The Golden Road Trip continues. Suddenly, it doesn't matter who is pitching -- they're in control. It doesn't matter who is at the plate -- they come up big in the big moments.
The Rays ran their record to 6-0 on their current road trip. They completed their second straight sweep with a 4-1 victory over Seattle.
This time, Ian Seymour held the Mariners to one run over his six innings en route to his ninth win of the season.
The Rays were a little sloppy early, and an error kept the Mariners' ninth alive. But the Rays had 14 hits to lead their victory. They left 12 runners on base, but a two-run double by catcher Liam Hicks in the sixth separated the teams.
Seymour won his ninth game./TIM WIRT
Both Yandy Diaz and Chandler Simpson had four-hit days. Hicks had two hits.
Seymour gave up his run before he got anyone out but settled in. He struck out seven.
The Mariners were jut one-for-15 with runners in scoring position during the series.
Diaz and Cedric Mullins each had RBI singles.
The Rays take their winning streak to Sacremento to face the Athletics tonight at 9:40 p.m. Freddy Peralta (5-9) will get his second start for the Rays against Jacob Lopez (5-4).
Evidently, there isn't a ninth inning that Bryan Baker cannot save.
Baker played rescue-ranger again Saturday night, retiring a tough part of Seattle's lineup to preserve a 3-2 victory. Baker gave up a hit to Julio Rodriguez, then retired Josh Naylor (who had two home runs on the night) and coaxed Brendan Donovan to hit into a double play to end it.
It was Baker's franchise-record setting 23rd save in a row (breaking Fernando Rodney's record) and 34th on the season. Baker is now ninth on the lists of saves in a season for the Rays.
Baker closes another door for Rays./KIM HUKARI
The calm at the end was welcome for the Rays, who got off to a bad start when it was announced starter Griffin Jax was pulled because of back tightness. Seven Rays pitchers allowed eight hits and two runs.
The big blow offensively was by second baseman Richie Palacios, who had a two-strike, two-out single in the sixth.
Victor Mesa Jr. hit his ninth home run in the fourth.
The Rays managed just seven hits, but two each by Chandler Simpson and Palacios.
Seattle was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. The Rays were one-for-eight.
The teams play again today at T-Mobile Park. Ian Seymour (8-3) will start for the Rays against Emerson Hancock (6-6) at 4:10 p.m.
The Tampa Bay Rays rode a familiar game plan Friday night in a 2-1 win over Seattle at T-Mobile Park. The Rays got a strong starting performance from Drew Rasmussen, who improved his record to 11-5 by going seven innings and giving up just two hits.
Then it was Bryan Baker's turn, again. Baker recorded his 33rd save, even though he gave up a solo homer in the ninth to Julio Rodriguez.
Baker saved his 33rd game./KIM HUKARI
The Rays didn't have a lot of offense. They had only six hits, but two of them left the yard. Jonny DeLuca had a solo homer on the second inning amd Jonathan Aranda had another one in the third.
The Rays lead the AL East by 4 1/2 games over New York and five games over Boston.
The Rays and Mariners play again tonight at 9:50 p.m. at T-Mobile. Griffin Jax (6-9) will start for the Rays against George Kirby (8-9).
They don't win a lot. They don't shut opponents down a lot.
But say one thing for the Colorado Rockies. Those guys can score.
That was the impressive thing about the Rays' 4-0 win over the Rockies at Coors Field Wednesday. Even while losing the first two games of their series with the Rays, the Rockies scored 16 times.
Then came Nick Martinez and the guys, who shut out the Rockies on six hits Tuesday. Martinez threw 5 2/3 innings of shutout balll. Newly acquired Taylor Wells, Garrett Cleavinger and Cameron Booser all threw a shutout inning to finish it off.
The Rays' pitchers shut out Colorado in their last 16 innings.
Martinez won his 11th game./KIM HUKARI
Victor Mesa had two triples and a sacrifice bunt to lead the Rays' offense. Junior Caminero hit his 33rd home run of the season.
The Rays are now 22 games above .500.
The Rays are off today, then open a three-game series in Seattle at 9:45 p.m. on Friday. Drew Rasmussen (10-5) will start for the Rays against Logan Gilbert (8-6).
Wednesday, 4 a.m. In the days to come, the Rays may try to explain exactly how they won Tuesday night’s game against the Colorado Rockies. It’s going to take a while. The Rays, inexplicably, won a 9-7 comeback in 11 innings at Coors Field. The Rays have now scored 22 runs in two games against […]
Tuesday, 4 a.m. The missing bats of the Tampa Bay Rays showed back up on Monday night. Who would have thought they would have left them in Denver? The Rays assaulted the Colorado Rockies out of the gate, scoring eight times in the first four innings and coasting to a 13-9 victory at Coors Field. […]
Monday, 4 a.m. From one vantage point, Sunday was a decent day for the Rays when you consider the acquisition of Freddy Peralta. On the other hand, would it have been so hard to pick up another bat, too. The Rays broke into double-figures in hits (11) for the first time in nine games Sunday, […]
Sunday, 4 a.m. Another reminder: If the other team doesn’t score, it can’t beat you. For the fourth time in seven games, the Tampa Bay Rays shut out an opponent. This time, it was 1-0, the team’s 10th shutout of the season. Drew Rasmussen led the way, striking out 10 and allowing just four hits […]
Saturday, 4 a.m. Perhaps it is time for a bit of a reminder for the Tampa Bay Rays: It’s hard to play defense on the far side of the fence. The Chicago White Sox reminded the Rays of that in Friday night’s 6-1 win at Tropicana Field. The Sox hit four home runs in their […]
Friday, 4 a.m. Some games are won by the bat. And, yes, you could make an argument for that after Cedric Mullins’ winning home run in the bottom of the eighth Thursday afternoon. Some games are won by the arm. And, sure, you could include this one, especially after Bryan Baker’s 30th save of the […]
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About Gary Shelton
• No one covers Tampa Bay like Gary Shelton.
• No one has seen as many moments, as many athletes, as many coaches as he has over the last quarter of a century.
• No one has won more awards, including two national Associated Press Sports Editors Best Columnist awards and eight top 10 finishes. He also just received his sixth Sportswriter of the Year award for Florida by the NSSA.
• No one has seen more big events, including 29 Super Bowls, 10 Olympics and 11 Final Fours. Gary still goes into the locker rooms to obtain his stories.
• No one has made you angrier, or laugh louder, or think harder about what he has written.
Now, he begins a website designed to keep him in touch with the readers who have grown up on his words.
