The 2021 (and only 2021) Tampa Bay Rays

[Art Deco]

The Rays Meat Loafed New York and are at least back at .500, trailing the first-place Jays by 1 1/2 games.

Chris Ferguson was outstanding in the opener and he had to be as the offense didn't give him much to work with in a 2-0 win. The righty evened his record at 1-1 after going 6.1 4 0 0 3 7 and the bullpen did its job with Mike Moore handling the 9th for his 3rd save. Not too many highlights with the bats but Luis Berumen was 2-4 with an RBI, a first-inning sac fly that scored the winning run.

After taking most of the previous day off the bats came back in a big way in the second game and the Rays took a not-as-close-as-it-looked 10-6 win over the Yankees. Despite the final score this game actually was a 0-0 pitchers' duel through 5 before the Rays erupted for 8 runs in the 6th inning with Jake Westfall doing most of the damage. The CF blasted a 3-run homer (#3) his first time up and then capped the frame with a 2-run single giving him a 5-RBI inning which might be a team record if we kept track of such things. William Contreras (#2) and Luis Berumen (#5) added solo homers later and it was a good thing. That's because Joe Marlette, who no-hit the Yankees through 6, left after giving up a leadoff triple in the 7th and with the huge lead the back end of the pen was given the ball and failed miserably. Jeff Coblentz made his Rays debut and gave up a pair of homers, one of which was with Marlette's man on, and then Randy Morris gave up 3 more runs on two more homers before Chris Ericson finally calmed things down. Marlette (1-2) was absolutely brilliant, finishing 6 1 1 1 1 13.

When you have a pitch-to-contact guy like Joe Scheu there are going to be days when the balls find all the holes and today was one such day as the Yankees took the finale 6-2. Scheu (2-1) was a brutal 3.1 10 6 6 1 1 and giving up a pair of homers didn't help either. Both Rays runs came on a 2-run Joe Stack homer (#4) which gave Tampa Bay the briefest of leads in the 2nd.

Team record: 8-8. Next up: We get a chance to make up some ground on Toronto when we visit the Jays for 3 after an off-day.

[Art Deco]

Another good series as the Rays finally end one above .500 after taking 2 of 3 from first-place Toronto. The division is quite a mess now with the Jays in first, 1/2 game up on the Rays, Boston and the Yankees.

Things didn't go so well in the opener as Kevin DiCostanzo was unusually wild (and as a result, terrible) in a 7-2 loss to Toronto at Rogers Centre. The righty dropped to 2-1 after an awful 2.1 5 7 4 5 4 outing (you never want a lot of crooked numbers in a pitching line, except for the first and the last).

The Rays snapped back in the second game to take a 5-3 win thanks to big games from Wander Franco (off to a hot 2035 start) and rookie Luis Berumen (ditto). Wander was 3-4 with a 2-run homer (#4) in the 5th and Berumen drove in 3 with a 2-run 1st-inning single and a solo insurance homer (#6) in the 8th. Danny Morales (2-1) was in fine form at 7 6 1 1 3 5 but the bullpen made it a bit too interesting including Mike Moore allowing a run on 3 hits in the 9th yet still notching save #4.

Three more homers and another big game from Wander Franco propelled Tampa Bay to a 7-3 win over the Jays in the finale. Wander was 3-5 with 3 RBI and they got solo homers from Joe Stack (#5), Jake Westfall (#4) and the first major league longball from Claus Hoppenbrouwers, who hit his as a pinch-hitter. Joe Marlette (2-2) evened his record going 5 6 2 1 2 7 although it took him 104 pitches to get through his outing.

Team record: 10-9. Next up: A day off then back home for 3 vs Baltimore.

[Art Deco]

A series sweep for the Rays, although they had to come back and win a couple late in extras.

The opener was wildest game of the bunch, as Luis Berumen's 3-run homer (#7) in the bottom of the 8th tied it up after Baltimore scored 3 times in the top of the frame and Danny Charlton's RBI single in the 12th walked it off for an 8-7 win. Bobby Marin hit a 3-run homer (#6) in the 2nd to cap a 4-run inning but Baltimore came back to tie it off Chris Ferguson, who finished 6.1 5 4 4 2 7. Ruben Abeyta (1-0) got the win in relief.

