Damon Reaches Some Milestones as the Rays Roll

June 18, 2011

V: Florida Marlins

Attendance: 20,495

W: Alex Cobb (2-0) 3.41 ERA

Summary:

The Marlins have been really bad lately, and even that is an understatement. Since the calendar has flipped to June, they have only won once. They lost eight in a row, won a game against the Diamondbacks, and then lost the next nine in a row including tonight, thanks to a 7-3 loss to the Rays.

Alex Cobb was making his last start before being sent down, to which I ask why? What has Jeff Niemann done to deserve a rotation spot over Cobb? Niemann is just 1-4 with a 5.74 ERA in six starts. With tonight’s win, Cobb already has more wins (two) and an ERA of 3.41.

Cobb delivered another stellar performance tonight going 6.1 innings, giving up two runs on three hits. Again he got in trouble in the first inning. Emilio Bonifacio created a run with his legs. He walked, stole second, moved to third on a throwing error and then scored on a grounder that went about 45 feet. After that, Cobb really settled in. The only other run he allowed scored after he left the game.

The Rays were to muster enough offense starting right in the first inning. Johnny Damon hustled to his 500^th career double and then later scored on a Matthew Joyce sac fly. They were off and running when they added two more in the second on RBI hits by Sam Fuld and Reid Brignac.

The game became almost laughable in the sixth when, with the Rays up 5-1 with two out and the bases loaded, Joyce popped a ball up in the infield that third baseman Greg Dobbs dropped. That provided two more insurance runs as the Marlins made a little dent in the lead against the Rays’ bullpen. Peralta picked up a bit of a garbage save. He entered the game right on the edge of the save rule qualification.

Player of the Game: Johnny Damon—with two hits tonight he tied Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx on the all-time hit list and is just a few hits away from another Hall of Famer, Ted Williams. He also walked twice and scored three runs.