The 2020 (and beyond) Tampa Bay Rays - Page 60

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 09:21 AM

There was an air of "here we go again" at Publix Park when the Rangers jumped on Rays ace Nate Thompson for 5 runs in the first 3 innings to take a 5-0 lead after last year's 130+ win team was summarily dispatched in the ALDS. But an inning and a half later it was 9-5 Rays and they went on to win their ALDS opener 13-5. Thompson was not very sharp (only 1 K in his 6 innings) but at least he settled down through the middle innings. Meanwhile the bats were just sick, and you can read the box above to get the details. Josh Carsello will pitch tomorrow's Game 2 and the one concern I have about this series is that he along with Josh Hanna and Jon Soranno are lefties and Texas is almost exclusively a RHB team. That's why taking this one was important.

Meanwhile in a wild, back-and-forth game Houston took its ALDS opener against Kansas City:

Meanwhile...

Toombs will be with the big club next year, probably in place of Bob Sirna.

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 09:48 AM

Wildness from the staff and a tough customer in Wil Diaz were enough to cost Tampa Bay today and allow Texas to tie up the ALDS at 1 in a 3-2 Rangers win. Josh Carsello walked 5 to contribute to the two runs he allowed and then Mike Wherry in the 7th walked three straight Rangers upon coming in, forcing in what proved to be the decisive run. Diaz meanwhile stifled the Rays' bats, holding them to 2 runs in 6 innings and they couldn't get anything going against the Texas bullpen until they loaded the bases with 2 out in the 9th. The Rays had the man they wanted at the plate in Jaiden Hardaway, but he hit a foul pop to first to end the game.

In the other DS games:

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 09:55 AM

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 10:41 AM

It was quite the game at Globe Life Field as Josh Hanna was hit hard for 5 runs in the 4th to put the Rays in a 6-2 hole, only for Danny Ayala to pick the right time to finally hit his first career postseason homer in 26 games, a grand slam in the top of the 5th to tie it up. Jon Jimenez then broke the tie with a solo shot in the 7th, and it was nailbiter time the rest of the way as Jim Golunski had to pitch around putting 2 men on in the 8th, and Kikuo Kawase gave up a single and a walk to start the 9th before striking out the next 3 and preserving the win to put the Rays up 2-1 in the best-of-5 with Jon Soranno looking to close it out tomorrow.

Meanwhile in the other ALDS, the Royals stay alive with their first postseason win since 2015:

Yes, that's long ago former Ray Jack Filby with the win for KC.

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 10:52 AM

We interrupt our playoff coverage to bring you a couple of yearly awards won by Rays farmhands:

Steveson was taken by Boston in the Rule 5 draft last winter but returned to us in spring training and he had a great year leading Durham to its 6th straight Governors' Cup. He's a minor league free agent this winter, so it's either add him to the 40-man or lose him for good (I doubt he signs a minor league extension). Right now I don't really see a place for him on next year's big club so we'll explore something assuming he turns down the minor league extension.

Pretty is more likely to have a future with us. He was acquired with catching prospect Kevin Morley in the Ricky Limongelli trade just before the season started and showed his live arm off. He was upgraded to 80 stuff and could pitch in an MLB bullpen right now although his 30 control would be a problem (he's only 40-45 potential in that category). He's not Rule 5-eligible yet.

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 11:43 AM

All hail Jon Soranno! The Rays lefty navigated a tough righty-heavy Texas lineup and held them to 2 hits over 6 2/3 innings to lead the Rays to a 7-0 win and a trip to the ALCS. Danny Medina took over and retired all 7 Rangers he faced as the pitching came up big for the first time in this series. The bats did too, although they had to wait for starter Dave Lugo to leave before feasting on the soft underbelly of the Rangers bullpen (6 runs and 12 hits in 3 1/3 innings) to break the game open. We don't know yet who we'll be facing in the ALCS yet, though...see below:

The Royals have gotten off the mat and forced a deciding Game 5 in Houston in a couple of days. Meanwhile it's advantage Columbus and Chicago with some familiar names hitting homers for those teams (Victor de Jesus, Aidan Meola and Lewin Diaz).