Jake Westfall and Joe Scheu had nice games as seven different Rays drove in a run in a 7-3 win over the Orioles in the second game. Westfall hit HR #5 in the first, singled, walked twice, and scored three runs to lead the offense while Scheu (3-1) was in good form at 6.1 8 2 2 0 7.

Journeyman righty Chris DeYoe held the Rays to one hit through 8 innings and Baltimore took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the 9th but Tampa Bay loaded the bases off the Oriole bullpen and with two out Joe Stack delivered a 2-run single to send us to extras, where Justin Blackwell walked it off with a solo homer (#4) in the bottom of the 10th to give them a 3-2 win. Blackwell had been in a prolonged slump and was given the day off before he entered late after Mu-Sang Park was pinch-hit for in the 9th. Kevin DiCostanzo had a good start at 6 4 1 1 4 6 and was thankfully spared a tough-luck loss.

Team record: 13-9. We're still 1/2 game behind Toronto which also swept their series but now in 2nd with a little distance between the Yankees and Red Sox who beat up on each other. Next up: Kansas City comes to town for 3.

[Art Deco]

The Rays made it 8 straight wins after sweeping the Royals, blowing them out three times by a combined score of 28-7.

Transaction: Danny Arroyave finally rejoins the Rays after his spring training injury and Claus Hoppenbrouwers, who was impressive in his 3 1/2-week stint, goes to Durham to play every day.

Danny Morales was sharp and the offense banged out 16 hits in 8-1 romp over the Royals in the opener. Morales (3-1) went 6 6 1 1 1 4 for the win and had plenty of support. Alex Rivas was 4-5 and scored 3 runs, Danny Arroyave made an instant impact going 2-4 with 3 RBI, Wander Franco was 3-4 with 2 knocked in and Luis Berumen doubled twice and drove in a pair.

The Royals were in the second game - for a while. It was 3-3 going into the bottom of the 6th before the Rays put up a 5-spot and went on to crush Kansas City 13-4. The big blow in the inning was a 3-run Bobby Marin homer (#7), one of his 3 hits on the day. Earlier Danny Charlton hit a 2-run shot in the 1st, his 4th of the season and first since his early-season 3-homer game and Justin Blackwell went deep with #5 as he had three hits as well. Joe Marlette started and went 5.2 3 3 3 2 6 but just missed out on the win which instead went to Ruben Abeyta (2-0).

Chris Ferguson was outstanding and the Rays completed the sweep with another easy win 7-2. Ferguson (2-1) was dominant in going 7.2 3 0 0 1 10 and his mates broke it open with a 6-run 4th highlighted by a 2-run Willie Gutierrez homer (#2). Danny Arroyave tied a club record with a pair of triples, driving in two, and Danny Charlton was 2-3 with a double and an RBI. Arroyave ended up 6-13 with 6 RBI in this series, his first three games back from injury.

Team record: 16-9. So did we make up the 1/2-game deficit with Toronto? Nope, they swept their series as well. Next up: An off-day to make the longest flight in MLB to Seattle for 3 games against the 14-10 Mariners.

[Art Deco]

First, some news from the league:



Not a shock given how well Berumen has played, and he has to be considered one of the front-runners for AL Rookie of the Year.

Meanwhile were undoubtedly sleepless in Seattle after a tough loss in the finale which meant they dropped 2 out of 3. Toronto finally lost a game so they didn't lose ground, still at 1 1/2 back.

The opener was also an exercise in frustration as they kept putting men on base but couldn't get them home in a 3-1 loss. The Rays banged out 10 hits and drew 3 walks but could never get the hit they needed until it was basically too late when Jake Westfall doubled in a run in the 9th. Joe Scheu (3-2) was a hard-luck loser after a fine 7 7 2 2 1 4 outing.

The bats got the job done in the second game as the Rays won 7-4. Danny Charlton drove in 3 with an RBI double and a 2-run homer (#5) while Bobby Marin and Luis Berumen each hit their 8th homer of the year with a man on. Kevin DiCostanzo (3-1) was in good form at 6 6 2 2 2 7 and Mike Moore fanned a pair in a perfect 9th for save #5.

