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Art Deco · 04-29-2021, 08:51 AM

Game 1: A short-handed bullpen and an inability to cash in on opportunities cost the Rays today in a 7-3 loss to Seattle. With the pen still feeling the effects of Saturday's 15-inning loss to Boston it was basically Cody Reed, Nick Anderson and whatever shape Rich Hill was in as the available relievers which meant Brendan McKay needed to go deep. Things started shakily for McKay when he put two men on ahead of Kyle Lewis in the 1st and the Seattle OF took him deep to make it 3-0. But he settled in from there, and the Rays managed to tie things up by the 4th after a Yandy Diaz solo homer (#9) and an RBI single and sac fly from Brandon Lowe. McKay made it through 6 around 100 pitches but with the depleted pen he came back for the 7th, and after whiffing a batter gave up a single. Reed then came in and allowed the runner to eventually score, and then Reed himself gave up a 2-run homer to Kyle Seager along with another run in the 9th. McKay finished 6.1 7 4 4 2 8 and will probably go back to Durham with Chris Archer rejoining the rotation. Meanwhile the offense had several chances with multiple runners on but couldn't get anyone home, so the Rays took a rare loss.

MLB News: Yoshi Tsutsugo was named NL Player of the Week after going 12-25 with 3 HR and 7 RBI. Had he done something like that for us he might still be with the team. Also the Astros lost closer Ryan Pressly for the season with shoulder inflammation.

August 3: Optioned P Brendan McKay to AAA Durham, recalled P Chris Mazza from AAA Durham.

Mazza gives us a fresh bullpen arm, he's nothing special but pitched well at Durham with a 2.19 ERA and a 6/25 BB/K ratio in 24 2/3 IP. Barring further injury to the rotation, McKay will probably be back with September roster expansion.

Game 2: Never count this team out. After Ryan Yarbrough had a rough outing putting them in a 5-2 hole in the 4th inning, the bullpen came through big to buy the bats enough time to come back, and Mike Zunino walked it off in the bottom of the 10th with an RBI single after a dramatic Austin Meadows HR (#25) in the 9th tied it up. Yarbrough got roughed up by Jared Kelenic and Kyle Seager who each homered off him and he finished an ugly 3.2 9 5 5 1 5. Chris Mazza was impressive in his Rays debut taking over for Yarbrough, going 2 1/3 scoreless with 4 whiffs. Also outstanding was Rafael Dolis with 2 perfect innings with 4 Ks of his own. And Rich Hill whiffed 3 M's in his 1 2/3 innings before Chaz Roe got the final out (and win #3) in the 10th. Wander Franco gave the Rays an early 2-1 lead with a 2-run blast in the 2nd (#6) off Rick Porcello, and after Randy Arozarena tripled in a run in the 6th Franco singled him in to cut the lead to 5-4. That set up Meadows' homer off Aaron Fletcher in the 9th and in the 10th Ji-Man Choi led off with a walk before Willly Adames doubled him to 3rd. After Kevin Kiermaier made the 2nd out with a flyball too shallow to score the run, Zunino lined a single up the middle for the game-winner. The magic # is down to 43, and Toronto is now in 2nd 12 1/2 games back.

August 5: Sent P Hunter Strickland to AAA Durham on a rehab assignment.

Had forgotten about Strickland, not sure there's a place for him on the big club any longer but we'll see.

Rehab update: Chris Archer is ready to come back, I'm fairly certain after pitching a 2-hit shutout for Durham last night on 103 pitches.

Game 3: Turnabout is fair play and all that, as today the Mariners were the team coming from behind late to beat the Rays 4-3. Twice it looked like the Rays had won the game thanks to Kevin Kiermaier, and twice the normally reliable back end of the bullpen blew the lead. Michael Wacha was brilliant in his start today, going 6 3 1 1 2 5 on 100 pitches but left with the game tied at 1. But in the bottom of the 7th after Pete Fairbanks pitched a scoreless inning Kiermaier tripled and scored on a Mike Zunino sac fly. Diego Castillo came on to pitch the 8th with the one-run lead but immediately surrendered a leadoff homer to Tom Murphy to tie it again at 2. No problem for the Rays as in the bottom of the inning Randy Arozarena singled, moved up to second on a Seattle error and scored on Kiermaier's single. So Nick Anderson came on to save it in the 9th, but walked Kyle Seager and then served up a 2-run homer to Kyle Lewis and this time there would be no Rays comeback in the bottom of the inning although they did get Manuel Margot on base. The loss meant the Rays dropped a series for the first time in three weeks after they lost 2 of 3 in Atlanta. Despite losing, a Toronto loss dropped the magic # to 42.

Team record: 72-37. Next up: An off-day then a weekend visit to Baltimore.

