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Art Deco · 08-04-2023, 10:25 PM

The Rays split the two-game mini-series with Toronto to stay 1 1/2 behind thanks to a impressive comeback in the second game. Unfortunately the glow from that win faded quickly when the extent of a key serious injury was determined.

Tampa Bay pitching had been phenomenal during their recent 12-game win streak but it was dreadful tonight as while the bats did their job the arms didn't in a 12-7 loss at Rogers Centre. Danny Morales couldn't make it past the second inning, roasted to the tune of 1.2 8 6 6 1 0 with 3 homers allowed as he had nothing tonight but the bats fought back to tie it at 6 in the 4th including Justin Blackwell's 6th homer. However Toronto answered right back, scoring 3 runs off both Jeff Coblentz (0-1) and Nick Wallerstedt.

It was looking like Toronto would take both games after they jumped on Chris Ferguson early to take a 5-2 lead after 4, but Tampa Bay fought back to tie it in the 9th and went on to score twice in the 11th to take a vital 7-5 come-from-behind win. Ferguson was pretty bad at 3.2 8 5 5 1 3 but the bullpen was magnificent after that, combining to go 8.1 3 0 0 1 10 the rest of the way culminating in Devon Williams (1-2) earning the win with two scoreless innings. Along with the pen, Wander Franco almost single-handedly kept them in the game with a solo homer (#8) in the 4th and a 2-run double in the 8th to bring them within 5-4 before Joe Stack singled in Danny Arroyave who hit a 1-out double in the 9th. And in the 11th Justin Blackwell broke the deadlock with his second homer in as many days (#7) and Franco singled, stole second and scored on Luis Berumen's single to provide insurance. Unfortunately on the play Franco tore his quadriceps and will be out approximately a month. It's a tough, tough blow as Franco was having an MVP season running away with the AL batting title at 388/457/618, 3rd in OPS and leading MLB in WAR at 3.5. He's also taken to 2B admirably, playing excellent defense and a big reason why the team is #3 overall in MLB in defensive efficiency, something unheard of in my Rays saves.

Team record: 31-14. Next up: We head home for another 2-game quickie series with the Yankees before Toronto comes to the Trop for the weekend.

08-04-2023, 10:25 PM	#1231
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,629	May 21-22, 2035: at Toronto (2) The Rays split the two-game mini-series with Toronto to stay 1 1/2 behind thanks to a impressive comeback in the second game. Unfortunately the glow from that win faded quickly when the extent of a key serious injury was determined. Tampa Bay pitching had been phenomenal during their recent 12-game win streak but it was dreadful tonight as while the bats did their job the arms didn't in a 12-7 loss at Rogers Centre. Danny Morales couldn't make it past the second inning, roasted to the tune of 1.2 8 6 6 1 0 with 3 homers allowed as he had nothing tonight but the bats fought back to tie it at 6 in the 4th including Justin Blackwell's 6th homer. However Toronto answered right back, scoring 3 runs off both Jeff Coblentz (0-1) and Nick Wallerstedt. It was looking like Toronto would take both games after they jumped on Chris Ferguson early to take a 5-2 lead after 4, but Tampa Bay fought back to tie it in the 9th and went on to score twice in the 11th to take a vital 7-5 come-from-behind win. Ferguson was pretty bad at 3.2 8 5 5 1 3 but the bullpen was magnificent after that, combining to go 8.1 3 0 0 1 10 the rest of the way culminating in Devon Williams (1-2) earning the win with two scoreless innings. Along with the pen, Wander Franco almost single-handedly kept them in the game with a solo homer (#8) in the 4th and a 2-run double in the 8th to bring them within 5-4 before Joe Stack singled in Danny Arroyave who hit a 1-out double in the 9th. And in the 11th Justin Blackwell broke the deadlock with his second homer in as many days (#7) and Franco singled, stole second and scored on Luis Berumen's single to provide insurance. Unfortunately on the play Franco tore his quadriceps and will be out approximately a month. It's a tough, tough blow as Franco was having an MVP season running away with the AL batting title at 388/457/618, 3rd in OPS and leading MLB in WAR at 3.5. He's also taken to 2B admirably, playing excellent defense and a big reason why the team is #3 overall in MLB in defensive efficiency, something unheard of in my Rays saves. Team record: 31-14. Next up: We head home for another 2-game quickie series with the Yankees before Toronto comes to the Trop for the weekend.