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 11:54 AM

This is the 2nd straight season Ricky Loya's been the IL MVP, an award you don't really want to win back-to-back since you should be in the bigs after winning the first one. But alas Loya is blocked like two people playing tic-tac-toe as both Daniel Vasquez and Jon Jimenez are holding down the 1B and DH spots in Tampa Bay and both are just getting their careers started. At this point I have to either deal Loya (who doesn't quite have the power of those two) or one of the two above for a big haul to make room for Loya. Maybe he should sue to get into the big leagues.

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 01:16 PM

Congrats to the Cubs who were helped by a couple of ex-Rays today, Ricky Widmar (actually healthy at the moment) and Steve Givens, as they advance to the NLCS. Meanwhile their opponent remains to be determined as the Dodgers evened things up behind Joe Trader, who should really start a grocery chain.

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 01:33 PM

And it'll be the 98-win Astros, a team which probably would have won over 100 had Juan Soto been healthy all year:

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 01:49 PM

It was quite a game, with the Dodgers seemingly in control before Cristhian Rodriguez crushed a 2-run shot in the 8th to put Columbus up, only for the Lightning pen to give it right back with Jonathan Goebel's 2-run pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the frame the game and series-winner. It'll be the Dodgers and the Cubs in the NLCS.

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 04:36 PM

Danny Ayala has taken a lot of heat over the last year or so as the home run king who couldn't hit them in the postseason, especially after last year's embarrassing first-round exit. But he finally got one against the Rangers in the ALDS and today he blasted a pair to lead the Rays to a Game 1 ALCS win over Houston. Nate Thompson didn't have his best stuff again but he gutted it out and got a lot of ground balls and infield pops to hold the Astros to 1 run in 6 2/3, and after Billy Hoyte and Tim Siqueiros each gave up homers to get Houston closer, Jim Golunski settled things down and got the 9th with lefties due and made quick work of the Astros to preserve the win. Josh Carsello will go in Game 2 and unlike the Texas series, having 3 lefty starters should work to our benefit with Houston's best hitters (Padilla, Soto, Rhodes) all lefties.

Also got this news:

So if we make the World Series it sounds like Baez could be available, if so Jeff Hayes would come off the roster. Dorian Gonzalez is doing a great job so no need to rush him back.

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 05:38 PM

Although Anthony Seigler's passed ball allowed the winning run to score in the 8th, the story of the game baseball fans will be telling their children and grandchildren in the years to come is Bo Angeac's 3-run inside-the-park homer that came immediately after and gave the Rays an 8-4 win and 2-0 lead in the ALCS. A blast to dead center, it hit off the base of the wall and took a funny bounce away from Astro CF Dan Gregory, and Angeac went into hyperdrive around the bases as the HP ump ruled "safe" in a cloud of dust. The Angeac homer and the win papered over what could have been a costly blown game from the bullpen, as Danny Medina and Mike Wherry lost the plot and lost the plate in the 7th to blow a 3-1 lead and let Houston go ahead. Omar Rodriguez's double in the bottom of the inning leveled things again before the excitement of the 8th. Josh Hanna will try to give the Rays an near-insurmountable 3-0 lead in two days' time in Houston.

In the NLCS opener:

An even wilder game than Rays-Astros, this one saw the Cubs think they had it won when they broke a 5-5 tie in the 9th with 3 runs in the 9th after JJ Bleday had tied it up with a homer for the Dodgers in the bottom of the 8th. But Bleday wouldn't be stopped, and he hit a 3-run shot in the bottom of the 9th to tie it up again and send it to extras. There the Cubs finally prevailed on Lewin Diaz's sac fly to take an early series lead.

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 05:51 PM

After yesterday's slugfest, the Cubs got the same result (a 1-run win) in quite a different way. Old friend Ricky Widmar came through with a homer for the game's only run to support the pitching of reigning NL Cy Young winner Raul Robles as the Cubs go back to Wrigley already up 2-0.

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 06:50 PM

Just a terrible night of pitching for the Rays, as Josh Hanna was horrible - and that's even after getting out of a near 40-pitch first inning with only one run, and all of the relievers allowed runs (Billy Hoyte will not see the mound again unless the lead is +/- 8 runs). The bats didn't do a whole lot after taking an early 3-1 lead either, and now Houston is back in the series. Jon Soranno will look to duplicate his Game 4 ALDS performance tomorrow to keep the Rays holding the upper hand.

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 07:14 PM

The Rays turned it around tonight and walloped the Astros behind another brilliant outing from Jon Soranno and the now-unstoppable Danny Ayala, who homered two more times to give him 5 in the 4 games of this series, which the Rays now lead 3-1. Nate Thompson will try to close it out as we don't want to get to a Game 7 with how shaky Josh Hanna has been this postseason.

