OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post

Art Deco · 06-10-2023, 12:24 AM

Ladies and gentlemen, your first place Tampa Bay Rays. It took quite a while this year but the Rays have finally clawed back into first place after sweeping Oakland by a combined 21-4 score, moving ahead of the Jays by 1/2 game.

Tampa Bay jumped all over one-time Rays prospect Taj Bradley in opener, scoring 5 off him in a 7-1 win. William Contreras was the hitting star, unloading a 3-run shot (#6) off Bradley in the 2nd and later adding an RBI single. A guy who was once Bradley's teammate, Wander Franco, added a 2-run double off him. That was all more than enough for Ethan McElvain (6-4) who was in cruise control at 7 4 1 1 2 3.

The Rays took the second game 4-2 behind the usual excellence from Joe Marlette and solid bullpen work for the most part. Marlette (6-3) went 5 3 0 0 3 8 on 94 pitches and Ruben Abeyta and Devon Williams kept the shutout intact through the 8th before Wes Mendes gave up a couple of runs and required Mike Moore to get the final out for save #15. Joe Stack's 2-run homer in the 6th (#21) proved to be the difference.

Danny Morales was dazzling and the bats were booming in a 10-1 rout of Oakland in the finale. The young righty improved to 8-4 after going 7 2 1 1 3 6 and he had plenty of support. Wander Franco drove in 4 with an RBI double and a 3-run homer (#8) before having to leave the game with a tired arm and his light-hitting replacement Mu-Sang Park got into the act with a 2-run blast of his own, his first MLB homer in 66 games with the Rays. Arturo Gutierrez was 3-5 with a 2-run jack (#26) and Joe Stack homered for the second straight day (#22), a solo shot.

Team record: 54-32. Next up: 3 at home vs Baltimore before we head into the All-Star break.

MLB News: Veteran hurler and former Ray Dustin May announced his retirement at the end of the season. May had 4 brilliant years in Tampa Bay from 2024-27, with 58 wins, a 3.72 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 15.2 WAR plus a 2025 World Series ring. Another former Ray was in the news as well as Cleveland's Raimfer Salinas hit career homer #400.

06-10-2023, 12:24 AM	#1167
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,550	July 4-6, 2034: vs Oakland (3) Ladies and gentlemen, your first place Tampa Bay Rays. It took quite a while this year but the Rays have finally clawed back into first place after sweeping Oakland by a combined 21-4 score, moving ahead of the Jays by 1/2 game. Tampa Bay jumped all over one-time Rays prospect Taj Bradley in opener, scoring 5 off him in a 7-1 win. William Contreras was the hitting star, unloading a 3-run shot (#6) off Bradley in the 2nd and later adding an RBI single. A guy who was once Bradley's teammate, Wander Franco, added a 2-run double off him. That was all more than enough for Ethan McElvain (6-4) who was in cruise control at 7 4 1 1 2 3. The Rays took the second game 4-2 behind the usual excellence from Joe Marlette and solid bullpen work for the most part. Marlette (6-3) went 5 3 0 0 3 8 on 94 pitches and Ruben Abeyta and Devon Williams kept the shutout intact through the 8th before Wes Mendes gave up a couple of runs and required Mike Moore to get the final out for save #15. Joe Stack's 2-run homer in the 6th (#21) proved to be the difference. Danny Morales was dazzling and the bats were booming in a 10-1 rout of Oakland in the finale. The young righty improved to 8-4 after going 7 2 1 1 3 6 and he had plenty of support. Wander Franco drove in 4 with an RBI double and a 3-run homer (#8) before having to leave the game with a tired arm and his light-hitting replacement Mu-Sang Park got into the act with a 2-run blast of his own, his first MLB homer in 66 games with the Rays. Arturo Gutierrez was 3-5 with a 2-run jack (#26) and Joe Stack homered for the second straight day (#22), a solo shot. Team record: 54-32. Next up: 3 at home vs Baltimore before we head into the All-Star break. MLB News: Veteran hurler and former Ray Dustin May announced his retirement at the end of the season. May had 4 brilliant years in Tampa Bay from 2024-27, with 58 wins, a 3.72 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 15.2 WAR plus a 2025 World Series ring. Another former Ray was in the news as well as Cleveland's Raimfer Salinas hit career homer #400.