The 2022 (and beyond) Tampa Bay Rays

[Art Deco]

Transaction: Donye Evans went on the IL with his pronator strain and will be back in about a month. We're going to move Aldry Acosta into the rotation where he's rated well as a starter and Christian Rodriguez is called up from Durham to take on a mop-up/long relief role. with 55/45/40 ratings we're not going to want to use him in any key situations.

Game 1: 12-3 W. WP-Khattak (2-0, 5 3 3 3 3 2). HR-Alvarez 2 (2), Arrambide (2). Yordan hit his first two homers of the season and drove in 5 while Haro, Caminero and Cade Arrambide all knocked in a pair to lead a 14-hit attack in the rout, which snapped a 4-game losing streak.

Game 2: 6-2 W. WP-Bradley (1-1, 7.2 5 2 2 2 6). S-R.Rodriguez (2). HR-Haro (2), R.Solano (2), Alvarez (3). Bradley was Taj-riffic and Yordan hit a big 3-run homer to lead the Rays to another win over the Twins.

Game 3: 10-4 W. WP-Onyshko (1-0). Starter-Eldridge (4.1 7 3 3 3 3). HR-Hardy (2). Yordan capped a big series (8-12, 3 HR, 10 RBI) by going 4-5 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI, but on the second double in the 9th he strained his oblique and will be gone for about 5 weeks. We somehow made it through last season with the injury-prone Alvarez staying healthy but things finally caught up to us. Hardy was also 3-4 with a 2-run homer as the sweep was completed and 28 runs were scored.

Team record: 6-4. Next up: An off-day then we slide over to Wisconsin to play 3 in Milwaukee.

[Art Deco]

Transaction: Yordan Alvarez goes on the IL with his oblique strain and Manny Tovar is called up from Durham. Tovar will play LF against RHP while Rodolfo Solano will become an everyday player and play LF against lefties.

Game 1: 5-0 W. WP-German (2-1, 5 2 0 0 4 7). HR-Hardy (3), Albies (2). Ozzie Albies' 3-run homer in the 6th broke open a 1-0 game and the Rays dropped Milwaukee to 1-10 to start the season.

Game 2: 6-4 W. WP-Armstrong (1-0). S-R.Rodriguez (3). Starter-Acosta (5 5 3 3 2 3, 2 HR). HR-E.Green (1), Cedillos (2). Isaac Cedillos' 8th-inning grand slam turned a 4-2 deficit into a 6-4 win. Aldry Acosta's first start wasn't great but it wasn't terrible either.

Game 3: 4-0 W. WP-Khattak (3-0, 8 4 0 0 1 5). HR-Caminero (2), Luciano (1). Walt Khattak was brilliant in leading the Rays to a sweep and sending Milwaukee to its 10th straight defeat and a 1-12 start to 2031. Luciano got a start for the slumping Gunnar Henderson (116/174/279, nothing of note since Opening Day) and had an RBI double and a solo homer to lead the offense.

Team record: 9-4. We're tied atop the AL East with our perennial nemesis Toronto. Next up: The 6-7 Yankees visit the Trop for 4 games and will be without the best pitcher in baseball as Robert Ahlstrom is suffering from a dead arm and went on the IL.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 9-2 W. WP-Bradley (2-1, 5.1 5 2 2 3 7). HR-Hardy (4). Hardy's 2-run homer in the 1st got them going (he drove in 3 overall) and a 6-run 4th put the game to bed early as the Rays romped and improved to 10-4. Haro was 2-5 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI.

Game 2: 2-8 L. LP-Eldridge (0-2, 5 7 5 5 3 4). HR-Luciano (2). New York returned the blowout favor with another poor outing from Eldridge.

Game 3: 4-5 L. LP-R.Rodriguez (0-1). Starter-German (5 4 2 2 2 7). Rays lost a 4-2 lead in the 6th and their teammate of last year Triston Casas knocked in the winner in the 9th. Albies was 2-4 with a double and 2 RBI.

