Rays’ pitching dominates Giants again

by Gary Shelton on May 3, 2026

in general

Aranda is tied for the league lead in RBI./TIM WIRT

Sunday, 4 a.m.

Given as how they are visiting Florida, perhaps the San Francisco Giants can take in some sights.

You know, like home plate at Tropicana Field.

The scoring woes of the Giants, baseball's lowest scoring team, continued on Saturday night in a 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays have given up only one run in their two victories. In their last nine games (eighth of them wins) they have allowed three runs or fewer.

The Rays are now 20-12 on the season. The New York Yankees are the only other major league team with 20 victories,

Considering the way the season started, who would have thought for that kind of domination. Especially when the Rays employ an Opener strategy (Griffin Jax) and coasted. The Giants managed just seven hits Satuday and five hits on Friday.

Jax went 2 2/3 innnings of shutout, one-hit baseball. Jesse Scholtens threw the next three innings. Kevin Kelly Garritt Cleavinger and Casey Legumina finished up.

Scholens gave up the only run when Chandler Simpson was unable to bring in a fly ball by Rafael Devers in the sixth. The Giants were only one-for-six with runners in scoring position.

The Rays scored their first run in the fourth when Jake Fraley drove in Junior Caminero.

Te Rays scored three more in the fifth. Cedric Mullins walked with the bases loaded go bring in another run. Jonathan Arana's single up the middle brought in two more runs.

Johnny DeLuca doubled in the eighth, stole second and came home when the throw got away.

The Rays are 15-5 the last 20 games.

Landen Roupp of the Giants lost for the second time in eight decisions.

The Rays close out their series against the Giants today at 1:40 p.m. at Tropicana Field. Steven Matz will start for the Rays against Tyler Mahle.

Lightning wins, forces Game Seven

by Gary Shelton on May 2, 2026

in general

Goncalves finally found the net./TIM WIRT

Saturday, 4 a.m.

They live.

At times, it looked shaky. At times, they looked as if they were staring into the off-season.

And still, they survived.

The Tampa Bay Lightning staved off elimination from the NHL playoffs Friday night, taking a 1-0 victory over Montreal in the Bell Centre.

Gage Concalves tapped in a close goal with 9:03 left in the extra period to tie the series at 3-3. Four of the six games have finished in overtime.

Vasilevskiy won his 70th playoff game./TIM WIRT

The game was a duel between the Bolts' Andrei Vasilevskiy (who stoppped all 30 Montreal shots) and Montreal's Jakub Dobes (who stopped 32 of 33).

It was Vasilevskiy's eighth career shutout and his 70th victory.

Neither team could score, even though Nikita Kucherov logged six shots and Montreal's Ivan Demidov had five.

Goncalves jabbed in his shots on a two pokes after getting a nice pass from Dominic James.

Sunday's game has not announced a starting time at Benchmark International Arena.

Pitching continues to carry Rays

by Gary Shelton on May 2, 2026

in general

McClanahan won his third game./TIM WIRT

Saturday, 3 a.m.

When they pitch, they compete.

For the Tampa Bay Rays, it is as simple as that. On the nights their bullpen is weak, or their starting pitching does't clock, they can be had.

Ah, but when they pitch, the Rays are a pretty good baseball team.

The Rays played their eighth straight game giving up three runs or fewer Friday night, beating the San Francisco Giants 3-0. The Ryas have won seven of those games.

Shane McClanahan pitched six shutout innings and allowed just five hits. Ian Seymour, Cole Susler and Bryan Baker threw one shutout inning each. For Baker, it was his eighth save.

The Rays offense didn't hit it often, but they hit it a long way. Tampa Bay had just four hits of Giants' starter Robbie Ray, but they included solo home runs by Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero and a double by Taylor Walls (who later scored on a sacrifice fly by Chandler Simpson).

Diaz left the game with tightness in his side and is day-to-day.

The Rays and Giants play again today at Tropicana Field at 6:10 p.m. Jesse Scholtens is expected to start for the Rays against Landon Roupp.

Bolts on verge of elimination from playoffs

by Gary Shelton on April 30, 2026

in general

Guentzel tied the game after two periods./TIM WIRT

Thursday, 4 a.m.

From here, you can see the end.

From here if you are the Tampa Bay Lightning, you can see elimination. You can see the off-season. You can see ... nothingness.

After another close loss, the Tampa Bay Lightning is staring the end of their season, Montreal won Game five 3-2 and took a 3-2 edge in their NHL playoff series and now heads home on Friday night to try to close things out.

It was the second home loss in three tries for the Lightning.

The Bolts came back from 3-1 playoff deficits in 2004 (Calgary), 2011 (Pittsburgh), 2015 (Detroit) and 2022 (Toronto).

James scored first playoff goal./TIM WIRT

The Bolts got off 40 shots, but had trouble getting the puck past Montreal goalie Jakub Dobes.

The Bolts trailed 1-0 when Dominic James scored to tie the game. Eleven seconds later, however, Montreal's Kirby Dach scored to give the Canadiens the lead back.

This time, it was Jake Guentzel who tied it late in the second period. But 66 seconds into the third period, Alexandre Texier scored the winner on a manageable shot.

Friday night's game will begin at 7 p.m.

Rays offense bogs down vs. Cleveland

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Martinez leads shutout of Guardians

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Baker escapes in Rays’ close win

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Tuesday, 4 a.m. Bryan Baker was in a world of hurt. The Tampa Bay Rays, too. Extra innings was on third base. Defeat was on second. There was only one out. The homestanding crowd could smell victory. And Baker was bigger than the moment. Baker struck out George Valera on a full-count pitch. He then […]

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Bolts come back to beat Montreal

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Monday, 4 a.m. They are a hard team to kill, these Tampa Bay Lightning. You can be at home. You can be ahead. You can be a physical opponent. And still, the Bolts can hurt you. The Lightning rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie their NHL playoff series Sunday night with a 3-2 win […]

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Scholtens looking like a starter

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Monday, 3 a.m. Perhaps it’s time to make Jesse Scholtens a full-time starter. Scholtens, who has inherited the Bulk role when the Rays go their Opener strategy, was sharp again Sunday as the Rays completed a sweep of Minnesota with a 4-2 victory at Tropicana Field. Scholtens pitched 4 1/3 innings Sunday and allowed just […]

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Now, the real competition begins

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Sunday, 4 a.m. Now, it is the time for answers. The legitimate questions have all been addressed. The nit-picking is complete, too. But, really, all we have is words. Soon, the pads go on, and the proving begins. The Bucs are no different than any other team. You can plan, and you can expect. The […]

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