Catching Some Rays- 5/29-6/4

The Rays came off a tough week with two strong series victories over the Blue Jays and the Dodgers. It's time for them to hit the road again as they visit two of the league's most historic. The week starts in Chicago at Wrigley Field for a three-game set against the Cubs. They'll then travel to Boston and Fenway Park for a four-game battle with the Red Sox. They've taken some of the toughest teams down and now they need to follow it up with a strong showings against teams they should beat. 

Monday 5/29

Cubs 1, Rays 0

WP- Marcus Stroman (5-4), LP- Taj Bradley (3-2)

Memorial Day brought us a great pitching performance. Unfortunately, that amazing start was against the Rays instead of for them. Chicago starter Marcus Stroman shut the Rays down for nine innings en route to a complete-game shutout win. Stroman no-hit the Rays through six innings before Wander Franco blooped a single into left field to lead off the seventh inning. Otherwise, Stroman was nearly perfect. Chicago's only run came on a Mike Tauchmann sac fly in the fourth inning as the Cubs mustered only three hits the entire game. Taj Bradley's start is overshadowed because he was also outstanding. He allowed one unearned run and three hits in 5.2 innings while striking out eight batters. It might've been his best start this season. It's just a shame that it came opposite a near no-hitter. 

Player of the Game- Marcus Stroman (CHC) (9.0 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts)

Tuesday 5/30

Cubs 2, Rays 1

WP- Julian Merryweather (1-0), LP- Shane McClanahan (8-1), SV- Adbert Adzolay (2)

The bats stayed quiet for the Rays as they dropped the second game, ensuring they'd also lose the series. While the Rays did manage a run in the game, it wasn't enough run support to help Shane McClanahan remain perfect. Nico Hoerner started it off for the Cubs with a lead-off home run in the first inning to put the Rays behind early. Randy Arozarena drove in the Rays' first run of the series with an RBI single in the fifth inning but Chicago shot back ahead in the sixth on a Mike Tauchmann RBI single. McClanahan would take his first loss of the season after 5.2 strong innings and striking out seven batters. He just didn't get the support he needed from the offense. 

Player of the Game- Mike Tauchmann (CHC) (2-for-3, Go-ahead RBI single, 1 walk)

Wednesday 5/31

Rays 4, Cubs 3

WP- Colin Poche (4-1), LP- Mark Leiter Jr (1-1), SV- Jalen Beeks (1)

The Rays salvaged the series by finding the win column but the offense waited until the end of the game. The Cubs made an early statement by scoring twice in the first inning on RBI singles by Ian Happ and Mike Tauchmann off of Zach Eflin. After that, Eflin settled into the game. He would go six innings, allowing four hits and three runs while striking out five. The only problem is that the Rays trailed 2-0 after six innings. Brandon Lowe changed that with one swing of the bat, driving a two-run shot into the bleachers the get the Rays on the board and tie the game. That good feeling wouldn't last very long as Trey Mancini drove in a run in the seventh with a single. With six outs left before being swept, Jose Siri put the team on his back by hitting another two-run home run in the eighth inning to put the Rays ahead for the first time in the series. The bullpen shut it down from there as Jason Adam, Kevin Kelly, and Jalen Beeks got the final six outs to win the game and prevent the sweep. 

Player of the Game- Jose Siri (TB) (1-for-3, Go-ahead 2-run home run, 1 walk)

Series Review

• The Cubs beat the Rays, 2-1
• The Cubs outscored the Rays, 6-5
• The Rays are the first team in the league with 40 wins (40-18)
• Series MVP- Taj Bradley (L, 5.2 innings, 3 hits, 1 unearned run, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts)
• The Rays finished with a 17-12 record in May, leading Baltimore by 4 games
• May MVP- Wander Franco (.296/.361/.417, 3 2B, 2 3B, 18 R, 2 HR, 12 RBIs, 12/11 BB/K, 14 SB)

Saturday 6/3

Game 1

Red Sox 8, Rays 5

WP- Corey Kluber (3-6), LP- Jalen Beeks (2-3), SV- Kenley Jansen (12)

