Game 1: The Rays got a step up in competition after playing the Bostons and Baltimores of the world in Minnesota, which is 69-48 and atop the AL Central and therefore a possible playoff opponent. It turned out to be a playoff-style game tonight as it was a tense, low-scoring affair with the Twins coming out on top 3-2. Chris Archer and Kenta Maeda were both outstanding tonight and neither factored into the decision. Archer went 5 4 1 1 2 7 but those 5 innings took 102 pitches so the bullpen was pressed into action early with mixed results. Rafael Dolis made it 8 1/3 scoreless as a Ray pitching the 6th, but Chaz Roe was tagged for a couple of two-out runs in the 7th when Miguel Sano tripled in a run and then scored on a single. Andrew Kittredge had a 1-2-3 8th. The Rays only managed 1 run in 6 1/3 against Maeda, on a Joey Wendle RBI single, and rallied in the 8th off Robbie Ray when Wander Franco singled in a run to cut it to 3-2, but could get no closer.
August 14: Placed P Rich Hill on the 15-day IL with a dead arm, optioned P Brendan McKay to AAA Durham, recalled P Brian Moran from AAA Durham and P Luis Patino from AA Montgomery.
We need a fresh arm tonight, so carrying Hill while waiting for him to get over the dead arm was a luxury we could no longer afford. Moran had impressed in his previous two stints. Also, somehow I mismanaged the rotation by using McKay in relief the other day, so I needed a starter for today and Patino was fully rested and already on the 40-man so he gets the nod.
Game 2: The Rays took a 9-2 lead tonight and ended up holding on to a 9-7 win over Minnesota as their depleted bullpen caught up with them. But the big news coming out of the game is that Wander Franco tore an abdominal muscle on an RBI double in the 6th and will be out 6 weeks. This will get him back in time for the playoffs at least, barring any setbacks. The Twins actually took a 2-1 lead into the 6th with the only Rays run coming on a Ji-Man Choi homer (#13) but they exploded for 7 runs in the next two innings. They went doubles-happy in the 6th, as after Franco's RBI double, Francisco Mejia followed with one of his own, a ground-rule job to score a run and then Yandy Diaz doubled home two more to make it 5-2 Rays. Then in the 7th Joey Wendle, who had replaced Franco, hit a 3-run blast into the second deck in RF (#5) to up the lead to 8-2 and Randy Arozarena added an RBI single in the 8th (his MLB-best 92nd RBI). Luis Patino was pressed into action as we needed a starter, and he pitched pretty well considering, going 4.1 5 2 2 3 7. He had to leave in the 5th with a mild oblique strain but was at 96 pitches anyway. Brian Moran came through again, going 2 2/3 scoreless and although he walked 3 he erased 2 of them on double plays and picked up his 2nd win. The problem was that we tried to get Cody Reed to pitch the last two innings and after giving up a run in the 8th he tired out big-time in the 9th and gave up 3 more runs. Pete Fairbanks finally came in and allowed a double to score another of Reed's runners but whiffed Byron Buxton as the tying run to end the game and get his 3rd save.
August 15: Placed 3B Wander Franco on the 10-day IL with a torn abdominal muscle, optioned P Luis Patino to AA Montgomery, recalled 3B Kevin Padlo and P Brendan McKay from AAA Durham.
Padlo gets the call, having hit 21 HR at Durham. He's a .240-.250 hitter so the power is his calling card, although Mike Brosseau and Joey Wendle will probably get the bulk of the playing time at 3B.
Game 3: The Rays coasted to a 7-1 win over Minnesota behind Michael Wacha, some solid bullpen work, and the bats of Austin Meadows and Randy Arozarena. Wacha was solid as usual, going 5.2 6 1 1 2 4 and in command until the 6th inning when he loaded the bases with two out as he struggled a bit the third time through the order. But Rafael Dolis came in and was clutch as usual, getting a Mitch Garver strikeout to end that threat and pitching through the 7th. Andrew Kittredge had 2 scoreless innings to finish the game. Wacha goes to 11-4 and lowers his ERA to 3.52, which is second-best in the AL behind Shane Bieber. Meadows had a 4-hit game including an RBI single and HR #27 in the 9th to cap the scoring while Arozarena added to his MLB RBI lead at 95 after a 2-run HR in the 1st off Michael Pineda (#23) and an RBI double in the 3rd as he had a 3-4 day.
Team record: 80-38. Magic number: 30. Next up: Back home to the Trop for 4 vs Baltimore.
It's been a while, so here's a look at the standings and leaders:
Only two division races of note, with Minnesota holding off the surprising Royals while the Dodgers have lost the lead in NL West by dropping 7 straight and allowing San Diego to take over. Wild card race is wide open in the AL while the D-backs and Dodgers look secure in the NL.