Catching Some Rays- 7/3-7/9

The Rays will end the first half of the season at Tropicana Field with some competition against the NL East. Their mid-week series will see them host the Philadelphia Phillies, one year removed from reaching the World Series. The weekend series is what everyone is talking about as the two best teams in the league to this point will go toe-to-toe as the Rays host the Atlanta Braves. With the break coming up, it'll be important for the team to end the half with some momentum. 

Tuesday 7/4
Phillies 3, Rays 1
WP- Aaron Nola (8-5), LP- Zach Eflin (9-4), SV- Craig Kimbrel (13)

Aaron Nola stole the show for the Phillies, giving up very little to the Rays' offense. Philadelphia struck first in the second inning with Alec Bohm driving an RBI double against Zach Eflin. This would be the only run of the game until Bryson Stott singled home another run in the seventh inning. Eflin, despite the loss, was solid, pitching seven innings and striking out nine. Bryce Harper added one more in the eighth to make it 3-0. Wander Franco wouldn't allow the Rays to be shut out, hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth, but it wouldn't lead to a comeback as the Rays dropped the first game of the series. 
Player of the Game- Aaron Nola (PHI) (7.1 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 12 strikeouts)

Wednesday 7/5
Phillies 8, Rays 4
WP- Taijuan Walker (10-3), LP- Yonny Chirinos (4-4)

The Rays got off to a very good start as they looked to even the series. Brandon Lowe opened the scoring with a two-run double in the first. The Phillies responded for two in the second, but Francisco Mejia singled home a run in the bottom half. Philly tied it again in the top of the third until the Rays, once again, re-took the lead with Luke Raley hitting a solo home run. The Rays held their 4-3 lead until things went very wrong in the fifth. Trea Turner homered to tie things up, kicking off five unanswered runs for the Phillies over the next three innings to take the game and ensure a series win over the Rays. 
Player of the Game- Bryson Stott (PHI) (4-for-5, 2 runs, 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base)

Thursday 7/6
Phillies 3, Rays 1 (11)
WP- Matt Strahm (5-3), LP- Ryan Thompson (1-2)

Another low-scoring affair broke out at Tropicana Field in the series finale as the Rays tried to find something positive in this series. It was a bullpen day for the team and it went very well. Six pitchers combined to get the Rays through nine innings with just one run allowed, a solo home run by Darick Hall in the fifth inning against Jake Diekman. Offensively, the Rays struggled to find anything. Isaac Paredes hit a solo home run to respond to Hall's in the bottom of the fifth and after nine innings, things were knotted at one. Neither team scored in the tenth before the Phillies broke through for two in the eleventh inning to take the lead. The Rays would not find any late-game magic, dropping this one to complete the sweep and hand them their fifth-straight loss. 
Player of the Game- Kyle Schwarber (PHI) (2-for-5, 1 double, Go-ahead RBI single in the 11th)

Series Review
  • The Phillies sweep the series, 3-0
  • The Phillies outscored the Rays, 14-6
  • This is the first time the Rays have been swept this season
  • Series MVP- Wander Franco (4-for-13, 1 run, 1 home run, 1 RBI, 2 stolen bases)
Friday 7/7
Braves 2, Rays 1
WP- Charlie Morton (9-6), LP- Tyler Glasnow (2-3), SV- Raisel Iglesias (16)

It is very clear that the Rays are in an extreme rut. The pitching has been fine during this rough stretch, but the offense is clearly falling behind. Wander Franco knocked a solo home run in the bottom of the first to get the Rays ahead early. The only problem is that is all they'd manage for the rest of the game. The 1-0 lead would last until Sean Murphy blasted a two-run shot that would end the scoring for the night and earn the Braves the opening victory. To make matters worse, Tyler Glasnow left in the sixth inning with cramps. He'd been pitching very well, striking out eight and allowing just two hits over 5.2 innings. Elvin Rodriguez would come in and pitch 3.1 perfect innings in relief. The losing stretch extended to six straight. 
Player of the Game- Charlie Morton (ATL) (6.1 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts)

Saturday 7/8
Braves 6, Rays 1
WP- Spencer Strider (11-2), LP- Taj Bradley (5-5)

To call the Rays' bats "dead" might be a gross understatement. They can't seem to buy any runs at the moment. It's almost nice that the Braves decided not to keep the game close to put us out of our misery early. The game was scoreless until the Braves exploded for four runs in the fourth inning, three of which came on a home run by Sean Murphy, proving to be more than enough against the Rays on this day. Wander Franco would get the Rays on the board in the eighth inning, but the Braves added two more in the ninth to put them away for good. Spencer Strider was magnificent, striking out 11 batters to earn his 11th win. 
Player of the Game- Spencer Strider (ATL) (6.1 innings, 4 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 11 strikeouts)

Sunday 7/9
Rays 10, Braves 4
WP- Zach Eflin (10-4), LP- Bryce Elder (7-2)

The losing streak is officially over and the Rays broke it in emphatic fashion. The scoring was early and often as the team jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run double by Jonathan Aranda and a two-run home run by Isaac Paredes. Atlanta chipped away at the lead with two in the fourth inning, but the Rays responded with three of their own in the bottom half, highlighted by a two-run shot by Yandy Diaz. An RBI double by Taylor Walls in the fifth extended the lead and while the Braves would get a couple of runs back in the later innings, Diaz put the game out of reach with a two-run double in the eighth to ensure the Rays would get back in the win column heading into the All-Star Break. Zach Eflin had another strong start, earning his 10th win of the season. 
Player of the Game- Yandy Diaz (TB) (3-for-5, 2 runs, 1 double, 1 home run, 4 RBIs)

Series Review
  • The Braves beat the Rays, 2-1
  • The Rays and the Braves tied, 12-12
  • Series MVP- Yandy Diaz (8-for-13, 2 runs, 1 double, 1 home run, 4 RBIs, 
Injury Report & Other News
It was a bit of a mixed bag this week for the team on the injury front. Brandon Lowe returned from the IL on Tuesday, but Tyler Glasnow left his start on Friday night with cramps. There's no indication at the moment that it will require him to miss any extended time. 

In positive news, Wander Franco was added to the AL All-Star team as an injury replacement. Shane McClanahan has been replaced on the AL roster due to his injury. 

The Week Ahead
For Randy Arozarena, Yandy Diaz, and Wander Franco, the beginning of the week will see them in Seattle to represent the AL. Arozarena will be participating in the Home Run Derby on Monday before he and Diaz start in the All-Star Game on Tuesday. Once the festivities end, the Rays will be in Kansas City for a three-game set with the Royals to begin the second half of the season, starting on Friday night. 

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