Brosseau had RBI doubles, two runs scored on a Nick Solak error, etc. Josh Fleming came on for the 9th and got two quick outs, and then couldn't get anyone out, allowing 2 runs and loading the bases before finally getting out #3. The Yankees weren't going to be swept by their arch-rival Red Sox so the lead stays 4 1/2. Team record: 37-24. Next up: An off-day then the Washington Nationals (and Yoshi Tsutsugo!) come to town for a pair. Last edited by Art Deco; 04-12-2021 at 04:08 PM.