Rays Colored Glasses » Rays

Game 102: Hellickson Outpitches Greinke, Rays Win 2-0

Aaron Somers — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 11:30:04 +0000

Zack Greinke pitched well in his Angels debut, but Jeremy Hellickson and the Tampa Bay Rays bullpen were just simply too much as the Rays were able to take the series finale by a 2-0 score.

Greinke, acquired just two days ago by the Angels as the chief piece of their midseason shopping agenda, managed to throw 7.0 strong innings in his first game with his new team. Greinke allowed seven hits on the day, adding a walk and eight strikeouts, but would up with his first loss in an Angels uniform after permitting both runs to score.

July 29, 2012; Anaheim, CA, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson (58) pitches in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

It took until the 6th inning before the Rays were able to push across a run. Sam Fuld reached base on a fielder’s choice before advancing to third on a single by Ben Zobrist. With the pair on and two outs, Matt Joyce was able to drive a single to right field, scoring Fuld and pushing Zobrist to third. Jeff Keppinger struck out, ending the inning.

Tampa Bay started off quickly in the 7th. Carlos Pena doubled to deep right field to leadoff the frame. Ryan Roberts grounded out, moving Pena over to third. He then was able to score on a wild pitch from Greinke, making it a 2-0 game.

Hellickson, meanwhile, was cruising despite suffering from a stomach ailment that coupled with the heat was leaving him highly dehydrated for much of the game. He vomited five times and reported feeling some light-headedness towards the end of his outing. Still, Hellickson managed to throw 6.0 innings, allowing just two hits and striking out five.

The Rays bullpen finished things off from there. Kyle Farnsworth, Joel Peralta, and Fernando Rodney each pitched a scoreless inning to finish out the game. Rodney made things interesting for a moment, allowing a pair of 9th inning hits to the Angels before closing it out for his 30th save of the season.

Tampa Bay took two of three from the Angels and will continue their West Coast swing at Oakland next.

* With Robbie taking some much-deserved vacation time over the next two weeks you’ll be seeing a lot more content from Staff Writer David Hill around these parts, plus a few items Robbie’s scheduled in advance so that you don’t miss him while he’s gone. I’ll be stopping in from time to time to help him out as well. My name is Aaron Somers. I’m the Editorial Director here for FanSided MLB and the Senior Editor & Lead Writer for our Washington Nationals site, District on Deck. In addition to the great staff here at RCG, feel free to follow me on Twitter @AaronJSomers.

Game 100: Keppinger Provides The Only Offense as Haren, Pujols Defeat Rays 3-1

Aaron Somers — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 11:00:53 +0000

Tampa Bay arrived in Los Angeles for Friday’s series opener knowing full well that they’d be facing a tough Angels team, one the Rays were chasing for a Wild Card berth in the American League. They had no idea that the Angels would improve themselves prior to the game and that they’d then go on to defeat the Rays 3-1 thanks to a strong outing from Dan Haren and another one of the games we’ve come to expect from Albert Pujols.

The Rays actually got the scoring started first. In the top of the 2nd inning, with one out, Jeff Keppinger connected on the first pitch he saw from Haren for a solo home run to left field. It was his fourth home run of the season and the start of what would be a solid evening for the day’s designated hitter. Keppinger went 3 for 4 on the day, adding a 7th inning double and a stolen base to his solo home run.

Jeff Keppinger has been a bright spot for the Rays offense this season and nearly provided it all himself Friday night in Los Angeles. (Image Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE)

Unfortunately the Rays offense failed to otherwise show up for the game. The team managed just six hits on the game, with only one coming from someone other than Keppinger after the 8th inning (a Desmond Jennings pinch-hit single). Sam Fuld and Ben Zobrist had the team’s other two hits on the game, both doubles.

Haren picked up the win, pushing his record to 8-8 in what has been a trying season for the right-hander. He’s struggled with consistency and has seen a significant spike in his WHIP that has lead directly to a jump in his ERA after finishing in the Top 10 in AL Cy Young Award voting last year. Haren threw 6.0 innings in the game, allowing just the five hits while walking one and striking out six. He lowered his season ERA to 4.59.

The struggles Haren has endured this year at least in part prompted a significant trade that the Angels completed late Friday afternoon. The team agreed to send their top prospect, shortstop Jean Segura,and a pair of Double-A right-handers, Ariel Pena and John Hellweg, to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Zack Greinke. The right-hander instantly gives the Angels a very tough 1-2 punch atop their rotation, paring Greinke with Jered Weaver. Greinke’s next start had been slated for Sunday against the Washington Nationals, but it’s unclear when he’ll make his Angels debut and if the Rays will still be in town to face him.

