Chien-Ming Wang had nothing. The Rays got him for 3 straight singles in the first for a run and 2 innings later, Carlos Pena hit a long 2-run shot off of Wang, his first homer since May 30th, and a 2-out, 2-run triple from Elliot Johnson. Wang lasted just 3.1 innings allowing 5 runs on 7 hits, striking out just 1 while walking 3. The Rays should have maybe even gotten him for more, grounding into a first inning double play and stranded 3 runners, but they got enough runs to win this game.

David Price was certainly not dominant, but he battled to give the Rays a solid outing. He allowed a run on a Carlos Pena error in the first inning when Will Rhymes threw the ball into the dirt and Pena couldn’t come up with it, and then Ian Desmond drilled a second inning solo homer to give the Nats a 2-1 lead. The Rays gave Price a boost in the third inning and he managed to get double plays to get out of the third and fourth innings. But Price left a fastball right down the middle against Mike Morse in the 6th inning, and Morse drilled an opposite-field 2-run shot to pull the Nationals within 5-4. Price lasted 7 innings allowing 4 runs, 3 earned, on 6 hits, striking out 4 while walking 1. The two home runs burned him, but the Rays got him the run support he needed and he was fine otherwise.

Other big news was that in the fourth inning, Matthew Joyce left the game with an apparent back injury. After all the injuries the Rays have gone through, they have to hope that he’s OK.

Absolutely unbelievable. (Credit: Joy R. Absalon-US PRESSWIRE)

The first 7 innings of this game were interesting but unspectacular. The 8th inning made this game one that will be remembered for a long time. In the bottom of the 8th inning, Joel Peralta entered the game to relieve Price. But before he could throw a pitch, Nationals manager trotted out onto the field to talk with the umpires. He asked crew chief Tim Tschida to go out to the mound to check out Peralta’s glove. The umpire looked at the glove and subsequently took it away to have a look at it back in the clubhouse. The umpires came back out, made it clear that Peralta had some “foreign substance” on his glove, and ejected Peralta from the game. On his way out, Peralta nodded his head to the Nationals dugout. Jake McGee entered the game and tossed a 1-2-3 inning with help from two outstanding defensive displays from Drew Sutton at second base, and Fernando Rodney tossed a perfect 9th for the save as the Rays won 5-4. Price improved to 9-4, Wang fell to 2-3, and Rodney earned his 20th save. But that all was overshadowed by the Peralta incident.

The thing to remember that Peralta pitched for the Nationals back in 2010. After the game during interviews with Sun Sports and 620 WDAE, Carlos Pena talked about the fact that Peralta had been betrayed by his ex-teammates. Peralta himself then said that he didn’t care because the Rays won the game. And Joe Maddon regarded the maneuver by Davey Johnson and the Nationals as a “bush league” and even a “pussy” move.  Considering Peralta didn’t even throw a pitch in the game, it was clearly something based on prior knowledge. It was hypocritical for the Nationals to call out something that they given a blind eye to in the past. And it’s not as though Peralta had done anything so extraordinary. He hadn’t even thrown a pitch yet! People talked about what the Nationals did as “gamesmanship.” If it was truly gamesmanship, they would have waited until it truly gave them an advantage. Davey Johnson acted although he was taking a moral stance on the issue.

The Nationals had already sent up infielder Steve Lombardozzi to pinch-hit before Johnson approached the umpires. Do you know what’s funny? Thus far in 2012, Lombardozzi, a switch-hitter, has a .296 average and a .729 OPS versus righties compared to just .125 with a .389 OPS versus lefties. Johnson was saying that under no circumstances is it OK for a pitcher to use any substance on his glove to gain any type of real or perceived advantage and he was willing to face a disadvantage in the game to accomplish that. But the Nationals themselves had allowed Peralta to do the same exact thing while he was on their ballclub! How could Johnson implicate his own ballclub? Johnson was vilifying Peralta while ignoring the instantaneous attack he had started on his own team. He crossed the line. It wasn’t gamesmanship and it wasn’t taking a moral stance. It was an unsolicited attack on Joel Peralta. You just can’t do that. Hate the principle all you want. Do everything you can to win games. But don’t lose all professionalism and attack an individual player. It was ridiculous and uncalled for. What the heck was that?

Triple-A International League: Syracuse Chiefs (WSN) 15, Durham Bulls 8

Alex Cobb has swing-and-miss stuff Wednesday. That’s about the only good thing anyone can say. Cobb recorded just 5 outs, 4 of which via the strikeout, and allowed 7 runs, 6 earned, on 5 hits and 3 walks. Josh Lueke allowed just 1 run in 2.1 innings, recording 3 K’s to 1 walk, and Romulo Sanchez followed with 2 shutout innings, allowing just 1 hit, but the horrific pitching returned in the 7th. John Gaub struck out 2 without allowing a hit in the 7th. One problem: he walked 5 (!) and allowed 2 runs. And Jhonny Nunez capped things off by allowing 4 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks in the 8th. For the Chiefs, Chien-Ming Wang started in a rehab appearance and actually pitched well, allowing 2 runs on 8 hits in 7 innings, striking out just 1 while walking 1, but forcing a 12-2 groundout to flyout ratio. The Chiefs bullpen imploded in the 8th to allow 6 runs to the Bulls to close with 10-8 before Syracuse put the game away with 5 in the bottom of the frame. Matt Mangini went 2 for 4 with a grand slam for Durham and Jesus Feliciano went 4 for 5 with 2 doubles, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Other than those two, it was a night that the Bulls will have to forget quickly. Cobb was bad and the bullpen was worse. The Bulls drop to 12-22 on the year.

