The Tampa Bay Rays took the series from the Oakland A’s in 12 innings taking this road trip’s record to 5-2 so far. They begin the last leg of this 10 game trip tonight in Texas. I’m not really sure how to characterize this victory. Was it a great victory in that the Rays kept grinding? Was it a lucky victory in that the Rays made a ton of mistakes? Was it a bad victory because we should have put this team away easily? Well…..I guess none of that really matters as WE WON!

The Bad: James Shields struggled through his 5 innings of work mightily. He allowed 5 hits, 5 free passes, 1 HR and 4 ER. Clearly James’ road woes haunted him in this game. BJ Upton was doubled off of first base on a fly ball that took the A’s RF to the wall. Upton forgot to retag 2nd base on his way back – are you kidding me with this??!! Troy Percival thought that cutting in front of Carlos Pena to field a late inning bunt then running down the runner rather than tossing it to first base was a good idea. WRONG — yes, we got the out, only because the runner ran out of the baseline, but Perci is probably going to join CC and Longo on the DL for his 3rd time this season with a sprained knee. Perci – you’re old dude, let the young guys take care of the details! Grant Balfour earned his first blown save of the season by giving up a game tying single to Frank Thomas.

The Better: The Ray offense banged out 13 hits and accumulated 7 free passes. Rocco Baldelli played 6 innings and made an outstanding diving catch in RF. Jason Bartlett returned to the game as a late inning replacement at SS.

The Best: Willy Aybar had a nice day at the plate going 2 for 5 with a 2B, 3B, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs and 1 BB. Cliff Floyd showed his great eye for the K zone by going 1 for 2 with 4 free passes, 2B, 4 runs scored. Carlos Pena broke the 5-5 tie in the 12th by crushing his 23rd HR of the season. But most importantly – WE WON!

Concerns for today’s game: The Rays used every pitcher in their bull pen in this game. If Garza cannot go deep we may have to use a few tired arms against a very potent Ranger offense. Rocco played hard and ran a lot in this game so he’s probably not available for the opening game in Texas.

Go Rays!!!!

Andy Sonnanstine pitched masterfully (aside from a 4^th inning bump) to earn his 12^th victory to lead the Rays staff.  Sonny pitched 6 complete scattering 6 hits, allowing 2 ER and 1 free pass while collecting 6 K’s.  Sonny hit a bump in the 4^th inning and allowed the 2 ER but did a fabulous job in damage control!  Nice job Sonny – that was a much needed pitching performance!

The Rays faced the Al Leader in ERA, Justin Duchscherer.  I expected a great pitching matchup and that’s exactly what we got.  The Rays touched the Oakland ace for 2 HR early – Carlos Pena and Eric Hinske.  He then settled in and held the Ray bats silent until the 7^th inning when Ben Zobrist doubled in the go ahead run.  The bull pen did a nice job, albeit Perci gave up 2 BB in the 9^th – NOT GOOD.  Dioner Navarro threw a strike to 2^nd base to catch Rajah Davis trying to swipe the bag.  With Navi’s help Perci notched his 27^th save. 

Great game and a great win!  Keep it going Rays!

Base path mistakes cost Rays a victory and 1 game in the standings as they lost to the Oakland A’s 2-1.   A failed safety squeeze bunt, a pick off and forgetting how many were out were a few of the mental errors committed by the Rays.  These errors are nothing more than a lack of focus.  The Rays have had several of these games through out the year but seem to shake them off and move forward the next game.  We can only hope that tradition continues.  There isn’t much wiggle room atop the AL East and giving away games like last night’s will come back to haunt this team.

Scott Kazmir looked much better last night.  Although his pitch count was higher than you’d like for having pitched only 5 innings (97), Kaz surrendered only 2 hits, 2 ER, 2 BB while striking out 6.    

Not much good to talk about on the offensive side of the ball.  Aki knocked in Zobrist for the only Rays score of the night.  Oakland offered up many opportunities for the Rays to add to their score but the Rays gave them right back.

The Rays need to come back strong tonight and hush all the naysayers!   

Ok ,Ok …..I’ve been reading the newspaper and reading message boards and taking in all the anxiety everyone now feels towards the Rays due to CC and Longo being placed on the DL. I thought I should throw out my 2 cents as well….

First, let me say that OF COURSE we are going to miss these guys. Everyone knows that, from the RFO to the dugout to the fan base and beyond. Let’s not kid ourselves. How do replace these guys and not feel any repercussions? You can’t.