Game 4: 0-1 L (14). LP-C.Rodriguez (0-1). Starter-Acosta (5 0 0 0 2 9). Rays pitched allowed only one hit, a 7th-inning single, through the first 12 innings before they were forced to give Christian Rodriguez his MLB debut. C-Rod nearly gave up a run in the 13th but Manny Tovar gunned down a man at the plate before Dansby Swanson homered off him in the 14th. Rays had some golden opportunities to score including a leadoff Solano triple in the bottom of the 9th but couldn't plate him and paid for it, losing the series and three straight games.

Team record: 10-7, now 1 game behind Toronto. Next up: Off to Seattle for 3 games.

MLB News: Veteran Phillies OF Byron Buxton, now 37, hit career homer #300.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 3-4 L. LP-Khattak (3-1, 5.2 7 4 4 1 4). HR-Haro (3). Khattak couldn't hold an early lead and the Rays lost their fourth straight. Manny Tovar had 3 hits and an RBI.

Game 2: 4-5 L. LP-Armenta (0-1). Starter-Bradley (2 4 0 0 0 1). HR-Tovar (1). Rays twice had the lead in this one including in the 7th after Tovar hit a 2-run shot for his first MLB homer, but lost it both times and as a result dropped their fourth straight one-run game and fifth straight overall. Bradley left with a sore back but nothing serious.

Game 3: 0-7 L. LP-Eldridge (0-3, 5 7 5 5 2 7). The great 10-4 start to the season has turned to 10-10 after six straight losses. Eldridge was horrible again and is only in the rotation due to lack of alternatives.

Team record: 10-10, now 4 back of Toronto. Next up: We'll try to get right in New York with 3 against the Yankees, a week after they beat us 3 straight to start this losing streak.

[Art Deco]

In the midst of our losing streak Gunnar Henderson, hitting all of .094 with only one homer (on Opening Day), decided to share his thoughts:



This didn't set well with his teammates and I opted to suspend him for 5 games, a move I was told went down well in the clubhouse. Victor Mesa was called up from Durham to take his place. (Also OOTP devs, it's "faze" not "phase"). Back to the action:

Game 1: 5-9 L. LP-German (2-2, 3.2 7 8 5 0 6). HR-Haro (4), Hardy (5). Luis German was hit hard early and often and the Rays trailed 8-1 after 4 on their way to consecutive loss #7.

Game 2: 1-5 L (10). LP-R.Rodriguez (0-2). HR-Tovar (2). Starter-Acosta (1.2 1 0 0 1 1). A brilliant 5 1/3-inning long relief outing from Christian Rodriguez after Acosta left with a minor injury was wasted thanks to a lack of offense and Randy Rodriguez walking the bases loaded and giving up a walk-off slam to Dansby Swanson. The losing streak now has reached 8 games, one of, if not, the longest losing streaks for the team in any of my Rays saves.

Game 3: 4-3 W. WP-Armenta (1-1). S-R.Rodriguez (4). Starter-Khattak (2.1 1 1 1 1 2). HR-Haro (5). Hallelujah, a win! The losing streak was snapped thanks in large part to Marco Luciano, who capped a 3-hit day with an RBI double to break a 2-2 tie in the 9th. Rivera then singled him home which proved large when Randy Rodriguez did his best to blow the save, giving up a leadoff homer then putting 2 men on before getting his 17th whiff in 6.2 IP to end it. Meanwhile we had a starter leave with a minor injury for the second straight day but Khattak will make his next start.

Team record: 11-12. Next up: A day off then we return home for 3 against Toronto.

[Art Deco]

Transaction: Our run of injuries continued as Isaac Cedillos, filling in for the injured Wander Franco, broke his kneecap in the last game and is essentially out for the year (he could return for the playoffs, but this is where I'd insert the Jim Mora gif). Elijah Watts, a 9th-round pick from 2028 and a defensive wizard, was called up from AA Montgomery.