The finale saw the Rays take a 4-0 lead which they couldn't hold, losing to Seattle 5-4. Solo homers from Jake Westfall (#6) and Wander Franco (#5) along with a 2-run Joe Stack blast (a double Stack?) (#8) staked them to that lead in the 4th but Danny Morales ended up giving it all back at 6 5 4 4 3 2 and then the least-clutch reliever in the history of all my Rays saves, Devon Williams (0-2), gave up the game-winning homer in the 8th. I keep putting him out there with his 80/65/65 ratings and he keeps defying them. Danny Charlton doubled in the 9th but couldn't be plated.

Team record: 17-11. Next up: Back home for 3 vs Houston.

[Art Deco]

The Rays sandwiched a tough loss around a couple of easy wins in taking 2 of 3 from the Astros while Toronto hardly ever seems to lose and swept their opponent, putting the Rays 2 1/2 back in the AL East.

Tampa Bay went up 5-0 after two and 10-0 after 4 on their way to a 13-1 rout of the Astros in the opener. Danny Charlton has been feast or famine this season and today he ate, going 3 for 5 with a 2-run homer (#6) among his 5 RBI, Willie Gutierrez was 2-5 with a 2-run triple and Bobby Marin went 3-4 with a run-scoring single to lead the offense. Joe Marlette (3-2) was great even though he didn't need to be at 5.1 5 0 0 2 8.

The Rays outhit Houston 7-4 in the second game but 3 of those Astros hits were homers leading to a 4-2 loss. Chris Ferguson (2-2) was untouchable outside of a 2-homer, 3-run 3rd at 6 3 3 3 0 4 but the damage was done. The Rays fought back to 3-2 on a Danny Charlton RBI double and Joe Stack's 7th homer but couldn't plate anyone else.

Jake Westfall and Joe Scheu led the Rays to a comfortable 7-2 win in the finale. The CF was 2-5 with a 3-run homer (#7) in the 5th which broke open a 1-0 game and Scheu (4-2) was in fine form at 6.1 6 2 1 1 1 4. Joe Stack added a 2-run homer (#8).

Team record: 19-12. Next up: The homestand continues with the 14-17 White Sox visiting for 3 games.

[Art Deco]

A series sweep for the Rays featuring some very stingy pitching as Tampa Bay hurlers allowed only three runs in total. Toronto did manage to lose a game, but just one, so the Rays pull within 1 1/2.

Kevin DiCostanzo was solid in the opener and pitched the Rays to a 6-2 win over the White Sox. The righty improved to 4-1 after a 6 5 2 2 0 7 with the only damage against a pair of solo homers. Speaking of homers, Danny Charlton went deep again with his 7th, Agustin Lopez hit his first, and Justin Blackwell was 3-4 with an RBI.

Danny Morales and a pair of relievers combined on a 5-hit shutout as the Rays took a 5-0 decision over Chicago. Morales (4-1) was 6 3 0 0 2 4 and he was supported by the red-hot Danny Charlton who blasted a pair of 2-run homers to give him 9 on the season.

The Rays completed the sweep with a 6-1 win over the White Sox. Today's outstanding starter was Joe Marlette (4-2) who went 5.2 3 0 0 2 8 and the offense was led by rookie Luis Berumen, 3-5 with a solo homer (#9) and an RBI double. Danny Arroyave launched his first longball of the season and Wander Franco was 4-5 with an RBI double to raise his batting average to an MLB-best .402 as the 34-year-old vet is looking like a spry youngster again.

Team record: 22-12. Next up: An off-day then we're off to Cleveland for 3 games.

[Art Deco]

The Rays pulled off another sweep and now boast the third-best record in MLB but thanks to another Toronto sweep all it did was keep them 1 1/2 behind the Blue Jays.

Tampa Bay took the opener with 3 runs in the 10th after losing a 1-0 late, getting by the Guardians 4-1. Danny Charlton's sac fly brought home the winner and Luis Berumen and Joe Stack followed with RBI singles to make a winner of Mike Moore (2-0), who vultured the win after giving up the tying hit to score Chris Ferguson's man in the 8th. Ferguson was brilliant at 7.1 4 1 1 2 5 and Devon Williams picked up his 1st save despite making things interesting as usual by putting a couple of me on in the bottom of the 10th.

A 4-run 5th broke a 2-2 tie and the Rays went on to a 7-3 win over Cleveland in the second game. Danny Charlton was the difference again with his 2-run homer (#10) the game-winner and Joe Stack followed later in the inning with a 2-run single. Joe Scheu (5-2) was in fine form for the win at 7.2 6 2 2 0 3 and lowered his ERA to 3.19.