Over in the NLCS:

The home team is still looking for its first win in this series as the Dodgers get back into it with a convincing road win.

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 08:15 PM

AL Champions again! The Rays are off to the World Series, where they're 8-1 in this save (the lone loss in 2024 to the Dodgers) after a series against Houston that was closer than it seemed, both in the 4-1 margin and the individual game margins. The Astros kept tacking on runs late, even when it seemed the game was out of hand and I'm glad to see them in my rear view mirror. But in the end our bats were just too much for them.

Over in the NLCS:

The Cubs are on the verge of being our opponents in the Fall Classic thanks to today's win, and it will be fun to play them instead of the Dodgers for the umpteenth time. They have some tough pitchers (Fairweather and Robles) who won't be fun to face in a short series, and former Ray Steve Givens has had a brilliant season. Of course they have to get there first.

Art Deco · 08-08-2021, 08:22 PM

Bring on the Cubs!

Art Deco · 08-09-2021, 08:52 AM

Nate Thompson had pitched decently in his starts in the ALDS and ALCS, but today he looked like the Nate Thompson we've seen much of this season, the best pitcher in the AL (and perhaps all of MLB). He didn't allow a hit until the 5th, and combined with Jim Golunski on a 3-hit shutout to propel the Rays to a Game 1 World Series win. It was a tight, low-scoring affair until the Rays broke it open with 4 in the 8th, thanks mostly to a rare homer off a lefty (former Ray Steve Givens) by Daniel Vasquez. Josh Carsello will look to double the Tampa Bay series lead tomorrow.

Art Deco · 08-09-2021, 11:16 AM

The Rays took a 2-0 series lead in the most dramatic fashion when pinch-hitter Eric Titcombe took a Luis Balladares pitch into the LF seats with a man on to give the Rays a 4-3 walk-off win at Publix Park. The Rays overcame a 3-0 deficit and steadily clawed back. Josh Carsello was his usual all-over-the-place self but Mike Wherry snapped back from a few shaky outings in earlier rounds to whiff 8 over 4 innings in relief, his longest outing of the year but so effective that he stayed in, although he missed getting the win by one out when he gave way to Tim Siqueiros. Jon Sorrano will get the ball at Wrigley in Game 3, moving ahead of the ineffective-this-postseason Josh Hanna, so if somehow we end up in a Game 7 it's Soranno pitching instead of Hanna.

(*Note: The original version of this game I played out batter-by-batter had the Rays taking a 4-1 lead into the top of the 9th when OOTP22 crashed on me, the first time that's happened mid-game with the new version. As a result I had no patience to play it out batter-by-batter again so I had to auto-play it a couple of times before getting this similar outcome, which explains why the win probability chart doesn't line up with the box).

Art Deco · 08-09-2021, 11:50 AM

Jon Soranno pitched so well tonight that he probably won't need to pitch a Game 7 as he led the Rays to a 4-3 win and a 3-0 series lead over the Cubs. After surviving a bit of a rough first inning, Soranno was locked in the rest of the way and that gave the offense enough time to score against possible NL Cy Young winner Steve Fairweather with the big blow a 2-run triple by Omar Rodriguez. Things got a bit dicey late with Kikuo Kawase going for a 4-out save and giving up an RBI single to the Cubs' MVP candidate Chris Clark (whom they've oddly been benching against our lefties), and he walked the leadoff man in the 9th but pitched around it as the Rays took their third straight tough game against Chicago. Josh Hanna will get a chance to close it out tomorrow.

08-08-2021, 09:21 AM	#1181
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 2, 2036: ALDS Game 1 There was an air of "here we go again" at Publix Park when the Rangers jumped on Rays ace Nate Thompson for 5 runs in the first 3 innings to take a 5-0 lead after last year's 130+ win team was summarily dispatched in the ALDS. But an inning and a half later it was 9-5 Rays and they went on to win their ALDS opener 13-5. Thompson was not very sharp (only 1 K in his 6 innings) but at least he settled down through the middle innings. Meanwhile the bats were just sick, and you can read the box above to get the details. Josh Carsello will pitch tomorrow's Game 2 and the one concern I have about this series is that he along with Josh Hanna and Jon Soranno are lefties and Texas is almost exclusively a RHB team. That's why taking this one was important. Meanwhile in a wild, back-and-forth game Houston took its ALDS opener against Kansas City: Meanwhile... Toombs will be with the big club next year, probably in place of Bob Sirna. Last edited by Art Deco; 08-08-2021 at 09:24 AM.