Game 1: 2-5 L. LP-Bradley (2-2, 5.2 8 4 4 1 3). Taj gave up 4 runs in the first three innings and with the way this offense is going that was the ballgame.

Game 2: 1-2 L. LP-Eldridge (0-4, 6 6 2 2 1 3). The popgun offense wasted the first good start of the season from Eldridge and the Rays have now lost 10 of their last 11. They had a great chance to tie in the 7th with a man on 3rd and nobody out, but two shallow fly balls did them in.

Transaction: Gunnar Henderson returns from his team suspension and Elijah Watts is sent down to Durham. With Cedillos out, Henderson will move over to SS until Wander returns late in the month.

Game 3: 8-4 W. WP-German (3-2, 5.2 5 3 3 2 5). HR-Hardy (6), R.Solano (3), Tovar (3). Runs! a Win! Funny how they go together. Henderson's 2-run double in his first at-bat since returning from suspension was the big early hit and the Rays tacked on from there with a trio of dingers.

Team record: 12-14. Next up: A day off then the 15-11 Rangers visit the Trop.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 3-2 W. WP-Ogando (1-0). Starter-Acosta (5 3 1 1 1 7). HR-Tovar (4), Rivera (1). Catcher Angel Rivera, hitting 140/324/158 with one extra-base hit coming into the game, walked it off with a leadoff homer in the 9th. Meanwhile the Aldry Acosta-to-the-rotation experiment seems to be a success.

Game 2: 5-4 W. WP-Khattak (4-1, 6.1 7 4 4 4 5). S-R.Rodriguez (5). Caminero was 2-3 with 2 RBI as the Rays made it three wins in a row and got back to .500. Randy Rodriguez now has 20 whiffs in 7 2/3 innings.

Game 3: 4-2 W. WP-Bradley (3-2, 5 4 2 2 2 5). S-R.Rodriguez (6). HR-Hardy (7). Hardy's 3-run homer in the 4th erased a 2-0 Texas lead and the bullpen was strong as the Rays completed the sweep. R-Rod got the save despite zero strikeouts.

Team record: 15-14, still 4 games back of the high-flying Blue Jays but in a several-team tie for a wild card. Next up: Seattle visits for 3.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 4-3 W. WP-Dodson (1-0). S-Armstrong (1). Starter-Eldridge (5.2 3 2 0 2 7). HR-Albies (3). Another fine outing from Eldridge but a key error cost him the win before Manny Tovar's 2-run triple in the 6th broke a 2-2 tie. Ivan Armstrong had a 2-inning save, his first, to help save a tired bullpen.

Game 2: 5-1 W. WP-German (4-2, 5.2 3 1 1 1 9). HR-G.Henderson (2). German showed the kind of dominant form that made him our ace last year, and Gunnar Henderson hit his first homer since Opening Day, a 2-run shot, while Nelson Haro had a bases-clearing double for the first three runs as the Rays made it six straight wins.

Game 3: 2-0 W. WP-Acosta (1-0, 6 2 0 0 0 10). S-R.Rodriguez (7). The streakiest team in the majors (a 10-4 start followed by a 1-10 tailspin now followed by a 7-game win streak) won again thanks to a truly impressive outing from Aldry Acosta who has excelled as a starter.

Team record: 18-14. We've crept to within 3 of first-place Toronto and are a half-game back of second-place New York. Next up: Four games in the Bronx against those same Yankees.

Rays news: Standout starter Donye Evans and franchise SS Wander Franco both started rehab assignments and should be back after, if not during, the New York series.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 2-3 L. LP-Ogando (1-1). Starter-Khattak (1.2 2 2 2 0 1). Khattak was ejected in the 2nd for hitting a guy after giving up his second solo homer, and Christian Rodriguez was brilliant (5.1 2 0 0 1 5) and kept the game at 2-2 as he outdueled all-world P Robert Ahlstrom. Unfortunately Ogando picked a bad time to give up his first run on the season in the bottom of the 8th and the Rays lost.