The Rays completed the sweep and ran their win streak to 7 thanks to a 6-1 triumph in the finale. The Rays clung to a 2-1 lead going into the 7th before Joe Stack launched a 2-run homer (#9) to give them some breathing room and Danny Arroyave added a 2-run double in the 8th to bust it open. Earlier they received solo homers from Luis Berumen (#10) and Alex Rivas (#2), the latter opening the game. Meanwhile Kevin DiCostanzo was dealing on the mound, improving to 5-1 after a 7 4 1 1 2 3 outing.

Team record: 25-12. Next up: An off-day then our first interleague action of 2035 with 3 at the Trop against 18-20 Washington.

MLB News: Toronto's Spencer Torkelson belted career homer #500, hit two more the next day, and then suffered a strained quadriceps which will sideline him for six weeks.

[Art Deco]

The train keeps on a-rollin' as the Rays swept the Nationals and made it 10 wins in a row. They did manage to gain a game on the Jays and pull to within 1/2 game of the division lead.

Joe Marlette pitched one of the best games of his outstanding career to date, a 2-hit complete-game shutout as the Rays neutered the Nats 5-0. Marlette (5-2) went 9 2 0 0 1 10 on 113 pitches for his second career shutout and lowered his ERA to 2.82 in the process. The big hits were Jake Westfall's 2-run single which made it 3-0 in the 5th and Joe Stack's 2-run shot (#10) in the following inning.

The pitching has been outstanding during this win streak and through most of the year with tonight no exception as the Rays squeaked out a 3-2 win in the second game. Danny Morales (5-1) was solid again at 6 3 2 2 0 6 with both runs against coming on solo homers and Mike Moore handled the 9th for save #6, a low number considering this was win #27. Jake Westfall's 2-run double scored the first two runs and Danny Arroyave's 2nd homer was the difference.

The Rays shut out Washington once again with Chris Ferguson and Ruben Abeyta combining on a 3-hit whitewash in a 4-0 win. Ferguson (3-2) was 7 4 0 0 1 7 and Abeyta threw a perfect 8th and 9th as Rays pitching has allowed only 12 runs over this 10-game winning streak. A 2nd-inning RBI single from Joe Stack got them on the board, Luis Berumen doubled the lead with HR #11, and Bobby Marin's 2-run blast (#9) opened up some breathing room.

Team record: 28-12. Next up: More interleague fun as 21-20 Atlanta visits for 3 games.

MLB News: Updates on a few guys who were with the Rays the last several seasons. Slade Cecconi, now with Baltimore, had been in their rotation with a curious 8/9 BB/K ratio in 33 innings and those will be his final 2035 numbers as he tore his rotator cuff and is done for the year. Our backup catcher of years past, Diego Cartaya, had been without a job but finally just inked a minor league pact with Texas.

[Art Deco]

The Rays ran their win streak to 12 before falling in the finale, and of course that meant they lost a game to Toronto in the standings as the Jays never seem to lose either. The deficit is now 1 1/2 games.

The winning streak reached 11 in the opener as once again the pitching was magnificent in a 5-1 win. The offense got off to a slow start until the Rays erupted for 4 runs in the 6th on a grand slam from Wander Franco (#6), off to an absurd start this year at 387/449/600. That was plenty for Joe Scheu (6-2), who pitched into the 9th and finished 8 3 1 1 3 6 with Atlanta finally scoring in the 9th. In fact it became necessary for Mike Moore to come on and get the final out for save #7.

The Rays made it 12 straight wins thanks to a 3-0 decision over Atlanta in the second game, allowing only 13 runs in total during it. Today it was Kevin DiCostanzo and Mike Moore combining on a 5-hit shutout with DiCostanzo improving to 6-1 after going 8 4 0 0 1 10 and Moore earning his 8th save with a scoreless 9th. For the second straight day the offense slumbered before waking up in the 6th; in fact they were no-hit until that point and got on the board with a Jake Westfall RBI single. Danny Charlton added a solo homer (#11) in the 7th for insurance.

The streak finally came to an end in the finale but it wasn't until the 9th inning that the game was lost when Atlanta scored 4 times off Chris Ericson (0-2) to take a 6-2 win over Tampa Bay. Joe Marlette was a fine 6 3 2 2 1 8 but the offense continued its recent struggles although Luis Berumen's RBI double in the 7th tied things up.

