Once again, Cash took the ball from Odorizzi early./CARMEN MANDATO
Saturday, 1 a.m.
Not long ago, he was the Tampa Bay Rays' best pitcher.
Now, two games short of the All-Star break, Jake Odorizzi may be struggling to remain in the Rays' rotation.
Odorizzi was hammered again Friday night in an 8-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Odorizzi pitched only four and one-third innings, giving up seven earned runs and another two home runs. Odorizzi has now given up 20 home runs on the season. It was the 13th straight game — a Rays' record – in which he has given up at least one home run.
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Smith bunted into a double play on an ill-advised effort./CARMEN MANDATO
Odorizzi has failed to complete six innings in six of his last eight starts. He has averaged 4.31 pitches per batter faced this season, highest in the majors (minimum 50 innings pitched). His seven earned runs allowed was his most since last season.
“I really don’t know what to say about Odo other than he just didn’t have it,” said Rays manager Kevin Cash. “It was kind of strange the way that it played out because
Morrison was frustrated with the strike zone./CARMEN MANDATO
I thought his 1st inning of work was the best his stuff had looked in a while and even into the 2nd, but we had a quick change of momentum in the 3rd inning with 2nd and 3rd with no outs and we can’t capitalize to get any in and before you know it we are down 4-0.
“I have faith in Odo. He will figure it out. No doubt about that in my mind.”
Odorizzi was the Rays' best pitcher in the second half of last year. He's hoping for a similar rebound.
“It just got away from me,” Odorizzi said. “One of those games. A crappy game. I know I have been going not so good so it stands out, but it’s just one of those games that didn’t go my way, but early on, I felt better.
Souza celebrates his 17th homer in the seventh./CARMEN MANDATO
“I just need a restart to get back. Get some time away and get back to throwing the ball. I have to have a second half like I did last year. I’m in a familiar spot right now after a really terrible first half last year. It was really unfortunate, but I was able to rebound last year and I just need to do the same thing this year come after the All-Star Break.”
The Rays had several chances to get back into the game, but hit into three double plays and went two-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
In the second inning, with runners on second and third, Mallex Smith tried to bunt with catcher Wilson Ramos on third. The Sox turned a double play to erase the threat.
“Bunting is part of Mallex Smith’s game and we want it to be,” Cash said. “I liked the thought, but we have to be able to understand the situation there. Wilson is not
Plouffe frustrated after strike out./CARMEN MANDATO
going to score on any bunted ball. In an ideal world if the infield is playing back there and he’s trying to do it just for a hit, so be it. But Moreland was in and Pedroia was kind of half way in. Even with a groundball to Pedroia, Wilson is probably not scoring. I think Wilson recognized the bunt and kind of got caught in no man’s land and followed it up with Brad.”
The Rays got two hits from Steven Souza, Evan Longoria and Brad Miller. In his first game off the disabled list, Miller went two-for-two with two walks.
“Offensively, the big hit eluded us, but it wasn’t for lack of effort,” Cash said. “We had guys on base quite a bit. They had Mallex Smith positioned perfectly on his ball to right field with Mookie Betts. That would have been nice to get a hit right there. Then Wilson Ramos hits a bullet down the line. One of those days. We got behind and were playing catch up and that big hit just couldn’t come for us.”
The Rays play the Red Sox again today at 4:10 p.m. at the Trop with Alex Cobb pitching against Boston's Rick Porcello.
Miller had two hits, two walks, in his return from the disabled list./CARMEN MANDATO
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