Game 2: 1-5 L. LP-Bradley (3-3, 4 5 5 4 1 3, 2 HR). HR-Albies (4). Taj continued to struggle with the longball (8 HR in 34 IP) and the bats only squeaked out four hits.

Game 3: 16-6 W. WP-Eldridge (1-4, 5.1 9 5 5 0 4). HR-G.Henderson (3), E.Green 2 (3), Hardy 2 (9), Rivera (2). Rays went homer-happy with six in all including Gunnar Henderson's 3-run shot in an 8-run first against New York's Tarik Skubal. Hardy was 4-5 with the 2 HR and 4 RBI while Green knocked in 4 with his pair as well.

Transaction: He's back! Wander Franco joins the active roster for the first time this season after being hurt late in spring training. Victor Mesa is returned to Durham.

Game 4: 5-7 L. LP-German (4-3, 5 6 6 6 1 6, 2 HR). HR-E.Green (4), Solano (4). German is another Rays starter struggling with the gopher ball (7 in 38 IP) and as a result he has a 6.16 ERA after being our ace last season. Down 7-2 entering the 9th the Rays put 3 on the board and had the bases loaded with one out looking to tie, but couldn't get it done.

Team record: 19-17. Now 5 back of Toronto and tied with the Yankees in 3rd place in the AL East and for the last wild card. Next up: Interleague play as we head to Atlanta for 3 games. Los Bravos are a pedestrian 16-20.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 6-7 L. LP-Dodson (1-1). Starter-Acosta (4 4 4 4 3 5). HR-Caminero (3). Rays lost 5-2 and 6-5 leads in this one. Wander had 3 hits including a double and 2 RBI but the pitching did them in.

Transaction: Donye Evans was activated from the IL and Christian Rodriguez was sent back to Durham.

Game 2: 1-3 L. LP-Ogando (1-2). Starter-Evans (5 2 0 0 1 12). This was a 0-0 game going into 8th thanks to a duel between Donye Evans (in dominant form as seen above) and Atlanta's Arturo Ambriz (8 1 0 0 1 12), before Gerald Ogando started the 8th, gave up a leadoff homer, and then gave up a 2-run homer to lose it. Rays rallied in the 9th and had two men on with a run in but couldn't complete a comeback.

Game 3: 6-4 W. WP-Bradley (4-3, 5 9 4 4 2 4). S-R.Rodriguez (8). HR-G.Henderson 2 (5). Gunnar Henderson had has best game as a Ray, going 3-4 with a walk, steal, 2 homers and 3 RBI to lead the way. Rodolfo Solano had 3 hits and 2 RBI and Wander had 3 more hits, giving him a 20-game hitting streak going back to last season. Taj nearly blew a 5-1 lead but Ben Onyshko miraculously got him out of the 6th with the lead intact and the bullpen somehow held the rest of the way.

Team record: 20-19, now 6 behind Toronto but in a wild card. Next up: Home for 3 against Washington, off to a roaring 25-14 start.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 2-5 L. LP-Khattak (4-2, 6 6 3 3 2 5). HR-E.Green (5). Khattak gave up a couple of homers to put them behind and Okuda gave up a back-breaking 2-run shot in the 8th to put it out of reach as the bats managed only four hits.

Game 2: 1-2 L (11). LP-Ogando (1-3). Starter-Eldridge (6.2 6 1 0 2 4). Another anemic performance at the plate wasted a good start from Eldridge, who's been on a roll after a nightmarish start to the season. Unfortunately Ogando gave up a homer in the 11th, making it three straight losses in as many appearances for the righty.

Transactions: Yordan Alvarez was activated from his rehab and Manny Tovar was optioned to Durham. Additionally, Marco Luciano strained his hamstring last night and will be out a month so Victor Mesa was called up.

