April 17: at NY Yankees 8-2 W. WP-Bradley (3-0, 6 5 2 2 1 4). HR-Mead (1), Cermak (1). Taj was solid and Cermak had his first big game of the year, going 3-5 with a 2-run homer while Campusano (who has been on fire) had a 2-run double to get them going.
April 18: at NY Yankees 4-0 W. WP-Pepiot (2-1, 6 3 0 0 4 6). HR-Isaac (7). Pepiot and three relievers combined on a 4-hit shutout and Campusano was big again, going 2-3 with an RBI triple.
April 19: at NY Yankees 8-9 L (14). LP-Contreras (0-2). Starter-Horton (5 5 4 4 3 5). HR-Isaac (8), Caminero (5), Cermak (2). This was a wild, tough loss that saw the Rays lose three leads late and eventually the game. And they were almost single-handedly done in by Danny Jansen, who homered off Bautista in the 9th to send us to extras, hit an RBI double in the 12th to tie it again, and then tied it a third time in the 14th with a single and scored the winner later in the inning. Cermak and Caminero each homered and knocked in 3.
April 20: Off-Day.
April 21: vs Boston 3-1 W. WP-Gasser (2-2, 6.1 2 0 0 2 7). S-Bautista (4). HR-Caminero 2 (7). Gasser pitched his best game of the season and Junior was the offense, going 3-5 with a solo shot and 2-run homer to account for all the Tampa Bay scoring.
April 22: vs Boston 3-2 W. WP-Maldonado (1-1). S-Lovelady (1). Starter-H.Smith (6.1 5 2 2 1 11). HR-Caminero (8). This was a great pitchers' duel between Smith and Boston's Garrett Whitlock with the Rays up 1-0 until the 7th when Smith gave up a 2-run homer to Tyler O'Neill, but it was Caminero to the rescue again as he hit a 2-run homer in the 8th off the Boston bullpen to win it.
April 23: vs Boston 3-0 W. WP-Bradley (4-0, 6 4 0 0 2 7). S-Maldonado (1). HR-C.Williams (4), Cermak (3). This was another duel with Taj and former Ray Blake Snell trading zeroes until Carson homered in the 6th and the red-hot Cermak providing insurance with a 2-run 8th-inning shot as the Rays completed the sweep of a low-scoring series.
Team record: 14-8. The sweep of Boston propelled them into first and put them up 1 1/2 on both the Red Sox and Toronto. Next week: The Angels visit for 4 games before we go to Pittsburgh for 3.
Players of the Week:
AL: This guy:
He's forcing his way into our lineup. Caminero would have been a good pick too after a 7-19, 4-HR, 8-RBI week.
NL: Marco Luciano (LA), 8-20, 4 HR, 9 RBI.