Game 1: 4-14 L. LP-Rasmussen (1.1 6 9 9 4 0). Coors Field had to have freaked out Rasmussen, who put up one of the ugliest lines I've ever seen. DeLoach's 2-run double was the Rays' lone highlight as their 11-game win streak came to an ignominious end. It wasn't a good night for streaks as the Cardinals' win streak ended at 13 as well.
Game 2: 9-7 W. WP-Pressly (6-0). S-Fairbanks (15). Starter-McClanahan (6 5 2 2 2 5). HR-Tucker (16), Arozarena (13), Lewis (1), Mears (16), Albies (5). Your typical Coors game as Gau and Pressly blew a 6-2 lead allowing 5 in the 7th but Mears' 2-run homer in the 8th restored the lead and they held on. Royce Lewis was 4-4 with 2 doubles, a steal and a homer in the game of his MLB career.
Game 3: 4-1 W. WP-Patino (4-1). S-Fairbanks (16). Starter-Bradley (2 1 0 0 1 1). HR-Mears (17). Taj had to leave with a herniated disc (he'll miss a couple of weeks) after the red-hot Josh Mears hit a 3-run shot in the 3rd to make it 4-0. Colorado scored in the bottom of the frame and then somehow we had 6 scoreless innings to close out the game which suited the Rays fine.
Team record: 52-29. The Yankees won both their games so our lead is 6 1/2 games at the halfway mark of the season. Next up: We return home for the July 4 holiday with 3 against Cincinnati.
July 2 international signing news: The best 3-4 guys weren't particularly interested in us including a couple of promising pitchers so we signed this guy:
I'm hoping this wonderfully-named Aruban becomes our catcher of the 2030s; not only does he have a very promising bat but he also projects to be an above-average defensive catcher. He could be one (Van) Hell of a player if he pans out.
MLB News: While Van Hell's career begins another one ends as sadly once-promising young pitcher Matt Manning has been forced to retire due to a badly torn labrum. Meanwhile the Nationals traded once highly-regarded prospect and current closer Cade Cavalli to the Cardinals just for the alliteration, er for a pitching prospect.