Team record: 30-13. Next up: We finally get to do something about the Jays as we head to Canada to play them twice. And after returning home for 2 against the Yankees the Jays come to the Trop for 3 over Memorial Day weekend.

[Art Deco]

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.

[Art Deco]

The Rays swept the 2-game quickie series from the Yankees and with Toronto actually losing a game we're only 1/2 game back entering the big series with the Jays at the Trop up next.

Transaction: We'll have to get used to life without Wander Franco for a while with rookie prospect Claus Hoppenbrouwers recalled from Durham for a second stint with the big club this year. He'll play the bulk of the time at 2B with Agustin Lopez factoring in as well.

Joe Scheu continues to demonstrate he was an inspired acquisition from St. Louis for Nate Strickland last winter as he and a pair of relievers combined on a 5-hit shutout in a 6-0 Rays win over the Yankees. Scheu went 6 4 0 0 1 3 and is now 7-2, 2.56. Luis Berumen was 3-5 with an RBI double, Danny Arroyave doubled and hit a solo homer (#4), and Joe Stack busted it open with a Triple Stack™, a 3-run homer (#11) in the 8th.

The Rays took a 5-3 win in the second game behind a fine outing from Kevin DiCostanzo and three homers from unlikely sources. The unlikeliest of them came leading off the game when Alex Rivas hit one off the LCF wall and it took a crazy carom enabling Rivas to circle the bases for an inside-the-parker, his 3rd homer of the year. Also going deep were Claus Hoppenbrouwers (#2) and William Contreras (#3), back-to-back in the 3rd. Contreras finished the day 3-3 with a HBP and 2 RBI. DiCostanzo (7-2) meanwhile coasted with an early 5-0 lead, going 6 6 1 1 2 7, and after Devon Williams made things far too interesting once again in the 9th by allowing back-to-back jacks with a 4-run lead, Mike Moore got the final two outs for save #9.

Team record: 33-14. Next up: That huge 3-game series against the Jays at the Trop.

[Art Deco]

The two best teams in baseball squared off in the biggest series of the season to date and the Rays took 2 out of 3 and first place in the AL East in the process, moving 1/2 game ahead of Toronto.

Transaction: We continue to have 2B drop like flies as Agustin Lopez, slated to get more action with Wander Franco's injury, suffered a dead arm and will be out for the 10 days he'll serve on the IL. Utilityman Mike Calhoun, up last year, had his contract purchased from Durham.

Tampa Bay scored early and often in the opener and went on whip the Jays 8-2. Danny Charlton's RBI double was the key hit in a 2-run first, and Danny Arroyave's 3-run homer in the 3rd (#5) broke it open with Alex Rivas later adding a 2-run double. This was plenty for Joe Marlette (6-2) in fine form at 6 4 1 1 0 8. Nick Wallerstedt went the final 3 innings for his first Rays save.

It took a bit longer for the Rays to get going in the second game but they eventually did with Danny Morales and four relievers combining on a 5-hit shutout in a 6-0 win over Toronto. Morales (6-1) was 5 2 0 0 4 4 so he did pitch around some trouble and Mike Moore had the get the final two outs after Jeff Coblentz loaded the bases in the 9th. Bobby Marin hit an RBI triple in the 4th and subsequently scored to put the Rays up 2-0, Danny Arroyave went deep again with a 2-run shot (#6) in the 6th, an inning in which Justin Blackwell later homered (#8) and Claus Hoppenbrouwers added his 3rd longball in the 7th for good measure.

Tampa Bay had a good chance to sweep the series and dramatically came back in the 9th to tie it up before succumbing to 5 Toronto runs in the 12th to allow the Jays to salvage the finale 7-2. Chris Ferguson pitched well at 5.2 4 2 2 4 4 and the Rays came back from 2-0 down with Justin Blackwell's RBI single in the 9th tying it up. But the bullpen was used up by the 12th, leaving rookie Leo Gutierrez (0-1) to get the job done which he didn't, allowing a 2-run double and then a 3-run homer to let it get away.

Team record: 35-15. Next up: We start a 3-game series at home against Texas on Memorial Day.

[Art Deco]

The Rays only managed 8 runs over the entirety of their series with Texas but still managed to take 2 out of 3 and retained their 1/2 game lead over the Blue Jays.

