The Rays dropped the finale Sunday afternoon to the Twins. This was SP Matt Garza’s first taste of facing his former team and they got the best of him. Garza went 7 innings allowing 3 ER on 7 hits and 1 BB while collecting 6 K’s. Ironically he gave up a first pitch HR to the guy who was traded for him, Brendan Harris, to lead off the scoring for the Twinkies. Look the only issue I have with Garza’s performance was this. The Rays were up 2-1 in the 6th inning. With first base open, a runner on 2nd base and a 3-2 count on Morneau my humble opinion is you throw something in the dirt. Maybe he swings, maybe he doesn’t. I say you go after the next batter, Kubel, who Garza had owned with 2 strikeouts already in the game. Instead Garza served up a pitch that was good enough for Morneau to send back up the middle for the game tying RBI. This was NOT a good decision. I know Matt was pumped to pitch against the Twins but let’s be smart here. Morneau is too good a hitter to take that chance. This was definitely a turning point in this game!
Garza was certainly not the only reason the Rays lost that game. The offense was anemic. The 1-5 hitters for the Rays were 2 for 18 with 1 run scored, 1 RBI and 2 hits. One of those hits, the run scored and the RBI all came off the bat of Carlos Pena who gave the fans in RF a souvenir. The Rays were 0 for 3 with RISP.
A big welcoming shout out to Matt Joyce who made his Ray debut and made a big splash. Joyce went 2 for 3 with a HR. Joyce was the high point of this game as the Rays never seemed very energized.
This is the time when the “big guys” must step up. Longo, Pena, CC must all kick it into high gear to account for the injured players. We are once again weak against LHP as we miss Bartlett and Burrell (not that he has done much but I’d take him over Kapler any day). We have a weak bench with not much to do against RHP. The Rays cannot afford the number 1-5 guys going 2 for 18.
Hopefully todays off day will give thee guys some pep in their step!
