This afternoon, the Rays excellent hitting gave them the victory. The pitching was there to back them at the end, but it was homeruns from the teams leaders, like Evan Longoria and BJ Upton, that led the Rays to a sweep in Houston.
Joe Maddon was debating with himself whether he should send his last remaining positional player to pinch-hit for the Rays. This was probably one of the biggest at bats for the Rays: down by one, the bases were loaded, with two outs. His last remaining player was Matt Joyce, and Sean Rodriguez was stepping up to the plate. Joe Maddon decided to pull Sean Rodriguez out, and put Matt Joyce in to pinch-hit.
The decision paid off as Matt Joyce doubled and brought in Johnny Damon and Ben Zobrist. Joyce didn't even think Maddon was going to use him right then. Joyce thought that he was going to be subbed in for a pitcher later on in the game.
"If I have a chance to really think about it, it's pretty easy. When everything is rushing through your head ... there's all these different thoughts. But at the end of the day the one thought that is overriding was, the bases are loaded, two outs, this is your best chance to win the game was right there." Maddon explained the decision to pinch-hit Matt Joyce,"And that is what I went with."
Of course, it wasn't just that double that won this game for the Rays. Longoria and Upton were both key factors in the game, and in the series.
Longoria's groove without his batting gloves continued. He hit two crucial home runs. His first homerun was in the sixth with one out, and Johnny Damon on third: that blast to left field tied the game at 7-7. Then, with two men on in the ninth, Longoria struck again to put the icing on the cake. This one was to deep left and gave the Rays a comfortable four run lead in the bottom of the ninth.
Longoria had four hits on six at bats tonight, including his two homeruns, five RBIs, and three runs. Longoria finished the series against the Astros with eight hits, including the three homeruns he had, and ten RBIs. And you can't forget, that was all without batting gloves! The way it has been going, he may never touch those gloves again!
"I don't know, I feel pretty good right now. It's all in the way my swing's feeling and it just so happens that it started happening without the batting gloves." Longoria said,"So I'm just going to continue until either my hands go or I've got to change it up again."
BJ Upton homered for his third straight game. His homer came in his first plate appearance, in the top of the first inning. It was a three-run shot, 434 feet to left-center field. Upton didn't stop there though. He went 2-5 in the game with two runs, four RBIs, and two walks.
Since the Rays ran out of pinch-hitters, they were forced to use Saturday'starting pitcher, Wade Davis, to the plate to pinch-hit. It turned out to be a good decision as Davis got his first career hit. This also made him the first pitcher in Rays history to get a hit as a pinch-hitter. Later that inning he got thrown out at home in a collision that shook up Astro's catcher Carlos Corporan.
Jeff Niemann did not pitch a good game. He only got three innings on the mound, allowing seven hits, and five runs. Neimann was pulled, six Rays relievers were transistioned in and out of the game. JP Howell ended up getting his first win of the year. Juan Cruz was the best pitcher for the Rays, tossing two innings and only allowing one hit. Wilton Lopez recieved the loss for his four runs allowed for the Astros, taking him to 1-4 on the season
The entire lineup hit very well today for the Rays. The top of the lineup was the only reason the the Rays won this game though. They really came up big when it counted. Especially Evan Longoria, who is your great of the game. The good is BJ Upton. The ugly is the seven spot for the Rays that went a combined 0-5 between Kelly Shoppach and John Jaso.
This was the Rays third straight interleague series. They went a combined 8-1 in their interleague games. Their only loss came in game two against the Brewers. Today is the beginning of their fourth straight interleague series where they will take on the Cincinnati Reds back in their home, Tropicana Field.
Joe Maddon was debating with himself whether he should send his last remaining positional player to pinch-hit for the Rays. This was probably one of the biggest at bats for the Rays: down by one, the bases were loaded, with two outs. His last remaining player was Matt Joyce, and Sean Rodriguez was stepping up to the plate. Joe Maddon decided to pull Sean Rodriguez out, and put Matt Joyce in to pinch-hit.
The decision paid off as Matt Joyce doubled and brought in Johnny Damon and Ben Zobrist. Joyce didn't even think Maddon was going to use him right then. Joyce thought that he was going to be subbed in for a pitcher later on in the game.
"If I have a chance to really think about it, it's pretty easy. When everything is rushing through your head ... there's all these different thoughts. But at the end of the day the one thought that is overriding was, the bases are loaded, two outs, this is your best chance to win the game was right there." Maddon explained the decision to pinch-hit Matt Joyce,"And that is what I went with."
Of course, it wasn't just that double that won this game for the Rays. Longoria and Upton were both key factors in the game, and in the series.
Longoria's groove without his batting gloves continued. He hit two crucial home runs. His first homerun was in the sixth with one out, and Johnny Damon on third: that blast to left field tied the game at 7-7. Then, with two men on in the ninth, Longoria struck again to put the icing on the cake. This one was to deep left and gave the Rays a comfortable four run lead in the bottom of the ninth.
Longoria had four hits on six at bats tonight, including his two homeruns, five RBIs, and three runs. Longoria finished the series against the Astros with eight hits, including the three homeruns he had, and ten RBIs. And you can't forget, that was all without batting gloves! The way it has been going, he may never touch those gloves again!
"I don't know, I feel pretty good right now. It's all in the way my swing's feeling and it just so happens that it started happening without the batting gloves." Longoria said,"So I'm just going to continue until either my hands go or I've got to change it up again."
BJ Upton homered for his third straight game. His homer came in his first plate appearance, in the top of the first inning. It was a three-run shot, 434 feet to left-center field. Upton didn't stop there though. He went 2-5 in the game with two runs, four RBIs, and two walks.
Since the Rays ran out of pinch-hitters, they were forced to use Saturday'starting pitcher, Wade Davis, to the plate to pinch-hit. It turned out to be a good decision as Davis got his first career hit. This also made him the first pitcher in Rays history to get a hit as a pinch-hitter. Later that inning he got thrown out at home in a collision that shook up Astro's catcher Carlos Corporan.
Jeff Niemann did not pitch a good game. He only got three innings on the mound, allowing seven hits, and five runs. Neimann was pulled, six Rays relievers were transistioned in and out of the game. JP Howell ended up getting his first win of the year. Juan Cruz was the best pitcher for the Rays, tossing two innings and only allowing one hit. Wilton Lopez recieved the loss for his four runs allowed for the Astros, taking him to 1-4 on the season
The entire lineup hit very well today for the Rays. The top of the lineup was the only reason the the Rays won this game though. They really came up big when it counted. Especially Evan Longoria, who is your great of the game. The good is BJ Upton. The ugly is the seven spot for the Rays that went a combined 0-5 between Kelly Shoppach and John Jaso.
This was the Rays third straight interleague series. They went a combined 8-1 in their interleague games. Their only loss came in game two against the Brewers. Today is the beginning of their fourth straight interleague series where they will take on the Cincinnati Reds back in their home, Tropicana Field.
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