The lack of runs was a culprit in their series-opening 5-2 loss to the Rangers. Joe Scheu pitched decently at 7 7 3 3 1 0 but still fell to 7-3 when all his mates could do was manage a pair of runs in the 8th after it was already 5-0.

Outstanding pitching from Kevin DiCostanzo and a pair of solo homers from Joe Stack led the Rays to a 4-0 win in the second game. DiCostanzo improved to 8-1, 2.20 (and 6-0, 1.38 in May) with a 6 4 0 0 2 6 and Stack hit homers #12 & 13 in the 2nd and 7th to give Tampa Bay its first two runs before they tacked on two more in the 7th thanks to Bobby Marin's double.

The Rays' other ace Joe Marlette picked up where DiCostanzo left off the night before, pitching the Rays to a 2-0 victory and a series win over Texas. Marlette went to 7-2 but had to leave after going 5 5 0 0 0 8 after racking up a pitch count of 99 although he struck out the last two men he faced in the 5th with two Rangers on. Three relievers finished the shutout with Mike Moore turning in a 1-2-3 9th for his 10th save. The bats were pretty quiet but an RBI triple from Luis Berumen in the 1st and an RBI single from William Contreras in the 5th were all that was needed.

Team record: 37-16. Next up: An off-day then 3 games in Baltimore.

As one might expect DiCostanzo was recognized by the league:

[Art Deco]

A tough series for the Rays which took them 17 innings in the finale to salvage one win out of it. Fortunately the Jays decided to lose 2 of 3 as well so Tampa Bay remains 1/2 game up.

Usually a 4-1 lead going into the 8th is a cinch win with the #1 staff in baseball so far this year but the bullpen blew the lead in the 8th and blew the game in the 9th as the Rays lost 5-4 to the Orioles. Danny Morales went 6.2 4 1 1 1 3 and Justin Blackwell had a big 3-run homer (#9) to build the lead but four different relievers each allowed a run with Mike Moore (2-1) the last of them allowing Baltimore to walk it off in the 9th.

Perhaps it was the hangover of a tough loss the night before but the Rays came out listless in the second game and dropped a 4-0 decision to the Orioles. Chris Ferguson (3-3) pitched well at 5.2 5 2 2 0 4 but got zero support. They did have a few chances to score with 7 hits and 2 walks but could never get the hit they needed.

Transactions: Luis Berumen had to come out with hamstring soreness and since it's "moderate" he goes on the 10-day IL. Rookie Gabe Jimenez, not a big-time prospect, gets the call from Durham. Leo Gutierrez is a big-time prospect but he hasn't gotten the work he's needed with the big club in relief and has struggled of late (including giving up a 2-run homer last night), so he's going back to Durham to start and Randy Morris was activated from his rehab assignment.

The finale looked like a "here we go again" game when Mike Moore gave up a 2-run homer in the 9th to blow the save and a 3-1 lead but the rest of the pen bailed him out as the Rays went deep into the Baltimore night to pull out a 5-3 win in 17 innings. Joe Scheu continued on his roll going 6 3 1 0 0 5, Joe Stack had a solo shot (#14) and when Justin Blackwell homered in the 9th (#10) to make it 3-1 it looked the Rays had the necessary insurance. But Moore lost the lead and on and on we went with Baltimore having a great couple of chances to score during Nick Wallerstedt's 3 2/3 innings but he got the outs he needed, and in the 17th Blackwell singled, stole second and scored on an Alex Rivas single and then Jake Westfall doubled in Rivas. Last man in the pen Jeff Coblentz went the final 2 1/3 perfect to earn his first Rays win.

Team record: 38-18. Next up: 4 games in Boston.

[Art Deco]

The Rays split a hard-fought 4-game series at Fenway while the Jays were nice enough to drop 2 of 3 so the division lead stands at one full game for Tampa Bay.

After playing 17 innings the day before in Baltimore the last thing the Rays wanted was another marathon game, but that's what they got in the opener. And if you're going to have to play these type of games you might as well win them and as they did in Baltimore they won today's extra-inning affair, 8-4 over Boston in 13 innings. They loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of 13th and were well on their way to squandering that opportunity but with two out Jake Westfall cleared the bases with a double and scored on a single. Chris Ericson (1-2) got the win in relief and Randy Morris picked up his first MLB save by recording the final out. Bobby Marin had a 4-RBI night and Kevin DiCostanzo wasn't his best at 5 6 4 4 0 6.