08-08-2021, 09:48 AM	#1182
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 3, 2036: ALDS Game 2 & NLDS Game 1 Wildness from the staff and a tough customer in Wil Diaz were enough to cost Tampa Bay today and allow Texas to tie up the ALDS at 1 in a 3-2 Rangers win. Josh Carsello walked 5 to contribute to the two runs he allowed and then Mike Wherry in the 7th walked three straight Rangers upon coming in, forcing in what proved to be the decisive run. Diaz meanwhile stifled the Rays' bats, holding them to 2 runs in 6 innings and they couldn't get anything going against the Texas bullpen until they loaded the bases with 2 out in the 9th. The Rays had the man they wanted at the plate in Jaiden Hardaway, but he hit a foul pop to first to end the game. In the other DS games:

08-08-2021, 09:55 AM	#1183
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 4, 2036: NLDS Game 2

08-08-2021, 10:41 AM	#1184
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 5, 2036: ALDS Game 3 It was quite the game at Globe Life Field as Josh Hanna was hit hard for 5 runs in the 4th to put the Rays in a 6-2 hole, only for Danny Ayala to pick the right time to finally hit his first career postseason homer in 26 games, a grand slam in the top of the 5th to tie it up. Jon Jimenez then broke the tie with a solo shot in the 7th, and it was nailbiter time the rest of the way as Jim Golunski had to pitch around putting 2 men on in the 8th, and Kikuo Kawase gave up a single and a walk to start the 9th before striking out the next 3 and preserving the win to put the Rays up 2-1 in the best-of-5 with Jon Soranno looking to close it out tomorrow. Meanwhile in the other ALDS, the Royals stay alive with their first postseason win since 2015: Yes, that's long ago former Ray Jack Filby with the win for KC.

08-08-2021, 10:52 AM	#1185
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	Some Minor Awards We interrupt our playoff coverage to bring you a couple of yearly awards won by Rays farmhands: Steveson was taken by Boston in the Rule 5 draft last winter but returned to us in spring training and he had a great year leading Durham to its 6th straight Governors' Cup. He's a minor league free agent this winter, so it's either add him to the 40-man or lose him for good (I doubt he signs a minor league extension). Right now I don't really see a place for him on next year's big club so we'll explore something assuming he turns down the minor league extension. Pretty is more likely to have a future with us. He was acquired with catching prospect Kevin Morley in the Ricky Limongelli trade just before the season started and showed his live arm off. He was upgraded to 80 stuff and could pitch in an MLB bullpen right now although his 30 control would be a problem (he's only 40-45 potential in that category). He's not Rule 5-eligible yet.

08-08-2021, 11:43 AM	#1186
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 6, 2036: ALDS Game 4 & NLDS Game 3 All hail Jon Soranno! The Rays lefty navigated a tough righty-heavy Texas lineup and held them to 2 hits over 6 2/3 innings to lead the Rays to a 7-0 win and a trip to the ALCS. Danny Medina took over and retired all 7 Rangers he faced as the pitching came up big for the first time in this series. The bats did too, although they had to wait for starter Dave Lugo to leave before feasting on the soft underbelly of the Rangers bullpen (6 runs and 12 hits in 3 1/3 innings) to break the game open. We don't know yet who we'll be facing in the ALCS yet, though...see below: The Royals have gotten off the mat and forced a deciding Game 5 in Houston in a couple of days. Meanwhile it's advantage Columbus and Chicago with some familiar names hitting homers for those teams (Victor de Jesus, Aidan Meola and Lewin Diaz). Last edited by Art Deco; 08-08-2021 at 11:44 AM.

08-08-2021, 11:54 AM	#1187
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	Someone get this man a Loya This is the 2nd straight season Ricky Loya's been the IL MVP, an award you don't really want to win back-to-back since you should be in the bigs after winning the first one. But alas Loya is blocked like two people playing tic-tac-toe as both Daniel Vasquez and Jon Jimenez are holding down the 1B and DH spots in Tampa Bay and both are just getting their careers started. At this point I have to either deal Loya (who doesn't quite have the power of those two) or one of the two above for a big haul to make room for Loya. Maybe he should sue to get into the big leagues.

