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This week the Tampa Bay Rays headed west to play the Colorado Rockies and the Oakland Athletics. After leaving Denver and winning the series in grand, double digit run win style, the Rays can only hope the run parade would continue in their 4 game series vs the Athletics.
Game 1
Thursday’s game started out on a positive note with Logan Forsythe scoring a run on a single by Corey Dickerson and a home run by Tim Beckham. 2-0 Rays. The Athletics answered in the 2nd with a 3 run homer off the bat of Jake Smolinski. 3-2 Athletics. Thankfully Those run would be the only ones the A’s would score, but the Rays would rack up a few more. The score would be tied in the 4th off a single home run by Dickerson. 3-3. Then in the 5th inning Beckham would score via a double by Forsythe, Brad Miller would single to score Luke Maile, Evan Longoria singled to score Forsythe, and Dickerson hit a sacrifice fly to score Miller. 7-3 Rays and the the score would remain unchanged; that is game. Rays win!
W: Moore (6-7) L: Gray (4-9) S: Colome (21)
Game 2
This game can be summed up in 2 words; pitchers duel. The starters were Jake Odorizzi for the Rays and Sean Manaea for the A’s, both pitched 8 scoreless innings and it would be up to the bullpens to decide the winner. The game would go into extras and would be decided in the 13th by a single off the bat of Coco Crisp to score Ryon Healy. 1-0 A’s and that is game.
W: Axford (4-3) L: Floro (0-1)
Game 3
The Rays 3rd starter Drew Smyly has struggled in July and was looking for a solid start to finish out the month. In the 1st th A’s Khris Davis would single to score Jed Lowrie, but this would be the only run the A’s would score on Smyly. The Rays got to work in the 2nd to try to help their struggling starter with a single off the bat of Oswaldo Arcia to score Dickerson, 1-1 the game is tied up. Brandon Guyer grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Steve Pearce. 2-1 Rays. In the 7th the Rays would score again on a sharp line drive to right by Forsythe to score Kevin Kiermaier. 3-1 Rays. The boys in blue and grey went into the 9th feeling secure in their closer Alex Colome coming in to finish off their win, but then the worst thing happened, he blew it. Smolinski tied the game with a 2 run shot and Healy can in and homered for the walk off win. Rays lose 4-3.
W: Graveman (7-6) L: Colome (1-3)
Game 4
The Last game of the series and that Rays last chance to tie the series. Blake Snell had been having a solid July and had pitched well against more formidable opponents (the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and the Rockies). The game had a rough start. The A’s started in on Snell early and in the 1st on a double by Davis and a single by Billy Butler. 2-0 A’s. The Rays were able to tie it up in the 8th on a 2 run shot by Forsythe. Unfortunately for Rays those would be the only runs they would score and in the 8th Butler hits his 3rd home run of the season off Erasmo Ramirez. 3-2 A’s and that is game.
W: Dull (4-2) L: Ramirez (7-8) S: Madson (21)