Double-A Southern League: Montgomery Biscuits 9, Chattanooga Lookouts (LAD) 0

I can’t believe how negative I’m about to be about a 9-0 shutout victory for a Rays affiliate. Lefty Kyle Lobstein tossed 3-hit shuout ball for the first 5 innings of the game, striking out 7. But he also walked 5 and threw just 49 of 99 pitches for strikes, less than half. That won’t cut it at all. Lobstein’s ERA fell to just 6.32 on the year despite the 5 scoreless frames, and it’s pretty clear why Lobstein has struggled. Scott Shuman followed with 2 shutout innings for Montgomery, striking out 3 and lowering his ERA all the way to… 12.32. The reason his ERA is so high: walks. He also walked 4 in this one. Neil Schenk did close this one out with 2 perfect innings, striking out 2, so that’s nice. The Biscuits’ big bats in this one where the 4-5-6 spots in their order as Henry Wrigley with 2 for 5 with a double, 2 RBI, and a run scored, Omar Luna went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI, and Michael Sheridan went 3 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored. The Biscuits are now just two games under .500 at 16-18.

High-A Florida State League: Charlotte Stone Crabs 5, Daytona Cubs 1

You’re killing me, Enny. Enny Romero went 6.1 shutout innings for Charlotte on Wednesday, allowing just 2 hits. But every other part of his outing was bad. He struck out just 3 while walking 4 and he also threw a wild pitch. He allowed 8 flyouts to just 6 groundouts. Based on xFIP, Romero should have allowed 4.07 runs based on all that. OF course, random fluctuations happen from game to game, but why can’t Romero pitch a good outing and actually strike guys out and force groundballs? On offense for Charlotte, four players had multi-hit games. Riccio Torrez went 2 for 4 with a double, a solo homer, and 2 RBI. Ty Morrison and Mikie Mahtook each went 2 for 3 with a walk, a stolen base, and a run scored. Mahtook also had an RBI. And the red-hot Mayo Acosta (Acosta is red-hot, not mayonnaise) went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. The Biscuits had a nice overall game and are now 15-18 on the season.

Low-A Midwest League: Lansing Lugnuts (TOR) 7, Bowling Green Hot Rods 3

This game with completely forgettable, especially since the Hot Rods lost. Ryan Brett, Matt Rice, and Cameron Seitzer all went 2 for 5 and the latter two had doubles. Drew Vettleson went 1 for 3 with 2 walks, an RBI, and a run scored. Tyler Goeddel and Josh Sale were a combined 0 for 5 with a walk. Trevor Shull walked 4 in 4.1 innings, allowing 4 runs (3 ER). Jason Partridge went 3.2 innings, striking out 4 while walking just 1 but allowed 3 runs (1 ER). The Hot Rods had a tough night, following to 17-16.

There are few things in life that make me as happy as walloping the New York Yankees.  This game was a memorable one in many ways for the Rays.  First off we raised the banner for AL East Championship and our American League Championship.  Just saying that still makes me a little giddy and I know still shocks some people around the country.  

The real show of the night started with our first batter in the bottom of the first inning.  BJ Upton took a walk to start the game, and the onslaught against Chien Ming Wang began.  We put up 4 in the first, and loaded up the bases in the 2nd inning before Joe Girardi finally pulled Mr. Wang.  His replacement Jonathan Alabaladejo threw two pitches to Carlos Pena before he belted a Grand Salami to really open the score up to 8-0.  The Rays didn’t look back from there, putting up a total of 17 hits, and 15 runs.  It got so bad for the Yanks at one point that they put Nick Swisher into pitch!!! 

Upton finished the game 1 for 3 with 2 runs and 3 BB.   Cp23 drove in 6 runs on 6 hits.  Pat the Bat Burrell hit his first jack as a Ray and had 2 hits, 2 rbi and 3 runs.  Up and down the lineup it was just an ass kicking.  I know I’m not generally the cursing type on any of the three Tampa team sites, but this game was just in all honesty, a good old fashioned ass whooping.  

Scottie Kazmir was brilliant, walking 0 batters, striking out 6 and going 6 and 2/3 innings.  

I will say this befor the video highlights, the video of the banner raising and the box score.  With BJ Upton back, our lineup is dangerous.  Akinori Iwamura and Jason Bartlett, hitting .385 and .444 respectively out of the 8 and 9 holes is not something other teams want to see.  1, 2, 3, 8 and 9 hitters can all steal 20 bases and a there is power loaded in the middle.  This lineup and this staff, and there is no reason to expect us to fall of from last years magical season.