In a home run-happy game, Zobrist's home run stood out. A grand slam in the bottom of the second gave the Rays a five to one lead, and the Rays never looked back. Kotchman hit a two-run homer, while Sam Fuld and BJ Upton both had RBI singles early in the game.
This is exactly the kind of game the Rays needed to start the "second season": a complete dominance on the offensive side of the ball against a rival team, such as the Red Sox.
Thursday Joe Maddon met with the team, and who knows what kind of tricks Rays manager Joe Maddon pulled out of hit hat before Thursday's workout. He told the team what is going to have to happen for them to stay in contention and eventually make the playoffs. "I talked to them about the one-day-at-time mantra. ... I like to reduce it to more simplistic moments or terms," Maddon said, stating that his team must not look ahead on the schedule to the upcoming schedule but focus on the Red Sox that is going on right now. Every one of these divisional games is a crucial game for the Rays. They can't afford to go on a losing streak now, or ever.
Then again, you can't leave out the Rays pitching, and tonight it was Rays ace David Price, who tried to take down the powerful Red Sox offense. He pitched six great innings, in which he allowed three runs--three of which were solo home runs-- and five hits and advanced to 9-7 on the season. Price was humble,"Our offense did a great job," he said. "It was a good start to the second half."
Price decided to skip the All-Star game, what would have been the second of his career, because of a turf toe injury. This set up Joe Maddon's pitching rotation just how pleased.
As mentioned earlier, Red Sox were hitting home runs all night, and ended the game with a total of four, the first three came off of David Price. The first was a solo homer from center fielder Darnell McDonald, whom tied the game at one all in the top half of the second. Next was Jacoby Ellsbury, who also hit a solo jack, this one put the Red Sox closer to the Rays, 2-5. Then, after two scoreless innings for the Red Sox, Dustin Pedroia hit the third solo home run of the night making it 3-7. The final homer was from Marco Scutaro, this also drove in Yamaico Navarro.
Kyle Farnsworth closed the game for the Rays, and once again he had a stellar performance. He did not allow a single hit, retiring four batters. He has been outstanding this season, as Joe MAddon has expressed multiple times. Kyle has had 20 save attempts, and he earned his 18th save tonight. Other relievers for the Rays included Joel Peralta, Jake McGee, Juan Cruz, and JP Howell.
Casey Kotchman was on his game on Friday night as well, he was 2-4 with two runs and two RBIs, as well as playing a complete game on first base.
Rays cut the division lead of six game, a season high, down to five after defeating the division leading Boston Red Sox, 9-6. Let's hope that Shields and company can keep it going for the home crowd at the Trop on Saturday
July 16, 2011
July 1, 2011
Rays can't come up big, once again at home
Rays woes at home continue to become a major issue as they lose game one of the three game series against teh Cardinals, 3-5.
Wade Davis, Friday's starting pitcher, was aiming for his fourth straight victory, but the Rays three-run performance just isn't going to be good enough to win ball games.
The Rays best performer at the plate was Matt Joyce, who went one for four with a two-run homer that put the Rays down by two in the eighth inning. Multiple other players went one for four also, but none other than Joyce had two RBIs.
Cardinals got on the board with an RBI groundout from Colby Rasmus, to give them a 1-0 lead. Then, in the top half of the eighth inning, he smashed a homer, that gave the Cardinals a big 5-0 lead on the Rays going to the bottom half of the inning.
"Colby's got so much talent," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa complimenting Rasmus. "When he gets into a game, a lot of good things happen. If he can keep that up, good at-bats, what a huge asset he would be."
Beside the point that the eighth inning had a combined six runs for both teams, it also had four ejections.
The first was JP Howell, who was furious following Colby Rasmus's homer. He threw his glove down after the home run and then he continued by slamming the new ball into the ground. He had to be restrained from home plate umpire Vic Carapazza as Rasmus crossed home plate.
Elliot Johnson and David Price (both not in the lineup for todays game) were ejected by the second base umpire Dana Demuth for yelling comments from the dugout directed at the umpires. Joe Maddon was also thrown out for arguing balls and strikes after Lance Berkman was walked on a 3-2 pitch.
