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Art Deco · 12-29-2021, 08:27 PM

This series had a playoff atmosphere to it as Detroit came in 3 games behind the Rays for the second wild card in the AL. After the Tigers took the opener, the Rays came back to win the next two including the finale in dramatic fashion as they've now opened up a 4-game lead in the wild card race and trail the top wild card team, Kansas City, by only a game. Things are not going as well in the division race as the Blue Jays refuse to lose, sweeping Minnesota and extending their win streak to 10 which meant the Rays fell another game behind them, now 3 back.

Although the final score in the opener said Tigers 10, Rays 8, it was highly misleading as the Rays mounted a spirited but ultimately futile rally in the 9th which saw them score 6 times. Until then it was a good old-fashion butt-kicking and surprisingly it was Joe Ryan's butt which got kicked early as this year's ace had trouble finding the plate and went 3 6 5 5 5 4 and fell to 14-5, 2.96. Levi Kelly poured gasoline onto the fire, giving up 4 runs in 1 2/3 innings and you never want your ERA to look like a Boeing jet model as his is now 7.17. Andrew Greckel ended up with a big day on offense against his old org, tripling in a run in the 1st and then hitting a grand slam (#23) in that 6-run 9th. Wander Franco and Adley Rutschman were each 3-4 with an RBI as well.

The Rays' resurgence over the last month or so has not only coincided with the acquisition of Drew Rasmussen but with the turnaround of reigning AL Cy Young winner Tyler Glasnow, who at his lowest point saw his ERA balloon to 6. And Glasnow continued his return to form with a brilliant 7 5 0 0 1 6 outing in a 6-0 Rays win, finally both evening his record (11-11) and getting his ERA below 5 (4.87). Jarren Duran figured into the offense prominently, delivering a 2-run single in the 4th and then tripling and scoring on Taylor Walls' sac fly in the 7th.

The series and its pivotal third game hung in the balance as a 1-1 game into the 8th could have had the Tigers pull within 2 games or the Rays expand their lead to 4, and thanks to Heliot Ramos it was the former as his 3-run homer with 2 out in the 8th (#13) gave Tampa Bay a 4-1 win. Ramos was only in the lineup due to Andrew Greckel being fatigued, and after Angelo DiSpigna doubled and Matt Chapman singled, he became the hero with a massive 3-run moonshot to dead center which measured at 433 feet. Before that it was a pitcher's duel with Drew Rasmussen getting it done at 6 5 1 1 0 7 and JT Ginn providing 2 perfect innings of relief to notch his 4th win. Aaron Fletcher dispatched Detroit 1-2-3 in the 9th with a pair of Ks for his 3rd save.

Team record: 68-52. Next up: 3 games in Texas.

12-29-2021, 08:27 PM	#397
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,561	August 10-12, 2025: vs Detroit (3) This series had a playoff atmosphere to it as Detroit came in 3 games behind the Rays for the second wild card in the AL. After the Tigers took the opener, the Rays came back to win the next two including the finale in dramatic fashion as they've now opened up a 4-game lead in the wild card race and trail the top wild card team, Kansas City, by only a game. Things are not going as well in the division race as the Blue Jays refuse to lose, sweeping Minnesota and extending their win streak to 10 which meant the Rays fell another game behind them, now 3 back. Although the final score in the opener said Tigers 10, Rays 8, it was highly misleading as the Rays mounted a spirited but ultimately futile rally in the 9th which saw them score 6 times. Until then it was a good old-fashion butt-kicking and surprisingly it was Joe Ryan's butt which got kicked early as this year's ace had trouble finding the plate and went 3 6 5 5 5 4 and fell to 14-5, 2.96. Levi Kelly poured gasoline onto the fire, giving up 4 runs in 1 2/3 innings and you never want your ERA to look like a Boeing jet model as his is now 7.17. Andrew Greckel ended up with a big day on offense against his old org, tripling in a run in the 1st and then hitting a grand slam (#23) in that 6-run 9th. Wander Franco and Adley Rutschman were each 3-4 with an RBI as well. The Rays' resurgence over the last month or so has not only coincided with the acquisition of Drew Rasmussen but with the turnaround of reigning AL Cy Young winner Tyler Glasnow, who at his lowest point saw his ERA balloon to 6. And Glasnow continued his return to form with a brilliant 7 5 0 0 1 6 outing in a 6-0 Rays win, finally both evening his record (11-11) and getting his ERA below 5 (4.87). Jarren Duran figured into the offense prominently, delivering a 2-run single in the 4th and then tripling and scoring on Taylor Walls' sac fly in the 7th. The series and its pivotal third game hung in the balance as a 1-1 game into the 8th could have had the Tigers pull within 2 games or the Rays expand their lead to 4, and thanks to Heliot Ramos it was the former as his 3-run homer with 2 out in the 8th (#13) gave Tampa Bay a 4-1 win. Ramos was only in the lineup due to Andrew Greckel being fatigued, and after Angelo DiSpigna doubled and Matt Chapman singled, he became the hero with a massive 3-run moonshot to dead center which measured at 433 feet. Before that it was a pitcher's duel with Drew Rasmussen getting it done at 6 5 1 1 0 7 and JT Ginn providing 2 perfect innings of relief to notch his 4th win. Aaron Fletcher dispatched Detroit 1-2-3 in the 9th with a pair of Ks for his 3rd save. Team record: 68-52. Next up: 3 games in Texas. Last edited by Art Deco; 12-29-2021 at 08:29 PM.