08-08-2021, 01:16 PM	#1188
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 7, 2036: NLDS Game 4 Congrats to the Cubs who were helped by a couple of ex-Rays today, Ricky Widmar (actually healthy at the moment) and Steve Givens, as they advance to the NLCS. Meanwhile their opponent remains to be determined as the Dodgers evened things up behind Joe Trader, who should really start a grocery chain.

08-08-2021, 01:33 PM	#1189
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 8, 2036: ALDS Game 5 And it'll be the 98-win Astros, a team which probably would have won over 100 had Juan Soto been healthy all year:

08-08-2021, 01:49 PM	#1190
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 9, 2036: NLDS Game 5 It was quite a game, with the Dodgers seemingly in control before Cristhian Rodriguez crushed a 2-run shot in the 8th to put Columbus up, only for the Lightning pen to give it right back with Jonathan Goebel's 2-run pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the frame the game and series-winner. It'll be the Dodgers and the Cubs in the NLCS.

08-08-2021, 04:36 PM	#1191
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 10, 2036: ALCS Game 1 Danny Ayala has taken a lot of heat over the last year or so as the home run king who couldn't hit them in the postseason, especially after last year's embarrassing first-round exit. But he finally got one against the Rangers in the ALDS and today he blasted a pair to lead the Rays to a Game 1 ALCS win over Houston. Nate Thompson didn't have his best stuff again but he gutted it out and got a lot of ground balls and infield pops to hold the Astros to 1 run in 6 2/3, and after Billy Hoyte and Tim Siqueiros each gave up homers to get Houston closer, Jim Golunski settled things down and got the 9th with lefties due and made quick work of the Astros to preserve the win. Josh Carsello will go in Game 2 and unlike the Texas series, having 3 lefty starters should work to our benefit with Houston's best hitters (Padilla, Soto, Rhodes) all lefties. Also got this news: So if we make the World Series it sounds like Baez could be available, if so Jeff Hayes would come off the roster. Dorian Gonzalez is doing a great job so no need to rush him back. Last edited by Art Deco; 08-08-2021 at 04:51 PM.

08-08-2021, 05:38 PM	#1192
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 11, 2036: ALCS Game 2 & NLCS Game 1 Although Anthony Seigler's passed ball allowed the winning run to score in the 8th, the story of the game baseball fans will be telling their children and grandchildren in the years to come is Bo Angeac's 3-run inside-the-park homer that came immediately after and gave the Rays an 8-4 win and 2-0 lead in the ALCS. A blast to dead center, it hit off the base of the wall and took a funny bounce away from Astro CF Dan Gregory, and Angeac went into hyperdrive around the bases as the HP ump ruled "safe" in a cloud of dust. The Angeac homer and the win papered over what could have been a costly blown game from the bullpen, as Danny Medina and Mike Wherry lost the plot and lost the plate in the 7th to blow a 3-1 lead and let Houston go ahead. Omar Rodriguez's double in the bottom of the inning leveled things again before the excitement of the 8th. Josh Hanna will try to give the Rays an near-insurmountable 3-0 lead in two days' time in Houston. In the NLCS opener: An even wilder game than Rays-Astros, this one saw the Cubs think they had it won when they broke a 5-5 tie in the 9th with 3 runs in the 9th after JJ Bleday had tied it up with a homer for the Dodgers in the bottom of the 8th. But Bleday wouldn't be stopped, and he hit a 3-run shot in the bottom of the 9th to tie it up again and send it to extras. There the Cubs finally prevailed on Lewin Diaz's sac fly to take an early series lead.

08-08-2021, 05:51 PM	#1193
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 12, 2036: NLCS Game 2 After yesterday's slugfest, the Cubs got the same result (a 1-run win) in quite a different way. Old friend Ricky Widmar came through with a homer for the game's only run to support the pitching of reigning NL Cy Young winner Raul Robles as the Cubs go back to Wrigley already up 2-0.

08-08-2021, 06:50 PM	#1194
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 13, 2036: ALCS Game 3 Just a terrible night of pitching for the Rays, as Josh Hanna was horrible - and that's even after getting out of a near 40-pitch first inning with only one run, and all of the relievers allowed runs (Billy Hoyte will not see the mound again unless the lead is +/- 8 runs). The bats didn't do a whole lot after taking an early 3-1 lead either, and now Houston is back in the series. Jon Soranno will look to duplicate his Game 4 ALDS performance tomorrow to keep the Rays holding the upper hand.