Los Angeles answered the Rays scoring in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Rays starter Alex Cobb was able to get two quick outs to begin the inning, inducing ground outs from both Maicer Izturis and Bobby Wilson, but then allowed back-to-back singles to Mike Trout and Torii Hunter. Albert Pujols stepped to the plate next and took a 1-1 pitch to left field that Fuld nearly made a diving catch on. Instead, the ball for Pujols’ 26th double of the season, scoring both Trout and Hunter. Mark Trumbo singled two pitches later, driving in Pujols for his 69th RBI before he was thrown out trying to advance to second base and ending the inning.

Like Keppinger, Pujols went 3 for 4 on the game, adding two singles to the double that drove in his 62nd and 63rd RBI of the year. Pujols got off to a terrible start to the season through the month of April but has since turned things around and is looking like his old self again.

Early Friday evening, RCG Editor Robbie Knopf discussed how important Cobb may prove to be to this Rays team, particularly in the coming two months depending on what moves the team chooses to make prior to Tuesday’s trade deadline (specifically the fate of James Shields). Part of the team’s decision whether or not they will move Shields will largely depend on who they feel comfortable using to replace him in the starting rotation from a group of possibilities comprised essentially of a trio of Cobb, Chris Archer, and the soon-to-be-rehabbing Jeff Niemann. Cobb, while no star, could prove to be a valuable piece of this Rays team in the coming years if he’s able to be an affordable option at the back end of the rotation.

Cobb pitched well in the game, with the exception of that 3rd inning. He made it through 7.0 innings, allowing the three runs on eight hits while striking out three. The loss dropped him to 4-8 on the year.

A pair of lefties will take the mound for Saturday’s game, with Matt Moore (6-7, 4.23) opposing C.J. Wilson (9-6, 2.89).

Game 85: Moore, Rays bats struggle in loss to Indians

Andrew Katzman — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 01:33:09 +0000

After a game in which the Rays bats broke out for 10 runs on 13 hits, they reverted back to their woeful hitting ways in a 7-3 loss to the Tribe. Compounding the lack of hitting, Matt Moore struggled, lasting just 4.2 innings and allowing 5 ER on 5 hits, along with 5 walks. For Moore, the loss is his first since May 28^th(2-1 vs Chicago), and the first time allowing 5 ER or more since May 6^th (8 ER allowed in a 9-5 loss to Oakland), and the first time lasting less than 5 innings since May 22^nd vs Toronto, a game won by the Rays, 8-5. Moore is now 5-6 on the season, but it’s hard to be disappointed with his overall body of work after a rough April and beginning of May. JP Howell and Burke Badenhop combined for 2.1 scoreless innings in relief, before Wade Davis allowed a 2 run HR to Shelley Duncan in the 8^th, which busted the game wide open for the Tribe.

Ubaldo Jiminez, who worked himself in and out of trouble in the 1^st, was staked to a 5-0 lead after 3 innings and would mostly cruise through 6 innings, striking out 8 and allowing only 1 walk. After that, the Indians turned it over to their bullpen, which has been strength for them all season, with Tony Sipp and Vinnie Pestano each working a scoreless inning each in relief. Esmil Rogers worked the 9^th, as it became a non-save situation, and B.J. Upton hit a solo homerun off of him, providing the final 7-3 margin. With the win, Jiminez is now 8-7 on the season.

If we’re looking for positives for the Rays in this game, look no further than Luke Scott who, one day after breaking his 0-41 drought at the plate with a homerun, hit another one tonight, along with a bloop single. The loss drops the Rays to 44-41, while the win puts the Indians at 44-40, ½ game ahead of the Rays in the chase for 2 AL Wildcard spots. The Rays trail the Orioles by 2 games and the Angels by 2.5 for the aforementioned wildcards, with those two teams meeting later tonight. The Rays and Indians will meet tomorrow in their final game before the All-Star break, with James Shields (8-5, 4.11 ERA) facing off against Zach Mccalister (3-1, 3.93 ERA).

Notes: The Rays are now a ghastly 5-14 vs. the AL Central, and have only won one series (2 of 3 vs Minnesota on April 20-22^nd at Tropicana Field). This game was not televised locally, or nationally, on any mediums.