04-29-2021, 08:51 AM	#42
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,422	August 2-4: vs Seattle (3) Game 1: A short-handed bullpen and an inability to cash in on opportunities cost the Rays today in a 7-3 loss to Seattle. With the pen still feeling the effects of Saturday's 15-inning loss to Boston it was basically Cody Reed, Nick Anderson and whatever shape Rich Hill was in as the available relievers which meant Brendan McKay needed to go deep. Things started shakily for McKay when he put two men on ahead of Kyle Lewis in the 1st and the Seattle OF took him deep to make it 3-0. But he settled in from there, and the Rays managed to tie things up by the 4th after a Yandy Diaz solo homer (#9) and an RBI single and sac fly from Brandon Lowe. McKay made it through 6 around 100 pitches but with the depleted pen he came back for the 7th, and after whiffing a batter gave up a single. Reed then came in and allowed the runner to eventually score, and then Reed himself gave up a 2-run homer to Kyle Seager along with another run in the 9th. McKay finished 6.1 7 4 4 2 8 and will probably go back to Durham with Chris Archer rejoining the rotation. Meanwhile the offense had several chances with multiple runners on but couldn't get anyone home, so the Rays took a rare loss. MLB News: Yoshi Tsutsugo was named NL Player of the Week after going 12-25 with 3 HR and 7 RBI. Had he done something like that for us he might still be with the team. Also the Astros lost closer Ryan Pressly for the season with shoulder inflammation. August 3: Optioned P Brendan McKay to AAA Durham, recalled P Chris Mazza from AAA Durham. Mazza gives us a fresh bullpen arm, he's nothing special but pitched well at Durham with a 2.19 ERA and a 6/25 BB/K ratio in 24 2/3 IP. Barring further injury to the rotation, McKay will probably be back with September roster expansion. Game 2: Never count this team out. After Ryan Yarbrough had a rough outing putting them in a 5-2 hole in the 4th inning, the bullpen came through big to buy the bats enough time to come back, and Mike Zunino walked it off in the bottom of the 10th with an RBI single after a dramatic Austin Meadows HR (#25) in the 9th tied it up. Yarbrough got roughed up by Jared Kelenic and Kyle Seager who each homered off him and he finished an ugly 3.2 9 5 5 1 5. Chris Mazza was impressive in his Rays debut taking over for Yarbrough, going 2 1/3 scoreless with 4 whiffs. Also outstanding was Rafael Dolis with 2 perfect innings with 4 Ks of his own. And Rich Hill whiffed 3 M's in his 1 2/3 innings before Chaz Roe got the final out (and win #3) in the 10th. Wander Franco gave the Rays an early 2-1 lead with a 2-run blast in the 2nd (#6) off Rick Porcello, and after Randy Arozarena tripled in a run in the 6th Franco singled him in to cut the lead to 5-4. That set up Meadows' homer off Aaron Fletcher in the 9th and in the 10th Ji-Man Choi led off with a walk before Willly Adames doubled him to 3rd. After Kevin Kiermaier made the 2nd out with a flyball too shallow to score the run, Zunino lined a single up the middle for the game-winner. The magic # is down to 43, and Toronto is now in 2nd 12 1/2 games back. August 5: Sent P Hunter Strickland to AAA Durham on a rehab assignment. Had forgotten about Strickland, not sure there's a place for him on the big club any longer but we'll see. Rehab update: Chris Archer is ready to come back, I'm fairly certain after pitching a 2-hit shutout for Durham last night on 103 pitches. Game 3: Turnabout is fair play and all that, as today the Mariners were the team coming from behind late to beat the Rays 4-3. Twice it looked like the Rays had won the game thanks to Kevin Kiermaier, and twice the normally reliable back end of the bullpen blew the lead. Michael Wacha was brilliant in his start today, going 6 3 1 1 2 5 on 100 pitches but left with the game tied at 1. But in the bottom of the 7th after Pete Fairbanks pitched a scoreless inning Kiermaier tripled and scored on a Mike Zunino sac fly. Diego Castillo came on to pitch the 8th with the one-run lead but immediately surrendered a leadoff homer to Tom Murphy to tie it again at 2. No problem for the Rays as in the bottom of the inning Randy Arozarena singled, moved up to second on a Seattle error and scored on Kiermaier's single. So Nick Anderson came on to save it in the 9th, but walked Kyle Seager and then served up a 2-run homer to Kyle Lewis and this time there would be no Rays comeback in the bottom of the inning although they did get Manuel Margot on base. The loss meant the Rays dropped a series for the first time in three weeks after they lost 2 of 3 in Atlanta. Despite losing, a Toronto loss dropped the magic # to 42. Team record: 72-37. Next up: An off-day then a weekend visit to Baltimore. Last edited by Art Deco; 04-30-2021 at 06:56 PM.