Game 3: 4-2 W. WP-German (5-3, 5.2 3 1 1 2 6). S-Ogando (1). HR-Mendez (1). German was dazzling while Hendry Mendez had a nice game, hitting a solo shot for his first MLB homer and singling in another run. This makes three straight series the Rays have won the finale to avoid being swept, not a great recipe for success.

Team record: 21-21, a whopping 7 behind Toronto and tied for the third wild card. Next up: An off-day then 3 games in Philadelphia where the Phillies are 24-17.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 7-5 W. WP-Okuda (1-0). S-R.Rodriguez (9). Starter-Acosta (3.2 7 5 5 0 5, 3 HR). Rays trailed 5-2 into the 7th before putting 4 on the board including an RBI single from Solano (his 2nd RBI hit of the day) and a 2-run Haro single. Okuda earned the win with 2 1/3 perfect innings, fanning four.

Game 2: 3-4 L. LP-Evans (1-2, 3 5 4 4 3 6). HR-G.Henderson (6), Hardy (10). Donye put them in a 4-0 hole after 2 from which they never recovered although they had some great chances late to tie.

Game 3: 3-6 L. LP-Khattak (4-3, 5 7 4 4 1 3). HR-Franco (1). The Rays have now lost three straight series, winning once in each as they dropped below .500. Today they could only manage two hits including a 2-run Franco shot, his first of the year after coming back from injury.

Team record: 22-23. They actually picked up a game on Toronto, who was swept by the Mets so the division deficit is 6, and they're 1/2 game out of a wild card. Next up: A chance to make up ground on the Jays as they visit the Trop for 4 games.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 2-1 W. WP-Ogando (2-3). S-R.Rodriguez (10). Starter-Eldridge (7 4 1 1 0 7). HR-Hardy (11). Eldridge was brilliant but he looked like a loser until Hardy homered to tie in the 7th and Haro scored on a wild pitch in the 8th to win it.

Game 2: 4-2 W. WP-Dodson (2-1). S-R.Rodriguez (11). Starter-German (5 2 1 1 3 10). A 4-run 6th erased a 1-0 deficit with Albies' 2-run double the big hit as the Rays beat the Jays again and pulled within 4 of the division lead, sending Toronto to its 6th straight loss.

Game 3: 2-0 W. WP-Armenta (2-1). S-Ogando (2). Starter-Acosta (6.2 1 0 0 0 12). HR-G.Henderson (7). Acosta pitched one of the best 6 2/3-inning outings you'll see and just as in the past two games the Rays rallied late to get the runs they needed. Gunnar's solo homer in the 7th broke a scoreless deadlock and the division deficit is down to 3.

Game 4: 9-0 W. WP-Bradley (5-3, 9 4 0 0 2 8). HR-Y.Alvarez (4), Mesa (1). Taj Bradley, back in the rotation after a brilliant 5-inning scoreless relief outing, made it 9 more scoreless for his 2nd career CG shutout. This one took 121 pitches but he was given a lot of rope with the huge lead which came courtesy of Yordan (3-4, 2-run HR), Wander (3-5, 2 doubles, 2 RBI) and Mesa (2-run homer). The Rays are now a scant 2 games behind Toronto and the Jays are in free fall, losers of 8 straight after starting the year 28-13. Tampa Bay pitching allowed a mere 3 runs in the 4 games.

Team record: 26-23. In addition to getting with 2 of the Jays for the division they're in the first wild card spot now. Next up: 3 games in Kansas City.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 1-9 L. LP-Evans (1-3, 5 5 2 2 1 5). HR-E.Green (6). Green led the game off with a homer and it was all downhill from there with the bullpen letting the game get away in a 6-run 7th.

Game 2: 3-1 W. WP-Khattak (5-3, 5.1 4 0 0 3 7). S-R.Rodriguez (12). HR-Mesa (2). Excellent pitching allowed 3 early runs to stand up as the Rays got even in the series.

