Rays 7 Blue Jays 1
I really thought the Rays had more than seven runs.
It was a terrible game in all ways:
- The pitching was bad. The Rays hit three home runs. Two against the starter of the All Star game.
- The defense was bad. Three errors: Cease (a throwing error), Okamoto (a throwing error) and Gimenez (a fielding error, a softly hit ground all that went right through his legs).
- And the hitting was terrible, at least at moments that mattered.
We did have 8 hits on the day. Clement, Lukes and Springer had 2 each. Varsho (bloop single) and Kirk had the other two.
I guess we only hit into 2 double plays, since seems like a victory of some sort.
Our lone run scored in the fourth inning. Springer led off with a single. He stole second. Varsho grounded out, moving Springer to third. And Kirk singled him home.
Dylan Cease gave up five runs for
just the second time this year, in six innings. Being fair, two of them were unearned. But he wasn’t good. He had seven strikeouts, but gave up two home runs.
He also balked….one of those phantom type balks, but still a balk.
Braydon Fisher gave up one run in his inning.
Brandon Little pitched a very nice eighth inning, and should have come out of the game there. He is a one-inning pitcher. But he was out there for a second inning. And I understand, in a game that was lost, why use another guy. On the other hand, I thought ‘take him out, and let him have that good outing. Anyway, he gave up a home run to the first batter he faced in the ninth (Nick Fortes). Then two straight singles. A double play ball and a pop out ended the inning. Just the one run, and he did do a good job getting the two outs after the two singles.
In the ‘reason to watch’ category:
- In the eighth, Vlad turned a double play that, I think, no other first baseman could have turned, slowly hit ground ball at him, throw to Gimenez at second and throw back.
- Miles Straw got an outfield assist. Junior Caminero singled to left, Straw made a nice throw home, just a bit off line, Kirk threw to second to get Caminero.
Jay of the Day: Springer (0.11).
Other Award: Cease (-0.25), Okamoto (0.15, plus an error. He was terrible at the plate), and Vlad (-0.09, was also terrible at the plate).
Tomorrow….for those of us who like banging our heads against the wall, Drew Rasmussen (7-5. 3.26) and Kevin Gausman (4-8, 4.33).