After playing the equivalent of 3 1/3 games the two days previous the Rays could be forgiven for struggling in the second game and that's what they did in a 2-1 loss. It wasn't for lack of chances though: twice Alex Rivas came up with the bases loaded and two out and twice he made outs, including one to end the game. Rivas did score their only run and had two hits but neither came in the big spot. Joe Marlette (7-3) was a tough-luck loser after going 7 6 2 2 0 6.

Tampa Bay bounced back to take the third game 8-5 at Fenway with Joe Stack and Jake Westfall supplying most of the offense. Stack was 3-5 with 3 RBI while Westfall doubled and hit a 2-run homer (#8). Danny Morales went to 7-1 after going 5.2 5 3 3 1 4 and Mike Moore picked up his 11th save with a scoreless 9th.

Rays' bats went cold again in the finale as they had to settle for a split after losing 3-1. Chris Ferguson (3-4) was 5.2 7 3 3 2 5 in the loss, which saw Tampa Bay hitters scratch out a measly five hits.

Team record: 40-20. Next up: We return home for 3 against the Yankees.

[Art Deco]

Normally taking 2 out of 3 in a series would be a good thing but when you're going head-to-head with this year's Blue Jays it often isn't and with Toronto sweeping Boston they've moved back into a tie with the Rays atop the AL East.

Tampa Bay had to come from behind in the opener after falling behind 3-0 early but a 4-run 5th sent them on their way to a 6-4 win over the Yankees. Danny Arroyave's solo homer (#7) got the rally going and Justin Blackwell had an RBI double before Bobby Marin's infield single put the Rays ahead to stay. Gabe Jimenez was 2-3 in his MLB debut as well. Joe Scheu gave up some hits at 4.1 9 3 3 1 3, leaving Jeff Coblentz (2-1) to pick up the win with Mike Moore notching save #12 despite allowing a solo homer.

It was a 2-man show in the second game as Kevin DiCostanzo took a no-hitter into the 7th and Danny Arroyave clubbed a pair of homers to lead the Rays to a 6-0 win over New York. DiCostanzo (9-1) allowed a 2-out double in the 7th to lose the no-no and finished 7.1 3 0 0 1 9 while Arroyave blasted a solo homer in the 2nd and a grand slam in a 5-run 6th to break the game open, giving him 9 longballs on the season.

The bats were fairly quiet in a 3-2 loss to the Yankees in the finale with New York pushing across the winning run in the 7th. Joe Marlette (7-4) was decent at 6 6 3 3 1 5 with human bad luck charm Devon Williams giving up the winning hit, a double with Marlette's man aboard.

Team record: 42-21. Next up: We head to the Big Apple to play the other New York team, the 33-31 Mets, for 3 games.

[Art Deco]

With the Rays coming into this series having precisely 2 of every 3 games they've played this season it shouldn't come as a shock that that's what they did against the Mets. And with Toronto only winning one game in their series Tampa Bay is back in sole possession of first in the AL East, a game up.

The Rays and Mets combined for 1 run and 5 hits in the opener and it was Tampa Bay with the lone run to take a 1-0 win. Bobby Marin's solo homer (#10) in the 4th was it for the offense and it made a winner of Danny Morales (8-1) who was far from sharp at 5.2 1 0 0 5 3 but got the outs he needed. Three relievers combined to complete the shutout with Mike Moore hurling a perfect 9th for save #13.

Transaction: Luis Berumen is welcomed off the IL to give the offense a much-needed boost while Gabe Jimenez is sent back to Durham.

Tampa Bay's offense was AWOL for much of the second game with only one run through 8 innings but managed to put 3 on the board in the 9th to erase a 4-1 deficit, only for the Mets to walk it off in the bottom of the frame to take a 5-4 loss. It was a 1-1 game into the 7th when former Ray Jamie Reiner hit a 2-run single to put New York ahead but in the 9th Joe Stack came off the bench to hit a game-tying RBI double with 2 out. Alas Mike Moore (1-1) allowed a leadoff double in the 9th, a steal of 3rd and a sac fly to let the game get away. Chris Ferguson was 6 5 3 2 1 5 in a solid start.