BUT…..I will say that all season long our bench and AAA guys have proven themselves VERY worthy to step on the field and produce time and again. We have had 16 guys head to the DL this season for a total of 562 games! That means that at most times we have multiple starters on the DL at the same time. And look where we are, 4 games above the Red Legs and 9 over those that wear pinstripes! Do you know what this means?

This means we have a TEAM — a complete TEAM. This team does not take too long to feel sorry for themselves when a starter goes down. They know they have the backup to step right in. Remember a guy named Zobrist belting HRs on consecutive nights when JB was down with the knee? Remember a guy named Balfour who stepped up big time when Perci was down? Remember a guy named Aybar who clubbed 2 HRs in a game in Seattle? And you will get a chance to get to know the new kid on the block – Ruggiano. Ruggs is batting .315 with 11 HRs and 51 RBIs in AAA. And Ruggs was no slouch during his stint with the big club earlier this season batting .290 with 1 HR in 15 games.

People this team is complete team. Although we will dearly miss CC and Longo (who will be back in a few weeks) do not forget the rest of the team. This team believes in one another and have proven through out this season they are capable of winning regardless of who is and isn’t in the lineup. This team’s resiliency will shine through!

Just believe!

The Tampa Bay Rays cruised to a road series victory against the Seattle Mariners Sunday 11-3. Edwin Jackson pitched deep and was very effective against a hard hitting lineup. Jackson pitched 7 only allowing 1 ER. E-Jax pitched with a lot of focus and he pitched to the zone. He gave his defense opportunities to make plays which they did.

With Carl Crawford on the 15 day DL (maybe longer pending his doctor appointment today), Evan Longoria and Jason Bartlett still out it was a different look line up. But Rocco’s back!!! A clean shaven Rocco Baldelli returned to the Rays Sunday and went 1 for 4 with an RBI and a nice diving catch in RF! Welcome Back Rocco!!

The big bat of the game came from Willy Aybar. Willy cracked a pair of HRs collecting 4 RBI’s and 2 runs scored! Shawn Riggans added a 3-Run blast to put the game far out of reach for the Mariners. The hit parade was robbed of a Carlos Pena HR that hit the top of the wall above the yellow line (which by rule is a HR) but was called in play by the umpires. Carlos ended up on 3rd and scored a few plays later.

This was a GREAT team win! Four of our regulars were out of the game and still the Rays were relentless in their attack. They did not skip a beat. I am not insinuating that CC being out isn’t hurting the Rays. It will at some point. I have a lot of faith in our outfielders BUT let’s be realistic…..Hinske or Gross are not going to track down the balls CC can due to his speed. But, that being said was a great win and should give the Rays a ton of confidence heading to Oakland.

The starting pitching was bad but the offense bailed the Rays out to notch the 70^th victory – our franchise high – on Aug 9^th.  Matt Garza pitched in and out of trouble in all of his 5 2/3 innings pitched.  Trouble began in the bottom of the first with the first batter as Ichiro quickly deposited a Garza pitch in to the right field seats.  Garza allowed 10 hits, 5 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB while striking out 5.  Joe Maddon had to burn 6 relievers in this game which always leaves everyone praying that the next day’s SP can go deep to allow the BP to rest.  Sunday’s SP is Edwin Jackson. Problem is you never know what you’re getting from E-Jax from start to start so we’ll have to be positive and hope he can remain focused for an effective, deep start.

The offense for the Rays woke up in the 6^th.  To that point the score was 5-1 Mariners.  Every position in the Rays batting order, except 1, had a hit in this game.  All totaled the Rays offense knocked out 13 hits and collected 8 free passes.  Gabe Gross blasted his 9^th HR of the season.  BJ Upton and Carl Crawford each collected 2 RBI’s.\ 

Something to keep an eye on is Dan Wheeler’s response to his last 2 outing.  Wheels took the loss in game one of this series.  Tonight he blew the save sending the game into extra innings.  Chances are slim Wheels will pitch tonight as well but it’ll be nice to see him toe the rubber against Oakland and right his own personal ship. 

This again was a nice overall team effort!  Being down by up to 5 runs this team never gave up.  Another great victory!

With the addition of submariner Chad Bradford someone had to go out of the Ray bullpen.  That unlucky fellow turned out to tbe El Assassino, Al Reyes.  Reyes has done 2 stints on the DL this year and has been uneffective since his return from the last trip.

Bradford, a side arm pticher with an extremely difficult move to follow, was acquired from Baltimore for a player to be named later.  Bradford is 3-3 with a 2.47 ERA this season.  He is a ground ball pitching machine.

Welcome Chad! 

