Saturday, 4 a.m.
How do you measure the distance it takes a team to stand up? What is the measure that is involved in a team righting itself?
The Tampa Bay Rays worked their way back to even on the season Friday night at 41-41, which isn’t bad when you consider that the team was five games under on July 18. The Rays won their seventh game in their last nine in a 3-1 victory over the Washington Nationals.
How does a team regain, for the moment, its footing?
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Take 833 feet. That’s the distance of two home runs off the bat of Jose Siri, who now has 12 on the season.
Add in 20 games. That’s the length of the hitting streak of Yandy Diaz, who set a franchise record (breaking the old record by Jason Bartlett).
Add 18 outs recorded by Zach Eflin, who improved his record to 4-5. Eflin allowed just four hits and no earned runs in the win.
Throw in two hits each by Siri and Jonny DeLuca.
It has meant one of the Rays’ best streaks of the season. For a change, the Rays didn’t allow a home run. Their bullpen gave up just one hit and no runs.
Washington scored just once, on a throwing error by catcher Alex Jackson.
The Rays and Nationals play again today at Tropicana Field at 4:10 p.m. Aaron Civale will start for the Rays against Jake Irvin.