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Art Deco · 05-24-2021, 04:24 PM

Game 1: All Rays pitching had to do today was hold Texas to 7 runs or fewer, but they couldn't and dropped an 11-8 decision at Publix Park to the Rangers. It started off as a normal game between a couple of high-quality pitchers in Andy Aparicio and Edwin Harty and it was only 3-2 going into the 6th. Texas tied in the top of the inning but the Rays retook the lead on Bo Angeac's 4th HR. But then it all went wrong in the 7th as Texas scored 5 times. Aparicio started the inning walk-triple-single, Mike Wherry gave up an RBI single after a sac bunt, and Edgar Rios gave up a walk, a single and then got a strikeout but Luis Corpus' passed ball allowed another run to score. The Rays got 2-run homers in the 8th and 9th from Jon Jimenez (#2) and Victor de Jesus (#7) but in between Danny Medina was god-awful in the 9th, giving up 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk.

Down on the Farm: Our 2031 1st-round pick Jeff Hayes is an amazing HR tear for AA Montgomery. In their first 11 games, he has 9 HR in 41 AB including 4 in his last 3 games. He appears to be maxed out potential-wise at 65 power but only 45 contact so right now he looks like a 35-HR guy but a .240 hitter. He has a 55 eye, so he'll get like 55-60 walks. And right now his best position is LF and he's only average (50) there. So he's more likely trade bait than a future Rays regular but the HR are still fun to see.

Game 2: The Rays dropped consecutive games for the first time this season as Texas scored twice in the 9th to top Tampa Bay 3-1. The good news was that Nate Schultz, who came into the game with a four-figure ERA, pitched his best game of the season going 7 5 1 1 2 5 against probably the toughest-hitting lineup aside from ours. The bad news is that Tim Siqueiros isn't over his control problems although it was partially my fault for bringing him out for a second inning (the thought was Texas's lineup is very right-heavy and the only other non-tired righty reliever I had was Kikuo Kawase). He walked the first two men in the 9th to make it 9 walks in 5 2/3 innings this year and Kawase came on and gave up consecutive infield singles to load the bases and give Texas the lead. A sac fly ensued for the third Ranger run before he whiffed the last two batters. Of course none of this would have been an issue had the bats done their jobs but Tony Cardoso (who has premium stuff but can't always keep it in the park) dominated them early going 5 4 1 1 0 7 then Jon Whiteleather of all people shut them out for two more. They did get a man on in the 9th to bring the tying run to the plate but Omar Rodriguez, Danny Ayala and Ricky Widmar couldn't get it done. Jaiden Hardaway's 3rd inning RBI single gave the Rays a short-lived 1-0 lead.

Game 3: The Rays salvaged the final game of this series as they took an early 8-1 lead and had to hold on to win 8-5 over Texas. Jaiden Hardaway led off the game with his 4th HR of the year then they exploded for 5 in the 2nd keyed by an RBI double from Ricky Widmar and 2-RBI double by Dayle Jenkins. Vlad Guerrero Jr added a 2-run HR in the 4th (#4) to make it 8-1 and it looked like they'd coast behind Leo Ortega. Ortega did pitch decently even though he didn't have his best stuff going 7 8 3 3 0 3, good enough to improve to 3-0, 4.07. Edgar Rios gave up a run in the 8th to make it 8-4 and stayed on and gave up two more hits to start the 9th. Kikuo Kawase came in and like yesterday, gave up 2 quick hits of his own to let Texas add a run but got a couple of whiffs to end the madness and notch his 6th save.

Team record: 12-6. Next up: After an off-day, the homestand continues with Minnesota visiting Publix Park for a 3-game weekend set.

05-24-2021, 04:24 PM	#950
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,947	April 17-19, 2034: vs Texas (3) Game 1: All Rays pitching had to do today was hold Texas to 7 runs or fewer, but they couldn't and dropped an 11-8 decision at Publix Park to the Rangers. It started off as a normal game between a couple of high-quality pitchers in Andy Aparicio and Edwin Harty and it was only 3-2 going into the 6th. Texas tied in the top of the inning but the Rays retook the lead on Bo Angeac's 4th HR. But then it all went wrong in the 7th as Texas scored 5 times. Aparicio started the inning walk-triple-single, Mike Wherry gave up an RBI single after a sac bunt, and Edgar Rios gave up a walk, a single and then got a strikeout but Luis Corpus' passed ball allowed another run to score. The Rays got 2-run homers in the 8th and 9th from Jon Jimenez (#2) and Victor de Jesus (#7) but in between Danny Medina was god-awful in the 9th, giving up 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk. Down on the Farm: Our 2031 1st-round pick Jeff Hayes is an amazing HR tear for AA Montgomery. In their first 11 games, he has 9 HR in 41 AB including 4 in his last 3 games. He appears to be maxed out potential-wise at 65 power but only 45 contact so right now he looks like a 35-HR guy but a .240 hitter. He has a 55 eye, so he'll get like 55-60 walks. And right now his best position is LF and he's only average (50) there. So he's more likely trade bait than a future Rays regular but the HR are still fun to see. Game 2: The Rays dropped consecutive games for the first time this season as Texas scored twice in the 9th to top Tampa Bay 3-1. The good news was that Nate Schultz, who came into the game with a four-figure ERA, pitched his best game of the season going 7 5 1 1 2 5 against probably the toughest-hitting lineup aside from ours. The bad news is that Tim Siqueiros isn't over his control problems although it was partially my fault for bringing him out for a second inning (the thought was Texas's lineup is very right-heavy and the only other non-tired righty reliever I had was Kikuo Kawase). He walked the first two men in the 9th to make it 9 walks in 5 2/3 innings this year and Kawase came on and gave up consecutive infield singles to load the bases and give Texas the lead. A sac fly ensued for the third Ranger run before he whiffed the last two batters. Of course none of this would have been an issue had the bats done their jobs but Tony Cardoso (who has premium stuff but can't always keep it in the park) dominated them early going 5 4 1 1 0 7 then Jon Whiteleather of all people shut them out for two more. They did get a man on in the 9th to bring the tying run to the plate but Omar Rodriguez, Danny Ayala and Ricky Widmar couldn't get it done. Jaiden Hardaway's 3rd inning RBI single gave the Rays a short-lived 1-0 lead. Game 3: The Rays salvaged the final game of this series as they took an early 8-1 lead and had to hold on to win 8-5 over Texas. Jaiden Hardaway led off the game with his 4th HR of the year then they exploded for 5 in the 2nd keyed by an RBI double from Ricky Widmar and 2-RBI double by Dayle Jenkins. Vlad Guerrero Jr added a 2-run HR in the 4th (#4) to make it 8-1 and it looked like they'd coast behind Leo Ortega. Ortega did pitch decently even though he didn't have his best stuff going 7 8 3 3 0 3, good enough to improve to 3-0, 4.07. Edgar Rios gave up a run in the 8th to make it 8-4 and stayed on and gave up two more hits to start the 9th. Kikuo Kawase came in and like yesterday, gave up 2 quick hits of his own to let Texas add a run but got a couple of whiffs to end the madness and notch his 6th save. Team record: 12-6. Next up: After an off-day, the homestand continues with Minnesota visiting Publix Park for a 3-game weekend set. Last edited by Art Deco; 05-24-2021 at 11:02 PM.