Bolts finish with a bang with comeback over Bruins

April 7, 2019 general

Sunday, 4 a.m. Take a minute. Smile. Let the season pour over you. True, there is bigger game to be hunted. But don’t think about that right now. Think of your Tampa Bay Lightning celebrating once again. Seize the moment. Celebrate. The Lightning wrapped up their sweetest regular season Saturday. Another win. Another comeback. Another […]

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Rays’ Yarbrough falters in loss to Giants

April 7, 2019 general

Sunday, 3 a.m. And so, the Tampa Bay Rays have re-opened the discussion about their “opener” strategy. The Rays went back to their opener Sunday, and they got the matchups they wanted. However, their third pitcher of the day — 16-game winner Ryan Yarbrough of a year ago — faltered, and the team absorbed a […]

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Ask Gary: Are openers bad for pitchers?

April 6, 2019 general

Each week, the readers take over GarySheltonsports.com and play Ask Gary. They send in a question, or a couple, on Thursday night or Friday morning and we all talk about the world of sports. Think of it as a radio show where you don’t have to be on hold. Join us and ask a question, […]

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Rays avoid possible heroics by Longoria

April 6, 2019 general

Saturday, 4 a.m. The moment was intended as a Hollywood script. The hero that the franchise threw away was walking toward the plate with an opportunity to tie the score. Once again, it looked like an Evan Longoria moment. The Rays led 5-2 at the moment, but two runners were on base for a San […]

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Bolts beat Toronto as regular season winds down

April 5, 2019 general

Friday, 4 a.m. From here, there is failure and there is success. There is no middle ground. From here, the Tampa Bay Lightning lifts the Stanley Cup. Or it drops a trophy on its toes. The regular season is all but gone now, and the resume gets better and better. Which means the Lightning makes […]

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Rays can’t overcome stranded baserunners

April 4, 2019 general

Thursday, 4 a.m. As they head out on the road for the first time this season, one could hardly  blame the Tampa Bay Rays for  continuing to think about home. Home, as in the plate. As in the unsoiled, untouched plate of Wednesday afternoon. You know, the plate that eluded them completely in a 1-0, […]

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Rays keep winning as Snell returns to form

April 3, 2019 Alabama

Wednesday, 4 a.m. You recognize the lanky walk to the mound. You recognize the steel in his glare. You recognize the ball exploding out of his hand. Yeah, that’s Blake Snell, all right. And, Blake? It’s good to see you again. After a wobbly Opening-Day start, Snell was in Cy Young form again Tuesday night, […]

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Bolts lose to Montreal as regular season nears end

April 3, 2019 general

Wednesday, 3 a.m. In 80 games, they have lost just 16 times. Still, every loss smells like trouble, doesn’t it? The Lightning, with little to play for but the record book, lost a 4-2 decision to a Montreal team that is playing for a wild-card spot. The Canadiens pulled into a tie for the second […]

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Lightning wins 60th game of the season

April 2, 2019 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. Evidently, the Tampa Bay Lightning isn’t finished with its regular season yet. At a time when the Bolts should be preparing for the post-season, it fattened its record a bit more Monday night in Ottawa. The Lightning won, 5-2, for its 60th win of the season. Only two other teams in the […]

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Bullpen leads the Rays to another victory

April 1, 2019 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. Who says a team needs a great starting rotation? For the Tampa Bay Rays, a successful start has starred a strong bullpen, which once again was impressive in a 7-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies. In five games, the bullpen has thrown 21 innings and has allowed just one earned run. That […]

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