08-08-2021, 07:14 PM	#1195
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 14, 2036: ALCS Game 4 & NLCS Game 3 The Rays turned it around tonight and walloped the Astros behind another brilliant outing from Jon Soranno and the now-unstoppable Danny Ayala, who homered two more times to give him 5 in the 4 games of this series, which the Rays now lead 3-1. Nate Thompson will try to close it out as we don't want to get to a Game 7 with how shaky Josh Hanna has been this postseason. Over in the NLCS: The home team is still looking for its first win in this series as the Dodgers get back into it with a convincing road win.

08-08-2021, 08:15 PM	#1196
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 15, 2036: ALCS Game 5 & NLCS Game 4 AL Champions again! The Rays are off to the World Series, where they're 8-1 in this save (the lone loss in 2024 to the Dodgers) after a series against Houston that was closer than it seemed, both in the 4-1 margin and the individual game margins. The Astros kept tacking on runs late, even when it seemed the game was out of hand and I'm glad to see them in my rear view mirror. But in the end our bats were just too much for them. Over in the NLCS: The Cubs are on the verge of being our opponents in the Fall Classic thanks to today's win, and it will be fun to play them instead of the Dodgers for the umpteenth time. They have some tough pitchers (Fairweather and Robles) who won't be fun to face in a short series, and former Ray Steve Givens has had a brilliant season. Of course they have to get there first.

08-08-2021, 08:22 PM	#1197
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 16, 2036: NLCS Game 5 Bring on the Cubs!

08-09-2021, 08:52 AM	#1198
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 21, 2036: World Series Game 1 Nate Thompson had pitched decently in his starts in the ALDS and ALCS, but today he looked like the Nate Thompson we've seen much of this season, the best pitcher in the AL (and perhaps all of MLB). He didn't allow a hit until the 5th, and combined with Jim Golunski on a 3-hit shutout to propel the Rays to a Game 1 World Series win. It was a tight, low-scoring affair until the Rays broke it open with 4 in the 8th, thanks mostly to a rare homer off a lefty (former Ray Steve Givens) by Daniel Vasquez. Josh Carsello will look to double the Tampa Bay series lead tomorrow.

08-09-2021, 11:16 AM	#1199
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 22, 2036: World Series Game 2 The Rays took a 2-0 series lead in the most dramatic fashion when pinch-hitter Eric Titcombe took a Luis Balladares pitch into the LF seats with a man on to give the Rays a 4-3 walk-off win at Publix Park. The Rays overcame a 3-0 deficit and steadily clawed back. Josh Carsello was his usual all-over-the-place self but Mike Wherry snapped back from a few shaky outings in earlier rounds to whiff 8 over 4 innings in relief, his longest outing of the year but so effective that he stayed in, although he missed getting the win by one out when he gave way to Tim Siqueiros. Jon Sorrano will get the ball at Wrigley in Game 3, moving ahead of the ineffective-this-postseason Josh Hanna, so if somehow we end up in a Game 7 it's Soranno pitching instead of Hanna. (Note: The original version of this game I played out batter-by-batter had the Rays taking a 4-1 lead into the top of the 9th when OOTP22 crashed on me, the first time that's happened mid-game with the new version. As a result I had no patience to play it out batter-by-batter again so I had to auto-play it a couple of times before getting this similar outcome, which explains why the win probability chart doesn't line up with the box). Last edited by Art Deco; 08-09-2021 at 11:23 AM.*

08-09-2021, 11:50 AM	#1200
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,972	October 24, 2036: World Series Game 3 Jon Soranno pitched so well tonight that he probably won't need to pitch a Game 7 as he led the Rays to a 4-3 win and a 3-0 series lead over the Cubs. After surviving a bit of a rough first inning, Soranno was locked in the rest of the way and that gave the offense enough time to score against possible NL Cy Young winner Steve Fairweather with the big blow a 2-run triple by Omar Rodriguez. Things got a bit dicey late with Kikuo Kawase going for a 4-out save and giving up an RBI single to the Cubs' MVP candidate Chris Clark (whom they've oddly been benching against our lefties), and he walked the leadoff man in the 9th but pitched around it as the Rays took their third straight tough game against Chicago. Josh Hanna will get a chance to close it out tomorrow.