After getting an extra day off with Friday's postponement, the Rays jumped out early against Boston and Garrett Whitlock. Christian Bethancourt got the scoring started with an RBI single before Yandy Diaz drove in two with a double. A sac fly from Harold Ramirez pushed the lead to 4-0 as the Rays chased Whitlock from his start. Trevor Kelley and Joe La Sorsa had pitched well through four innings and even after Alex Verdugo got Boston on the board in the fifth, they still had the Rays in a great spot entering the sixth. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off the bus once Jalen Beeks came in. Boston unloaded for six runs in the inning, highlighted by Justin Turner's go-ahead bases-clearing double as the Red Sox took a 7-4 lead. Ramirez got the Rays a little closer with an RBI single in the seventh but Alex Verdugo got the run back with an RBI double in Boston's half as the Rays' comeback would fall short in the first game of the doubleheader. 

Player of the Game- Justin Turner (BOS) (2-for-5, 1 run, 1 double, 3 RBIs)

Game 2

Rays 4, Red Sox 2

WP- Calvin Faucher (1-1), LP- Kenley Jansen (1-3), SV- Jason Adam (8)

Things stayed very tight in the second game of the day for Tampa Bay and Boston. The Rays scored first again as Yandy Diaz drove in Manuel Margot on a groundout in the third inning. Boston knotted it in the fourth on a triple by Tristan Casas, which would really be Tyler Glasnow's only mistake in his second start back. Glasnow pitched 5.1 innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out six. He would exit the game with the lead after Jose Siri doubled home Harold Ramirez in the sixth. A bad defensive blunder would tie things up again as Connor Wong scored after an error by Brandon Lowe in the seventh. The score would sit tied 2-2 until the ninth inning as Ramirez put the Rays ahead for the third time in the game with a two-run double. Things got very scary in the bottom of the ninth as Boston put two runners on against Jason Adam but a diving catch from Siri would seal the deal as the Rays earned the Saturday split with a 4-2 victory. 

Player of the Game- Harold Ramirez (TB) (3-for-5, 1 run, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, 1 stolen base)

Sunday 6/4

Rays 6, Red Sox 2

WP- Taj Bradley (4-2), LP- Tanner Houck (3-5)

After a busy day on Saturday, the Rays kept their momentum going into Sunday with Taj Bradley taking the mound. Each side scored in the third inning as Josh Lowe put the Rays ahead with a sac fly and Masataka Yoshida responded with an RBI single. The game was won in the middle innings by the Rays. Manuel Margot drove in two in the fourth with an RBI single. Luke Raley doubled in another in the fifth. Boston got one back in the fifth but Yandy Diaz hit a two-run little league home run in the sixth and the replay of it is a lot of fun to watch. It was essentially a single with Diaz advancing to second on the throw home before taking the final two bases after a throwing error by Connor Wong. This is all the run support Bradley would need. The rookie pitched five strong innings, allowing six hits and two runs while striking out six. He turned it over to the bullpen and they pitched four scoreless innings to get the win.  

Player of the Game- Josh Lowe (TB) (2-for-3, 1 run, 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 1 stolen base)

Injury Report & Other News

The bad times keep rolling in for the Rays as two more pitchers hit the IL. Pete Fairbanks was supposed to pitch on Sunday but was walked off the field by the trainer. It was revealed to be a hip injury though it doesn't appear to be too serious. Josh Fleming also likely escaped a long-term injury. He hit the IL this week with elbow soreness in his pitching elbow. There are also a few minor injuries bugging some of the regulars as Wander Franco, Jose Siri, and Brandon Lowe all appear to be dealing with some minor injuries that have kept them out of the lineup this weekend. 

In trade news, the Rays acquired RP Robert Stephenson from the Pirates for SS prospect Alika Williams. Stephenson pitched twice over the weekend, pitching 1.1 scoreless innings against Boston. 

The Week Ahead

It's a bit of a weird week for the Rays. They were supposed to have Monday off but will now have to play a make-up game against Boston to conclude their series. They will then travel home for two series at Tropicana Field against the other two division leaders in the American League. It'll start with a mid-week set against the Minnesota Twins before they host the Texas Rangers over the weekend in a clash of the American League's best.