AL Champion Hammerin' Rangers @ Surehanded Rays 5/30-6/1

[Tobywan]

Probables

Holland vs. Davis

Wilson vs. Cobb ( speculation that he will be called up since being scratched from a Durham double header and no report of injury same as when he faced the Angels )


Lewis vs. Price


The first rematch of last year’s ALDS. Upside, we don’t have to face Lee ( not that they don‘t have a formidable staff without him) . Downside, Rays are without hot hitting and awesome defenseman Kotchman since he twisted his ankle trying to stretch a single into a double Sunday.


Rays just took 2 of 3 from the Indians, first series win since beating them in Cleveland.
Rangers have gotten the injured Hamilton and Cruz back and won their last two series against the Chisox and Royals.

Ian Kinsler hasn’t hit well out of Arlington and until yesterday the Rays hadn’t hit well at the Trop.

The Rays are the first team in ML history to go 52 games into a season without a multi-error game. They have committed just 21 so far.

[Tobywan]

Way outmatched tonight. WD40 just not getting the job done tonight, he is pulled in the 3rd. Texas up 7-0. A second error originally charged to Zobrist was changed to a hit, holding the streak for now.

[Tobywan]

SRod with his second error of the night breaks the streak.

Sonnanstine is pitching in relief so it does look like Cobb gets the start tomorrow against Wilson.

Rangers up 9-1..and error number 3 for Sean.

[Tobywan]

The Rays made a valiant attempt in the 6th, starting the inning with the score of 9-1, BJ lead off with a strike 3 called then a solo homer from Zorilla and a 3 run shot from Ruggiano made it 9-5. Keeping it going, Longo singled, JD walked, and SRod singled to load the bases and back around the BJ would have been the tying run..but struck out. That was last the of the rays offense and the Rangers tacked on 3 more runs. Rays pitchers gave up 20 hits.

There was a scary moment in the 6th when SRod hit a ball up the middle, JD heading for 2nd and Young ran into Andrus stepping on the top of his foot, both needing to walk it off but staying in the game.


As I mention Alex Cobb will get the start, he left an earlier start against the Angels on the first day of May in the 4th when it was discovered he was tipping his pitches. In his 8 starts with Durham is 5-0 with a 1.14 ERA. Has given up just six earned runs in 47 1/3 innings with 50 strikeotus and 10 walks.

Cobb will be making the Rays' 656th consecutive start by a pitcher under the age of 30. Second behind the 704-game streak of the 1913-17 Washington Senators.

C J Wilson retired 17 of the first 19 batters he faced in the 2-1 Texas win over the White Sox last Wed.
His last outing at the Trop, the Rangers beat the Rays, 6-0, in Game 2 of the ALDS.

No panic button yet, even with the loss the Rays didn't lose any ground.

Yanks -
Sox -
Rays 1.5
Jays 2
O's 5

[Tobywan]

A much better effort, Cobb did a very nice job once he got over the first inning jitters, but didn’t get a decision, leaving the game with the Ray behind 2-1. He appears to have th emake up to be a very good pitcher in the near future.The Rangers would score again in the 7th. Matty tied it up with a 2 run homer, Rangers went ahead again in the 8th and the win comes from a 2 run Longo in the 8th. Farnsworth doing a great job closing though he has not officially gotten the title.

Series tied 1-1.

JD got single in the 8th keeping his streak of getting on base safely going to 26 second longest to LoMo of the Marlins.

Andrew Friedman was a guest in the booth tonight, got me all geared up for the draft next week.

There is also a possibility of another tweak to the rotation on the road trip in order for Price and Shields to go against Boston on the next home stand.

Hopefully we can get another series win tomorrow, Go Rays!

[Tobywan]

Price’s last outing against this juggernaut wasn’t very pretty. A few things have changed, but they are still aggressive, playing the kind of baseball the Rays usually throw at opponents and of late have been lacking. David threw 7 shutout innings against the Indians his last time out and held them to just 4 hits. He is winless against the Rangers
Colby Lewis had a not so sparkling performance against the Royals, but had 5 quality starts in a row to that point. He hasn’t faced the Rays since 2003.

***Correction on the Johnny Damon hit streak it is 25.

[Tobywan]

Was a pitching duel til the 8th then a breakdown in pitching and defense. Rays had chances and couldn't capitalize the Rangers took advantage. We need CK back!

It was only the second time the Rays had been shut out this season.