Game 3: 6-5 W. WP-Eldridge (2-4, 6 5 3 3 0 5). S-R.Rodriguez (13). HR-Albies (5). A 4-run rally in the 7th turned this one around with Angel Rivera's RBI double the key hit. He, Albies and Yordan each had 2 hits with a ribbie. The pen nearly blew this one with Ogando allowing a run in the 8th and Randy Rodriguez giving up another in the 9th and leaving the bases loaded.

Team record: 28-24. Now 2 1/2 behind the Jays and back into the first wild card slot. Next up: An off-day then the Angels visit the Trop for 3 games.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 6-4 W. WP-Onyshko (2-0). S-R.Rodriguez (14). Starter-German (0.1 1 2 2 1 0). HR-Albies (6). A wild game that saw the Rays score 3 in the 8th to reverse a 4-3 Angels lead with Rodolfo Solano's 2-run double the winning hit. Earlier German was ejected in the 1st for hitting a batter after giving up a 2-run homer and Taj went 6.1 4 1 1 2 8 in long relief. Albies had a 3-run homer in the 3rd to erase an early 3-0 LA lead.

Transaction: German was suspended for 6 games and placed on the restricted list with Christian Rodriguez back up from Durham. As we were using 6 starters anyway, it's no biggie.

Game 2: 2-1 W. WP-Armenta (3-1). S-Ogando (3). Starter-Acosta (5.1 5 0 0 1 7). HR-G.Henderson (8), Solano (5). Rodolfo Solano was the 8th-inning hero again with a solo homer to break a 1-1 tie. Acosta was brilliant again in the rotation and looks like a fixture there now.

Game 3: 1-0 W. WP-Evans (2-3, 6 2 0 0 3 11). S-R.Rodriguez (15). Rays made it 9 of their last 10 while consigning the Angels to their 9th straight defeat in another squeaker at the Trop. The lone run came in the 4th on a David Weathers wild pitch as he and Donye Evans had quite the duel with Evans turning in his best start of the season.

Team record: 31-24, now tied with the slumping Jays atop the AL East and 3 games up with Toronto on the rest of the wild card field. Next up: The homestand continues with 3 against 33-22 Houston.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 9-4 W. WP-Khattak (6-3, 6.1 6 2 2 4 4). HR-Y.Alvarez (5), G.Henderson (9). The Rays roll on and moved into sole possession of first in the AL East, jumping out to an early 5-1 lead and cruising. In addition to the homers, Victor Mesa knocked in 4 with a couple of hits and Rodolfo Solano stayed red-hot, going 2-4 with 2 RBI.

Game 2: 5-2 W. WP-Eldridge (3-4, 6 5 2 2 1 3). S-R.Rodriguez (16). HR-Rivera (3). Catcher Angel Rivera has had a tough season but tonight he had a big 2-run homer while Yordan knocked in a pair with a double and a single as the win streak hit 7.

Game 3: 6-1 W. WP-Bradley (7 2 1 1 1 10). HR-Caminero (4), Albies (7). Taj was dominant, they got a couple of solo homers, and Yordan and Gunnar each drove in two runs as the Rays completed the sweep and extended their winning streak to 8.

Team record: 34-24. The hottest team in baseball is now two games up on Toronto in the division and will try to keep the success going in Chicago where the best-in-the-AL White Sox at 36-22 await for 3 games.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 1-2 L. LP-Acosta (1-1, 4.1 3 2 2 4 3). HR-E.Green (7). Seems like whenever Elijah Green leads off the game with a homer that's the only run they score and today was an example. At least Nelson Haro was on base all three times with a double, single and a walk.

Game 2: 1-2 L. LP-Armenta (3-2). Starter-German (6 5 0 0 1 4). A tougher loss than yesterday's as they took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the 8th before Armenta, who had only allowed 2 runs all season coming in, gave up a 2-run homer to Antonio Anderson to lose it. Of course one run on three hits isn't usually a winning prescription.