The Rays won the rubber game, scoring early and often to take a comfortable 9-3 decision over the Mets. Joe Stack got things going with a 1st-inning grand slam (#15) and then they added 4 more in the 4th including a Claus Hoppenbrouwers RBI triple and a 2-run Luis Berumen homer (#12). Hoppenbrouwers later added a solo homer, his 4th. Joe Scheu (8-3) scattered the hits - and I mean scattered them - at 5 12 3 3 0 2 and two of the runs came on solo homers meaning the Mets only managed one run on the other 10 hits.

Team record: 44-22. Next up: An off-day then we head down I-95 to Philadelphia for 3 games.

[Art Deco]

Team Meat Loaf was it again, taking 2 of 3 in Philly. And the really good news this time is Toronto stumbled against our neighbors from the south as the Marlins swept them in Miami enabling the Rays to open up a 3-game lead in the division.

The series didn't start off promisingly though as Philly's Tommy Roach held the bats to 4 hits in a 5-1 loss. Bobby Marin's 11th homer in the 6th was scant consolation on a day where the Phillies jumped on Kevin DiCostanzo (9-2) for 5 runs by the 4th although he settled in to finish 6 7 5 5 2 6.

The Rays blew a 2-0 lead in the 8th inning of the second game, scored thrice in the 9th to go up 5-2 and then had to hang on to prevail 5-4 over the Phillies in a game that got wild late. Joe Stack (#16) and Danny Arroyave hit solo homers to back Joe Marlette, who cruised at 7 5 0 0 3 6. But Ruben Abeyta gave the two runs back after facing only three hitters in the 8th before departing for Dillon Adkins. Adkins got the final man in the inning and his first Rays win when Arroyave went deep again with Luis Berumen aboard, his second of the game and 11th of the year to make it 4-2. Danny Charlton then came off the bench and hit a pinch solo homer (#12) and that proved to be an important run when Mike Moore gave up 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th but made it through for a shaky save #14.

Tampa Bay prevailed 4-1 in the finale thanks to a strong Danny Morales outing and some more timely homers. Morales went 9-1 after a 7 7 1 1 1 6 performance and Mike Moore made things interesting again, putting two men on but not allowing any runs to notch save #15. Willie Gutierrez, mired in a season-long slump batting 167/207/283 coming in, hit a 2-run homer (#3) in the 2nd to get the Rays on the board, his first longball since April 4. Claus Hoppenbrouwers was 3-4 with a double and singled in a run while Danny Charlton went deep in the 6th (#13) for the second straight day.

Team record: 46-23. Next up: The long and winding road trip takes us next to Texas for 3 games.

MLB News: Veteran OF Luis Robert, now plying his trade across town with the Cubs after starting his career with the White Sox, hit career homer #400.

[Art Deco]

The offense continues in its slump, only scoring six runs over the three games with Texas but somehow managed to win two of them thanks to outstanding pitching. Toronto did likewise so it's status quo with a 3-game lead over the Jays.

One run wasn't going to win the opener though as the Rays were hosed 8-1 by the Rangers. Chris Ferguson (3-5) was OK at 5 9 3 2 0 6 but Jeff Coblentz let it get away by allowing 4 runs in relief.

Trailing 1-0 after 7 innings the Rays scored twice in the 8th and once in the 9th and took a 3-2 win over Texas. It looked like Joe Scheu was going to be a hard-luck loser after going 6.1 6 1 1 1 5 and it also looked like things might go worse for him when he loaded the bases with one out in the 7th but Devon Williams finally came through in the clutch with a couple of whiffs to hold the score at 1-0 and that inspired the offense to go ahead in the 8th on a 2-run homer from Jake Westfall (#9). Justin Blackwell added a solo shot (#11) in the 9th and that insurance run proved to be just that when Mike Moore once again gave up a run despite getting save #16. Williams earned the win and evened his record at 2-2.

Deja vu for the Rays as once again they trailed 1-0 through 7 and once again they scored twice in the 8th to win it, this time 2-1 over the Rangers. Kevin DiCostanzo improved to 10-2 by going 8 5 1 1 2 6 and Bobby Marin had the big hit, an RBI double to tie it up and he then scored the winner on Luis Berumen's sac fly. This time Devon Williams was called on for the save and he came through with an 8-pitch 1-2-3 inning for his 2nd of the year.

Team record: 48-24. Next up: An off-day then back home for 3 against San Antonio, muddling along at 34-38.