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Art Deco · 04-27-2023, 04:36 PM

Perhaps it was a post-clinching hangover as it's tough to get up for a series against a sub-.500 team in September on the road with nothing to play for as the Rays dropped 2 of 3 in Kansas City in their first series loss in over a month.

Eric Lewis was brought in from Cincinnati before the deadline to give us a more reliable closer than Josh Scanlon but since coming over Lewis has been pretty dodgy at times including tonight when he allowed 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th to turn a potential 3-2 win into an actual 4-3 loss. Lewis took his second Rays loss and blew his third save in 15 appearances (to go with 8 saves) when he gave up 3 hits including a walk-off 2-run double. Before that Pedro Avila went 3.2 3 2 0 0 2 before leaving with a back tweak which won't sideline him and Billy Carlow hit his 30th homer.

Runs were scarce in the second game and it was 0-0 until the bottom of the 8th when Mike Moore, who had been the team's good luck charm in relief with an 11-1 record, gave up a 2-run homer to allow Kansas City a 2-0 win. Despite an essentially full-strength lineup the Rays only managed 5 hits and wasted an excellent start from Chris Ferguson (6 5 0 0 0 2) in his return from the IL.

Joe Marlette once again came in looking to improve on his 16-0 record and make a run at a second consecutive 20-win season and once again he struggled, with only the power of the offense keeping his perfect record intact after a brutal outing in a 10-7 win, the team's 100th of the season. Marlette was handed another big early lead, this time 6-1, but after giving up a run in the 3rd to make it 6-2 he was torched for 5 more runs in the 4th and the Royals briefly went ahead. Marlette finished 3.2 8 7 7 5 1 in an outing in which he clearly didn't have it, but Orlando Tosado's 2-run homer in the 5th (#41) restored the Tampa Bay lead and got him off the hook, and CJ Abrams blasted a 2-run shot of his own (#4/11) in the 8th for insurance. Before all that Nate Strickland homered (#39), doubled and tripled, driving in a pair. Needing only a single to complete the cycle Strickland was instead intentionally walked twice as he came up with first base open. Slade Cecconi (7-2) was excellent in long relief again with 3 1/3 scoreless for the win and Eric Lewis picked up his 9th Rays save, but it was as shaky as they come as he allowed a leadoff single, got a double play, and then loaded the bases before getting a strikeout to end it.

Team record: 100-39. Next up: The road trip goes north and west as we head to Seattle for 3 games.

04-27-2023, 04:36 PM	#1100
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,525	September 6-8, 2033: at Kansas City (3) Perhaps it was a post-clinching hangover as it's tough to get up for a series against a sub-.500 team in September on the road with nothing to play for as the Rays dropped 2 of 3 in Kansas City in their first series loss in over a month. Eric Lewis was brought in from Cincinnati before the deadline to give us a more reliable closer than Josh Scanlon but since coming over Lewis has been pretty dodgy at times including tonight when he allowed 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th to turn a potential 3-2 win into an actual 4-3 loss. Lewis took his second Rays loss and blew his third save in 15 appearances (to go with 8 saves) when he gave up 3 hits including a walk-off 2-run double. Before that Pedro Avila went 3.2 3 2 0 0 2 before leaving with a back tweak which won't sideline him and Billy Carlow hit his 30th homer. Runs were scarce in the second game and it was 0-0 until the bottom of the 8th when Mike Moore, who had been the team's good luck charm in relief with an 11-1 record, gave up a 2-run homer to allow Kansas City a 2-0 win. Despite an essentially full-strength lineup the Rays only managed 5 hits and wasted an excellent start from Chris Ferguson (6 5 0 0 0 2) in his return from the IL. Joe Marlette once again came in looking to improve on his 16-0 record and make a run at a second consecutive 20-win season and once again he struggled, with only the power of the offense keeping his perfect record intact after a brutal outing in a 10-7 win, the team's 100th of the season. Marlette was handed another big early lead, this time 6-1, but after giving up a run in the 3rd to make it 6-2 he was torched for 5 more runs in the 4th and the Royals briefly went ahead. Marlette finished 3.2 8 7 7 5 1 in an outing in which he clearly didn't have it, but Orlando Tosado's 2-run homer in the 5th (#41) restored the Tampa Bay lead and got him off the hook, and CJ Abrams blasted a 2-run shot of his own (#4/11) in the 8th for insurance. Before all that Nate Strickland homered (#39), doubled and tripled, driving in a pair. Needing only a single to complete the cycle Strickland was instead intentionally walked twice as he came up with first base open. Slade Cecconi (7-2) was excellent in long relief again with 3 1/3 scoreless for the win and Eric Lewis picked up his 9th Rays save, but it was as shaky as they come as he allowed a leadoff single, got a double play, and then loaded the bases before getting a strikeout to end it. Team record: 100-39. Next up: The road trip goes north and west as we head to Seattle for 3 games.