James Shields pitched 6 2/3 innings scattering 9 hits, 3 ER and 5 K’s.  Shields clearly didn’t have his best stuff working on every pitch but he did effectively shut done the Mariner offense to earn a victory.

The Ray offense was on target through out this game banging out 10 hits, grabbing 3 free passes with only 3 K’s.  Carlos Pena belted another solo shot to bring his season total to 21.  BJ Upton swiped his team leading 35^th bag.  Not a lot of dramatics in this game.  Rays took the lead with the help of a throwing error from the Mariner SS and never looked back. 

This win combined with losses by both the Red Legs and those that wear pinstripes allowed the Rays to open a little more of a margin in the standings.  This is an extremely important road trip for the Rays.  The Rays are playing 3 teams that they should beat.  Our AL East foes are playing teams that may give them some problems.  Need to rack up those wins when we can/should and widen the gap at the top of the AL East.  Winning on this trip will also increase the Rays confidence in playing on the road.  That’ll be a nice advantage come Sept/Oct.   

The Rays opened their 4 game series with the Seattle Mariners riding the high of the walk off HR by Carlos Pena the night before.  Well, the tables were turned when Raul Ibanez smacked a HR in the bottom of the 9^th off Dan Wheeler to earn the walk off victory for the Mariners.

This game was about the art of pitching!  Both Andy Sonnanstine and Felix Hernandez had their best pitches working tonight.  Sonny scattered 5 hits over 7.1 innings of awesome work giving up only 1 ER, 4 K’s and 0 BB.  At one point in the game Sonny had retired 17 straight Mariners.  Unfortunately for Sonny Hernandez was just as impressive holding the Ray’s bats at bay for 8 complete innings.   

The Rays offense managed only 5 hits and 1 run scored on a wild pitch.  Sonny got himself in a little trouble in the 7^th allowing a lead off double eventually to score the tying run.  Dan Wheeler hung a split finger to Ibanez on a 1-2 count and he promptly deposited it in the right field seats for the walk off victory. 

It’s too bad for Sonny that Hernandez was just as effective.  This was Sonny’s best game in a while by far and he deserved to win it.  But, we all know that’s not the way it always works.  James Shields will toe the rubber tonight for the Rays and set his sights on earning a W!

It is the only word that can adequately start to describe the Rays and their amazing comeback today!  The Rays take the series from the Tribe in walk off fashion!  WOW…..I still can’t catch my breath!

The offense was clicking on all cylinders in the bottom of the 9^th inning!  Going into the bottom of the 9^th the Rays were down 7-4.  Up steps our DH Jason Bartlett – yes, this is not a typo.  JB was not able to throw the ball due to his injured finger but was able to hit.   JB lines a shot to the wall in left for his second 2B of the game.  Next comes Eric Hinske.  Hinske struggled this series going hitless to this point.  BUT, he comes through when it counts drilling a ball fair right over the first base bag for a 2B scoring JB, score 7-5.   Then comes Mr. Clutch, Gabe Gross.  For as many clutch, late game hits this guy has produced for us could he possibly do it again?  One swing of the bat answered that with a resounding smash of the ball off the scoreboard in right field!  Game Tied, 7-7!  OMGoodness, can you believe this?! Still no outs have been recorded! 

The top of the order, Akinori Iwamura, strides to the plate.  He hits a ground ball to the 1^st baseman forcing the pitcher to cover.  Aki hustles down the line and is SAFE!  WOW – could it be?  Batting 2^nd is out CF, Ben Zobrist – again not a typo; Upton was benched for not hustling in last night’s game.  Zobi works the Indian reliever for a BB.  Batting 3^rd for us 1^st baseman Carlos Pena with 0 outs and the winning run standing on 2nd.  With one swing of his mighty bat it is over!!  A LONG BLAST over the CF fence ends the game!  Rays win, the Rays win, 10-7! WOW!!!!  The celebration begins at the plate and all over the Tampa Bay area!

This game brought to light how well this team plays as a TEAM, no superstars.  SP Scott Kazmir struggled once again allowing 5 ER in 4 1/3 innings.  The BP did a good job holding the Indians at bay for the rest of the game and keeping the Rays within striking distance.  The lineup was questioned by a lot of you (based on reading the message board).  A lot of people playing out of position and one of your better players in Upton benched.  Every one of these guys has had their good days and their bad days.  The TEAM mentality of the Rays allows the guys who are having a good day (Barlett, Navi, Gross, Pena) to pick up those that are having a bad day (Kaz).   

This was another amazing win in an amazing season!  As a fan I cannot express my thanks to this team for giving us the amazing play they give us day in and day out.  This is a magical season.  We will see playing time in Oct!!!

Go Rays!