The story of game 2 between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Indians were the Ray bats. The offense banged out some timely hits and some long blasts to help Edwin Jackson earn his 8th victory.

Several Rays had big offensive days! Dioner Navarro lead the pack with a key 2-out, 2 run game tying single and blasted a solo shot to right field. Navi finished the day going 2 for 3, 2 runs, 3 RBIs and 1 BB. Impressively all 3 of Navi’s RBIs were collected with 2 out. Navi wasn’t the only Ray to go long! In the same inning Evan Longoria hit a monster blast to left and Cliff Floyd went deep over the center field fence. Among the other extra base hits the Rays collected Aki and Gabe Gross each hit triples and Carlos Pena had 2 doubles. Over all the Rays collected 10 hits, scored 8 runs and had 7 extra base hits – great day at the dish!! The Rays collected their 5th back to back HR game when Floyd and Navi did it in the 7th.

The pitching staff was not stellar; from the starter to the BP they all ran into issues. But they came up with big outs when they needed them and had a nice overall day!

It was a great game to watch as a Ray fan! You can definitely see the Rays pulling it all together again after a poor July! They look confident and relaxed at the dish and their defense has been outstanding. Today the Rays go for the series victory early (get away day) with first pitch at 12:40 – IT’S ON FSN!

Go Rays!!

The Rays may have lost the game but there was still a lot of good thing s that happened Monday night.  First, the Rays still looked energized and did continue to have good at bats.  The Rays offense banged out 8 hits and squeezed 2 BB out of the probable AL Cy Young winner, not bad at all!  Second, Willy Aybar made some good plays at short filling in for Bartlett.  I think a lot of people forget that he originally was a shortstop. Nice to see him be able to fill in and allow Longo to stay at 3^rd.  Third, the Red Legs and those that wear pinstripes also lost so nothing changes in the standings.  This same time last year the Rays were –DIG THIS – 24 1/2 games out of first!!!  We are now 3 games UP!!  WOW – what a turnaround!

Matt Garza had a bit of trouble with his location throughout the game.  He allowed 7 hits, 4 ER, 2 HR, 2 BB while accumulating 4 K’s.  Even though Garza did not have his best stuff he did leave the game with the Rays still in good position to win.  That is an acceptable outing – no one pitcher is going to have their best stuff every outing.  When they don’t their objective turns to limiting the damage and keeping their team in the game — Garza did just that.  He did it by keeping his composure on the bump!   

The offense did bang out 8 hits.  Unfortunately Cliff Lee answered back by getting the key outs when he needed them.  Now, Cliff Lee is probably going to win the AL Cy Young award.  That being said I think the Rays did a good job against him last night.  I don’t feel so bad about this offensive effort because I still saw the intensity and energy out there. 

Tonight the Rays come back to take the game and tomorrow take the series!  Go Rays!!

OK, you’ve all heard the saying the good pitching beats good hitting….let me assure you however that bad pitching makes the game interesting! WOW! I am still emotionally spent from that game yesterday, it was amazing!! The Trop was packed and most stayed to see the walk off win!

This game really didn’t get “started” until the bottom of the 8th inning. Armando Gallaraga had the Rays shut down for 7 innings allowing only 4 hits and 1 ER. James Shields did not pitch his best, allowing 9 hits and 2 ER in 6.1 innings. Shields left the game behind 2-1. Grant Balfour followed Shields and gave up a monster blast to Tampa native Gary Sheffield to run the score to 3-1.

The Tigers then brought in newly acquired Kyle Farnsworth in the bottom of the 8th and this is when the game got interesting. Eric Hinske led off the 8th facing the 98 mph fireballer Farnsworth. Hinske promptly deposited a Farnsworth fastball over the right centerfield wall to move the Rays to within 1 run, 3-2. Bartlett was over matched by Farnsworth for the first out of the inning. Akinori Iwamura sauntered to the plate and drove a firm single to centerfield. BJ Upton walked to the plate with the tying run standing on 1st and only 1 out. BJ launched a 3-1 fast ball to over the centerfield fence to put the Rays up 4-3 in the bottom of the 9th!

The Rays bring in Troy Percival to collect his 25th save – NOT!! Curtis Granderson deposited the first Perci pitch he saw into the RCF seats to tie the game in the top of the 9th at 4-4. Uggggg………… The Tigers and Rays then went down quietly into the top of the 10th inning. Once again we run Perci out to toe the rubber and try to keep the Tiger bats quiet. Perci faces Miguel Cabrera with a bad outcome – you guessed it – another home run! Now the Tigers are up 5-4 in the top of the 10th. Finally Perci had thrown his last pitch. Trever Miller came in to close the door.

