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.
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