Catching Some Rays- 7/24-7/30

After a tough 1-6 week, the Rays desperately need a strong showing this week. They'll have a much lighter week with two off days. The mid-week series will be a short two-game battle with the Miami Marlins at Tropicana Field, appropriately known as the "Citrus Series." After another off day on Thursday, the Rays will head to Houston as the AL's top two Wild Card teams battle. The Astros sit 4.5 games behind the Rays to begin the week, needing to try and close the gap with the Rays heading into their territory. 

Tuesday 7/25
Rays 4, Marlins 1
WP- Tyler Glasnow (4-3), LP- Edward Cabrera (5-6), SV- Pete Fairbanks (12)

A mid-week Citrus Series battle kicked off at Tropicana on Tuesday and it was all Tampa Bay. A three-run second inning helped get the Rays off to a fast start with an RBI single by Josh Lowe and a two-run double by Yandy Diaz being the run-scoring hits. The Marlins got one back in the third inning, but that's all they would muster against Tyler Glasnow. The Rays' start pitched seven great innings, allowing a run and two hits as he struck out eight. A Brandon Lowe solo home run in the sixth inning would be the only other run the Rays would get and it would be more than enough as Jason Adam and Pete Fairbanks finished the Marlins off to take the first game of the set. 
Player of the Game- Tyler Glasnow (TB) (7.0 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts)

Wednesday 7/26
Marlins 7, Rays 1
WP- Sandy Alcantara (4-9), LP- Zach Eflin (11-6)

It has not been a good year for the reigning NL Cy Young winner. On Wednesday, Sandy Alcantara seemed to be back in form with a complete-game gem to earn the series split. An RBI single from Jon Berti and an RBI double by Jacob Stallings got the Marlins going in the second inning and after Jose Siri got one back in the third inning on an RBI single, the Marlins broke the game open in the fourth inning with three runs. This would be more than enough for Alcantara. Miami added runs in the fifth and sixth to add some separation, giving Alcantara a large enough cushion to finish things up. The Rays would manage just five hits in the game as the bats went silent in defeat. 
Player of the Game- Sandy Alcantara (MIA) (9.0 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts)

Series Review
  • The Rays and the Marlins split the series, 1-1
  • The Marlins outscored the Rays, 8-5
  • Series MVP- Brandon Lowe (4-for-8, 2 runs, 1 home run, 1 RBI)
Friday 7/28
Rays 4, Astros 3
WP- Colin Poche (8-3), LP- Ryan Pressley (3-3), SV- Pete Fairbanks (13)

After a rough week and a half, the Rays needed to find a way to get things started on the right foot in Houston. A three-run home run from Brandon Lowe in the first inning would do the trick, giving the Rays a 3-0 lead. It wouldn't be enough to deflate the Astros. They'd strike back for one in the bottom of the first and Jose Abreu's two-run home run in the fourth inning would tie things up. Shane McClanahan, Christian Javier, and both bullpens would keep things knotted at three through eight innings. A hustle double from Jose Siri to lead off the top of the ninth would help set the tone for the Rays. Eventually, Yandy Diaz's sac fly would plate Siri, giving the Rays a 4-3 lead with three outs to go. Pete Fairbanks would come in and close the door as the Rays took the series opener. 
Player of the Game- Brandon Lowe (TB) (2-for-3, 1 run, 1 home run, 3 RBIs, 1 hit by pitch, 1 stolen base)

Saturday 7/29
Astros 17, Rays 4
WP- Hunter Brown (7-7), LP- Taj Bradley (5-7)

There's not much to say about this one. The Rays were in this one until the fourth inning and it really went downhill from there. After being held to two runs in the first three innings, the Astros broke things open with three in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, grabbing a commanding 11-0 lead. Isaac Paredes broke the shutout in the seventh inning with a two-run home run to cut the deficit to nine, but Houston piled on five more in the bottom of the seventh to leave no doubt about their win. The two sides traded runs in the eighth inning with Wander Franco going deep for the Rays and Paredes hit his second home run of the game in the ninth, but the comeback would come up short for the Rays as they lost by 13, setting up Sunday's game to decide the series. 
Player of the Game- Jose Abreu (HOU) (3-for-3, 3 runs, 1 home run, 3 RBIs, 1 walk)

Sunday 7/30
Rays 8, Astros 2
WP- Zach Littell (1-2), LP- Brandon Bielak (5-6)

The series-deciding game would be settled pretty early in the Rays' favor. After two walks and a single hurt Brandon Bielak early, a muffled grounder by Jose Abreu would allow the first run across and left the bases loaded for Josh Lowe. He'd step up and drive a ball into the right-field corner, driving in all three runners and putting the Rays up 4-0 in the first. RBI singles by Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lowe in the fourth inning added to the lead. Zach Littell ran into a little trouble in the fifth inning. Kyle Tucker got the Astros on the board in the fifth inning with an RBI double. The turning point may have been the next batter. With runners on second and third, Alex Bregman hit a ball in the hole that Wander Franco fielded cleanly and he made a strong throw to first base. Bregman was called "safe" on the field but after the Rays opted to challenge the call, it was overturned. Littell would get the next batter to complete five innings with minimal damage. B. Lowe got both runs back with a two-run home run in the sixth inning. Erasmo Ramirez came in and pitched three excellent innings and Jason Adam finished the series off as the Rays picked up a much-needed victory to help keep pace in the division. 
Player of the Game- Brandon Lowe (TB) (3-for-5, 2 runs, 1 home run, 3 RBIs) 

Series Review
  • The Rays beat the Astros, 2-1
  • The Astros outscored the Rays, 22-16
  • The Rays are 1.5 games back of the Orioles for the division lead, 4.0 games ahead in the Wild Card
  • Series MVP- Brandon Lowe (5-for-11, 3 runs, 2 home runs, 6 RBIs, 1 HBP, 1 stolen base)
Injury Report and Other News
The Rays had a few injury scares during the Citrus Series with both Yandy Diaz and Zach Eflin leaving early on consecutive days. Fortunately, Diaz was back in the lineup for the Houston series and Eflin is scheduled to make his next start on Tuesday in New York. 

The Week Ahead
It's going to be a busy week on and off the field. The Rays will head to the Bronx for a three-game series with their division rival. Monday will be the final game before the trade deadline, set for 6 pm on Tuesday. After another Thursday off, the Rays will face the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park for a three-game weekend set. 

As the calendar turns to August, it's time to start looking at some other teams a little closer. I'll do that by outlining the week that passed and the week ahead for several teams the Rays are currently battling. 

Baltimore (64-41, +1.5 Ahead in the AL East) 
Last Week- 1-2 @ PHI, 2-1 v. NYY. This week- 4 games at Toronto, 3 games v. New York (NL)

Houston (59-47, 4.0 GB for the 1st Wild Card)
Last Week- 2-1 v. TEX, 1-2 v. TB. This week- 3 games v. Cleveland, 4 games at New York (AL)

Toronto (59-47, 4.0 GB for 2nd in the AL East and the 1st Wild Card)
Last week- 2-1 at LAD, 2-1 v. LAA. This week- 4 games v. Baltimore, 3 games at Boston

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