Now I have been watching baseball for many years and cannot remember a time when I’ve seen such dramatics in the potential last at bat of a game. Willy Aybar, PH for Gross, walked to start the bottom of the 10th. Jason Bartlett squared to bunt and took a pitch right on the tip of his finger splitting open the nail and causing a lot of bleeding. This and I’m sure the intense pain he was feeling, sent him to the showers with a 0-1 count. Off the bench to PH for him was our last remaining position player — Shawn Riggans. Fernando Rodney throws as hard as anyone, mid to high 90’s. Riggans turned to swing and was hit directly in the middle of his sternum by a 93 mph Rodney fastball running in on him – the crowd went silent as Riggans hit the dirt! All 33,000 + stood and watched with anticipation for Riggans to get up under his own power. I think we all stopped breathing for a few seconds or so! After a few minutes of clear agony Riggo regained his breathe and walked ever so slowly to first base.

Next Ray to go against Rodney was Aki. Aki laid down a beautiful sac bunt to advance the runners to 2nd and 3rd with only 1 out. Carl Crawford came to the plate and deposited a single past the drawn in infield to score Aybar with the tying run! The crowd went mad!!!! With runners on 3rd and 1st Upton walked to load the bases. Longo stepped to the plate to become a hero once again. But, it was not to be this time as Rodney clearly overpowered our beloved rookie and struck him out.

So, here we go fans!!! Bases loaded, bottom of the 10th, tie score, 2 outs …. Up steps Carlos Pena. Carlos hung tough fouling off several pitches and bringing his count to 3-2. Now, isn’t this every young boys dream??!! Bases loaded, bottom of the 10th inning, 3-2 count, 2 out??!! WOW – the stage is set for tonight’s hero. Pena takes ball 4 and, appropriately, it is Riggans who jogs in from 3rd with the winning run!

WOW – I’m worn out just by reliving the excitement! What a game and what a series!! The Rays appear to have found that intensity they had lost for a bit. They looked great this weekend. Even when the chips were down they picked each other up and played hard as a team! Great to see!

Get some rest fans! We owe the Indians a sweep! Go Rays!!!

Andy Sonnanstine pitched a nice 6 innings and was backed by his offense to notch his team leading 11^th victory.  Sonny scattered 7 hits, 1 BB, 2 ER and 6 K’s in a complete 6 innings of work.  Al Reyes and Jason Hammel finished the game for him and, be it for a blip by Reyes allowing 1 ER, pitched effective and kept the powerful Tiger bats quiet.

The big story of this game was the offensive explosion from the Rays!  They looked like the Rays we came to know and love from the first half of the season.  The offense banged out 11 hits – 5 of which were for extra bases.  Evan Longoria was the offense spark plug going 3 for 4 including his 2^nd HR in as many days, a 2B, 3 RBI, 1 run and a stolen base.  The other Rays to add the 2B hit parade were BJ Upton, Jason Bartlett, Shawn Riggans and Akinori Iwamura.   

The impressive thing about the offense was watching them work.  The intensity was higher than I’ve seen it in, oh, about a month.  They worked the counts for walks (7) and really looked like they were energized.  It made the lethargic and less than stellar month of July vanish into past.  It made the future for the Rays look like October was again a reality! 

Go out today and support the team as they go for the sweep of the Detroit Tigers!  See you there!!  

Hey Rays fans!!  The Rays bats looked a bit livelier last night!  Good news on the horizon maybe????    The Rays banged out 9 hits in last night’s Tiger whoopin’, 6 of those hits were for extra bases!   That was great to see.  A lot of hustle around the base path, turning singles into doubles, swiping bags and even a bunt attempt put the pressure on the Tigers and they retreated to the safety of the den.

Carl Crawford led off the hit parade with his 5^th triple in his last week or so.  Jason Bartlett added another triple.  Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria belted solo blasts.  Akinori Iwamura and Cliff Floyd laced doubles.  The aggressors on the base path included BJ Upton, Eric Hinske and CC, and let me tell you, these guys had such good jumps it wasn’t even close!  Great to see these guys put the pressure on the defense.  It was clear they were in the head of the battery.  Keep it going! 

The pitching wasn’t as great but it was sufficient to hold the hard hitting Tigers to just 2 runs and preserve the victory.  Scott Kazmir struggled with his control mightily!  I really can’t remember the last time he pitched so poorly…that being said he get s break from me.  He has been our staff ace and through several years the only SP this team could count on.  He is having an off year (by his own comparison) but he’s a smart guy and I believe he’ll have it all figured out just in time for our PLAYOFF RUN!      

The bullpen faired well except for a couple of minor bumps.  Troy Percival somehow seems to keep getting it done.  He earned his 24^th save last night.  Overall this was the line of the pitching staff: 9 innings, 4 hits, 2 ER, 9 BB and 11 K’s.  They only negative in that line is the 9 BB – but 6 were by Kaz, that shows how much he struggled. 

This was a GREAT TEAM effort!  It seems like not making a deal by the deadline rejuvenated the Rays.  It showed them the confidence the RFO has in the players they have.  They certainly looked like a different team from that team of the past month.  It will be interesting to see if they come out with that same intensity tonight.   

See you at The Trop!