Could have been smoother, but Moore didn't fall apart as we have seen him do before. (Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE)

The Indians loaded the bases in the 4th against Moore on an Asdrubal Cabrera single and 2 walks. Moore allowed a Jose Lopez sac fly before he was able to escape the jam with a strikeout and yet another flyout. More trouble arose in the 5th inning. After Kotchman struck out to begin the inning, Moore walked Lou Marson before Shin-Soo Choo singled. Cabrera flied out, but then Jason Kipnis grounded an RBI single to pull Cleveland with 3-2. Moore did get Jose Lopez to fly out to end the inning. Moore was removed after a walk to begin the 6th inning. Wade Davis got a double play as part of a shutout inning. Moore went 5+ innings allowing 2 runs on 3 hits, striking out 3 but walking 5. 51 of his 90 pitches were strikes. His start was downright bizarre. His groundout to flyout ratio was just 0-11. Per Craig Vanderkam in the Rays’ communications department, it was the first time since Tom Gorzelanny on 4/9/11 that a starter forced 11 flyouts and not a single groundout. Even more crazy, he allowed exactly two groundballs, both of which went for singles. Wow. Moore showed an ability to get ahead in the count at times, and although he couldn’t really put away hitters, he got them to put the ball into play weakly in the air. Then his control went, as it has far too often this year. But at least his start ended as far from a disaster with the 2 runs in 5 innings, and hopefully Moore can build off of this.

The Rays manufactured an insurance run in the 6th as Desmond Jennings reached on a force play, stole second base in a very close play, and then scored on a Jose Lobaton RBI single. The Rays bullpen gave its best effort to hold the lead. Coming off 5.2 scoreless on Monday, the Rays bullpen tossed the final 4 innings without allowing a run in this one. Wade Davis, Joel Peralta, and Burke Badenhop combined for 3 perfect innings, striking out 4, and Fernando Rodney closed it out, allowing a single but getting an effortless double play on a little liner right back to him which he caught and then threw to first base for a double play. Rodney got Travis Hafner to fly out to end the game for his 27th save as the Rays won 4-2. Moore (6-6) got the win, while Tomlin (5-6) took the loss. Moore bent but didn’t break, the offense managed some runs, and the bullpen was as good as it gets. All things considered, it was a crisp win. The Rays look to build on this win on Wednesday versus the Indians with Jeremy Hellickson taking on Justin Masterson.

The Rays got next to nothing against Tomlin on Thursday. (Credit: David Richard-US PRESSWIRE)

In the first 4 innings of the game, Josh Tomlin stifled the Rays as they manage solely an Elliot Johnson single. But they finally got something in the 5th. With 1 out, Will Rhymes hit a high flyball to deep right field hitting off the right field wall and just missing a home run, but deflecting far enough away from Sin-Soo Choo that Rhymes made it all the way to 3rd. He scored on a Jose Molina ground out. Elliot Johnson then reached on a dropped third strike, giving the Rays a little momentum. But Sean Rodriguez grounded out to end the inning, the first of 7 straight batters Tomlin retired to end his outing. Tomlin went 7 innings allowing 1 run on just 2 hits, striking out 3 while walking none.

Elliot Johnson hit a bloop down the left field line with 1 out in the top of the 8th and went for second base as the ball went into foul territory. But left fielder Aaron Cunningham got to the ball and made a beautiful throw to second base to gun down Johnson. Hideki Matsui then lined out to the end the inning.

Jake McGee tossed the 8th trying to get back on track following the go-ahead 2-run single he allowed to Robinson Cano on Wednesday, but he could not do the job, allowing a Travis Hafner solo shot to make it a 3-1 game. Desmond Jennings singled to lead off the 9th for the Rays, but Chris Perez retired the next 3 batters as the Indians won 3-1. Tomlin (5-5) got the win, while Hellickson (4-5) took the loss and Perez recorded his 24th save. It wasn’t quite as frustrating as Wednesday’s game, but it was their second straight loss. Jeremy Hellickson was nowhere near sharp, but he buckled down to keep the Rays in the game. However, the Rays offense came up with nothing. The Rays send Alex Cobb to the mound on Friday against Justin Masterson for the second game of a 4 game set.