First, a bit of league business:
Game 1: The Rays had 10 hits, but couldn't score in a 3-0 loss to Oakland at Publix Park in the first game of the homestand. Jose Mendoza started and was brilliant again, going 6 2 0 0 4 8 to lower his ERA to 2.42 but Chris Williams gave up a couple of runs in the 7th to break the 0-0 deadlock and the Rays dropped a rare one.
Game 2: This was a wild game that saw 1) Danny Romero take a no-hitter into the 8th with a 6-run lead, 2) the Rays blow that 6-run lead in the final 2 innings, and 3) them win it on a walk-off homer from Dan Gregory (#7) leading off the bottom of the 9th 7-6. For a long while it looked like Romero would be the story as he went 7 innings allowing only a walk. But he walked the leadoff man in the 8th and then gave up a 2-run homer on pitch #100, so he left with a 7 1 2 2 2 9 line. Billy Haroutunian then loaded the bases with nobody out in the 9th and Kikuo Kawase was called on. Kawase's season of inconstistency continued as he wild pitched 2 men home to cut it to 6-4, and then gave up a 2-run single with 2 out to allow Oakland to tie it up, setting the stage for Gregory's walk-off heroics in the bottom of the inning. Earlier they built the big lead in large part due to Tony Cordova's 1st major league homer, a 3-run shot in the 2nd off former Ray Steve Abeles, who didn't survive the 3rd.
Game 3: Brad Jackson didn't threaten a no-hitter as he allowed 8 hits, but he did pitch a complete-game shutout as the Rays took the rubber game of the series 5-0. Jackson was solid throughout, scattering those hits and finishing 9 8 0 0 1 10 to improve to 10-2, 2.75, good enough to lead the AL in pitcher WAR at 3.0. Andy Ruggles had the big hit against his former team, a 3-run blast (#14) in the 1st and Pat Moyer went back-to-back with him for his 3rd. Mike Willis was 3-4 with two doubles and a steal as well.
Team record: 54-14. Next up: 4 games at home vs the Angels.