Game 3: 4-7 L. LP-Evans (2-4, 4 6 6 6 2 6, 3 HR). HR-Albies (8), Hardy (12). Donye Evans is still fanning people at a very high rate (48 in 28 IP) but when they make contact it leaves the park as after giving up 3 more longballs today that's now 8 in those same 28 innings. This year's Rays meanwhile are roadkill - the sweep makes them an awful 12-19 on the road as compared to 22-8 at home.

Team record: 34-27. The sweep dropped them back into second, 1/2 game behind Toronto, and while they're tied for the first wild card they're only 1 1/2 up on the fourth-place team. Next up: Thankfully back home against San Diego, atop the NL West with a similar 35-27 record.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 4-1 W. WP-Khattak (7-3, 6.1 6 1 1 1 4). S-R.Rodriguez (17). HR-Caminero (5), Y.Alvarez (6). Back home and back in the win column thanks to a fine outing from Khattak, a couple of solo shots, and some insurance runs in the 8th.

Game 2: 8-4 W. WP-Okuda (2-0). Starter-Bradley (5 7 4 4 0 6). A 4-run rally in the 8th won it for the Rays with pinch-hitter Victor Mesa drawing a bases-loaded walk to break the tie and a 2-run Solano single icing it. They scored 8 despite managing only one extra-base hit, a double.

Game 3: 3-2 W. WP-Okuda (3-0). S-R.Rodriguez (18). Starter-Acosta (5 5 2 2 0 9). HR-Franco (2), Hardy (13). The offense did nothing today outside of the 7th but it was enough as Wander led off the inning with a homer and Hardy later followed with a 2-run shot as quality pitching ruled the day for Tampa Bay again at home.

Team record: 37-27, back in first by 1 1/2 on Toronto which dropped two of three in San Francisco. Those same Giants are our next opponents, coming to the Trop for 3 games.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 5-4 W. WP-Armstrong (2-0). S-R.Rodriguez (19). Starter-Evans (4 6 4 3 2 3). HR-Solano (6), Haro (6), Albies (9). Rays pulled off the comeback from 4-1 down with Haro's solo shot in the 6th tying it and Albies' winning it.

Game 2: 4-7 L. LP-Eldridge (3-5, 6 7 5 5 3 2). HR-Solano (7), G.Henderson (10). Eldridge reverted to his poor early-season form and the pen let it get out of hand, making some late offense meaningless as the Rays suffered a rare loss of late.

Game 3: 3-1 W. WP-Khattak (8-3, 8 2 1 1 2 9). S-R.Rodriguez (20). HR-Franco (3), Rivera (4). Khattak was brilliant in one of his best-ever outings and Angel Rivera's 3rd-inning homer was the winner as the Rays took the series.

Team record: 39-28. With Toronto losing 2 of 3 in LA to the Dodgers the Rays upped their division lead to 2 1/2 games. Next up: An off-day then we'll try to do something about our poor road record with 3 games against the struggling (27-40) Tigers in Detroit.

MLB News: Both the Mets' Jorge Polanco and Toronto's Bo Bichette reached the 300-homer mark.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: 1-9 L. LP-Bradley (6-4, 3.2 6 6 3 1 6). Taj gave up a couple of homers while being hit hard and the Rays continued to flounder on the road.

Game 2: 1-2 L (11). LP-R.Rodriguez (0-3). Starter-Acosta (6.1 3 1 1 0 2). Another road loss with the blame squarely on the offense this time as they wasted some excellent pitching.

Game 3: 5-4 W. WP-Okuda (4-0). S-Ogando (4). Starter-German (4 5 4 4 3 6, 2 HR). HR-Rivera (5). The Rays snapped a 5-game road losing streak thanks to a 5-run rally in the 6th to erase a 4-0 Detroit lead. Soriano's 2-run double, Rivera's 2-run homer and Wander's RBI infield single accounted for the comeback.

Team record: 40-30. Thankfully the Jays lost 2 of 3 as well so the 2 1/2-game division lead remains intact. Next up: 4 games in Boston.