Exclusive Rays coverage by Gary Shelton Sports

Remember the moments they sacrificed

May 29, 2017 general

Monday, 4 a.m. Do not remember the way he died, in a place too far from home, by gunfire from his fellow soldiers. Do not remember the ugliness that followed in the investigation of his death. Do not remember the profiteers who sought to squeeze a nickel from his death. With Pat Tillman, you have […]

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Rays win marathon on Longoria’s homer

May 29, 2017 general

Monday, 2 a.m. It was the game that wouldn’t end. Not when the Rays took an early lead and blew it. Not when the Rays came from behind in the ninth. Not when Tampa Bay went ahead in the 14th. Not when Minnesota came back. Not with 18 hits. Not with three errors. It wasn’t […]

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Random Thoughts: Souza’s flop was amusing

May 28, 2017 general

Could Roberto Aguayo miss a field goal so wide the Steven Souza couldn’t leap to catch it? Greg Louganis never had a dive like that one. – Maybe it’s just me, but I would have thought it would have been a hoot if Souza got up, looked at the camera and said “live….from New York. […]

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Once again, Rays fail to hold a lead

May 27, 2017 general

Sunday, 2 a.m. Once again, the Rays watched a lead turn into a loss Saturday afternoon. Tampa Bay, ahead 2-1, let its 19th lead-holding game get away as Minnesota scored three times in the eighth inning. The Rays had won seven of their previous 10 games. Once again, the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead. With the […]

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Souza has adventurous night in Rays’ victory

May 27, 2017 general

Saturday, 2 a.m. He was off at the crack of the bat. He was covering the ground in right field quickly. The ball was headed toward the gap, but Steven Souza Jr. kept pushing. Finally, realizing the ball was going to be beyond him, he left his feet and dove headlong… …and the ball fell […]

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Andriese leads Rays to a shutout victory

May 26, 2017 general

Friday, 2 a.m. Who’s number one? When it comes to the most important part of a team — of any team — it is often as clear as water. There is an ace in the starting rotation, and there are backup singers. There is a star, and there is a supporting cast. There is the […]

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Souza’s home runs lead Rays to victory

May 25, 2017 general

Thursday, 2 a.m. Steven Souza said he had to figure out a way to get a runner home. He did. After all, hitting the ball over the fence usually will get runners in from anywhere on base. Souza homered twice Wednesday night, leading the Rays to a 5-2 win over the Angels, Tampa Bay’s first […]

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Rays’ offense struggles again against Angels

May 24, 2017 general

Wednesday, 2 a.m. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. The Rays’ offense has gone dark, but late in the game, the team mounts a rally. The bases are loaded with one out. And the Rays strike out. And strike out again. And leave three runners stranded. And lose as they waste a solid […]

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Walks lead to another Rays’ loss

May 23, 2017 general

TUESDAY, 2 a.m. Another day, another bullpen. And, as it turned out, another loss. The Rays continued to struggle against the relievers of the American League in a 3-2 loss to the Angels Monday night. The Rays scored both of their runs – on three hits – in the first inning Monday; they were held […]

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Diving catch ruins Rays’ chance of comeback

May 22, 2017 general

Monday, 4 a.m. Sometimes, the judgment goes the wrong way. Sometimes, the guys the fans aren’t cheering for steal the game with an incredible catch. Sometimes, the comeback goes away. It was that way Sunday, when Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees – a spectacular player, by the way — made a diving catch […]

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