July 29: Placed SS Henry Murillo on the 10-day IL with a fractured hand, purchased the contract of SS Nelson Corona from AA Montgomery.
Murillo was hit by a pitch in the finale of the Columbus series and is done for the regular season. He may be able to come back in mid-October if we're still playing. Corona was a 3rd-round pick out of Rice last year and has moved quickly, playing at AA. He can play 2B too, will serve as the backup to Ismael Morales at SS and does a little of everything decently.
Game 1: Rex Bransington made his Rays debut and while he wasn't dazzling he didn't have to be as Tampa Bay routed the Padres 10-3 in the opener at Publix Park. The lefty gave up a 2-run homer in the 2nd and another run in the fifth but still got the win at 5 5 3 3 1 4. Luis Barela led the offense and made club history with his 3-run homer (#34) in the first, becoming the Rays' all-time leader in RBI with 913, surpassing Danny Ayala's 910. Ismael Morales, celebrating his return to everyday play at SS after the Murillo injury, had a bases-clearing double for the game's other big hit while Juan Viatoro upped his MLB-best .370 average by going 2-3 with an RBI double.
Game 2: Alec McInerney had by far his best Rays start as he and a pair of relievers combined on a 6-0 shutout of San Diego. McInerney went to 2-1 with Tampa Bay after an outstanding 6.2 5 0 0 1 8 outing and was supported by Juan Davila who was 3-4 with a pair of solo homers (#15 & 16) and Jon Morales with a 2-run homer (#20).
Game 3: The Rays needed one of their patented Publix Park late-inning rallies to complete the sweep, scoring 4 times in the 8th to take a 7-6 win over the Padres. Beau Bonczek, who started the comeback from down 6-1 with a solo homer (#22) in the 7th, ripped a 2-run double for the winning runs. Mario Saro started the fateful 8th with a solo shot (#29) and the rally made a winner of Mel Mejia (5-1). Steve Talbott finished for save #17, Nikola Greico started and went 5 3 2 2 5 7 and Chris Hetzel was the one who really put them in a hole, allowing 4 runs in 2/3 of an inning.
Team record: 64-43. And good news from New York where the Yankees dropped a pair to Colorado over the weekend so the Rays only trail by 5 1/2 games. Next up: Yet more interleague action as we head to Cincinnati for 3.
Plenty of awards love for the Rays and their farmhands:
What a pro debut for Granqvist, our 5th-round pick back in June. His potential is off the charts so I'm looking forward to seeing him move up the ladder.