"The one he was giving me wasn't good enough. I wanted a new ball, and he took it personal," JP said after the game. "We're supposed to take it but he can't take it, and if he's allowed to ring me, that's the way it is. They're human too, and you gotta move on, and I know he'll be better down the road."
"I was just trying to defend my teammate," Johnson said of his ejection. "It just seemed like (umpire Dana) DeMuth came in from second base and it seemed like he kind of lost control of himself in that situation. It just seemed like he was yelling at J.P. and I was just trying to defend him. I wasn't swearing at the man or name-calling or anything like that."
Even Colby Rasmus had something to say about the incident with JP Howell. "I didn't think his beef was with me, you know. I understand. I know the game is tough. Maybe he's falling on some hard times. Just mad at the world or whatever it may be. Some things didn't go his way. I just hit the ball, run around, touch the plate and take my happy self back to the dugout."
Cardinals fans would say that Westrbook (Win, seven IP, and allowing no runs on two hits) had a great game, while Rays fans know, it is the Rays home slump that is continuing. The "Curse of The Trop" is what you could call it. Everyone around the organization knows it is true, even Joe Maddon can't fix it.
Westbrook did pitch a good dame, but when the opposing team can't hit, it is just more evidence that the Rays can not hit a single thing in Tropicana Field.
The Rays are going to have to motivate themselves, and have a good performance at the plate at home, or the stands will just keep clearing out.
Wade Davis, Friday's starting pitcher, was aiming for his fourth straight victory, but the Rays three-run performance just isn't going to be good enough to win ball games.
The Rays best performer at the plate was Matt Joyce, who went one for four with a two-run homer that put the Rays down by two in the eighth inning. Multiple other players went one for four also, but none other than Joyce had two RBIs.
Cardinals got on the board with an RBI groundout from Colby Rasmus, to give them a 1-0 lead. Then, in the top half of the eighth inning, he smashed a homer, that gave the Cardinals a big 5-0 lead on the Rays going to the bottom half of the inning.
"Colby's got so much talent," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa complimenting Rasmus. "When he gets into a game, a lot of good things happen. If he can keep that up, good at-bats, what a huge asset he would be."
Beside the point that the eighth inning had a combined six runs for both teams, it also had four ejections.
The first was JP Howell, who was furious following Colby Rasmus's homer. He threw his glove down after the home run and then he continued by slamming the new ball into the ground. He had to be restrained from home plate umpire Vic Carapazza as Rasmus crossed home plate.
Elliot Johnson and David Price (both not in the lineup for todays game) were ejected by the second base umpire Dana Demuth for yelling comments from the dugout directed at the umpires. Joe Maddon was also thrown out for arguing balls and strikes after Lance Berkman was walked on a 3-2 pitch.
"The one he was giving me wasn't good enough. I wanted a new ball, and he took it personal," JP said after the game. "We're supposed to take it but he can't take it, and if he's allowed to ring me, that's the way it is. They're human too, and you gotta move on, and I know he'll be better down the road."
"I was just trying to defend my teammate," Johnson said of his ejection. "It just seemed like (umpire Dana) DeMuth came in from second base and it seemed like he kind of lost control of himself in that situation. It just seemed like he was yelling at J.P. and I was just trying to defend him. I wasn't swearing at the man or name-calling or anything like that."
Even Colby Rasmus had something to say about the incident with JP Howell. "I didn't think his beef was with me, you know. I understand. I know the game is tough. Maybe he's falling on some hard times. Just mad at the world or whatever it may be. Some things didn't go his way. I just hit the ball, run around, touch the plate and take my happy self back to the dugout."
Cardinals fans would say that Westrbook (Win, seven IP, and allowing no runs on two hits) had a great game, while Rays fans know, it is the Rays home slump that is continuing. The "Curse of The Trop" is what you could call it. Everyone around the organization knows it is true, even Joe Maddon can't fix it.
Westbrook did pitch a good dame, but when the opposing team can't hit, it is just more evidence that the Rays can not hit a single thing in Tropicana Field.
The Rays are going to have to motivate themselves, and have a good performance at the plate at home, or the stands will just keep clearing out.
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