Already in trouble...
The bats didn't show up today and one bad pitch from John Swanda which Yoan Moncada deposited in the RF seats was the difference as the Rays lost their Wild Card opener to Houston 3-0. They were flummoxed by former Ray Shane Baz, who tonight looked more like the stud pitching prospect he was when coming through the Tampa Bay system than the journeyman pitcher with a 5.74 ERA during the regular season. So now it's up to Bryce Eldridge to keep the season and hopes of a three-peat alive tomorrow in Game 2.
Meanwhile Texas went up at Cleveland in their WC series thanks to all-world pitcher Robert Ahlstrom, who fanned 11 in 7 4-hit shutout innings:
