After a series win in Los Angeles, the Rays headed to Oakland for the second half of their West Coast week…where they again claimed the series.
Coming off the series win against the Angels in Los Angeles, the Rays went just a few hours upstate to Oakland for a three game series with the A’s. Going into the series in second place among A.L. East teams, Tampa Bay hoped to keep the surge going…and keep their playoff contention in check.
Monday
To kick off the series, Jake Odorizzi took the mound. Hoping to make up for a few rough start, Odorizzi got his groove back on Monday. Posting 7.0 strong innings, Odorizzi struck out five while walking two and allowing only one hit. That hit, however, was a home run by Khris Davis (26). But that aside, Odorizzi showed why he’s been a starter for several seasons, and the win moved him to 6-4 on the season.
Odo limited the damage to one swing last night.#RaysUp pic.twitter.com/3JtQYINHjv
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 18, 2017
The Rays matched Davis’ home run…
Steven Souza Jr. belts a solo home run to left to give the Rays a 1-0 lead in the top of the 2nd inning!!! #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/OKtOjRQoQH
— TheRenderMLB (@TheRenderMLB) July 18, 2017
And raised him one…
Evan Longoria skies a solo home run to left to give the Rays a 3-1 lead with his second RBI of the game!!! #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/5KiSuUNPnv
— TheRenderMLB (@TheRenderMLB) July 18, 2017
The solo home runs by Steven Souza Jr. (19) and Evan Longoria (14) took the Rays to a team total of 139. Longoria ended the day with two RBI after driving in Mallex Smith. Alex Colome would get save number 27, but not before allowing a run to score on a wild pitch. Around 1:00 AM Eastern Time, the Rays took game one of the series 3-2, for their 50th win of the season (50-44)
Tuesday
The second game of the series started out a little rough for the Rays as Blake Snell allowed a two-run home run to Davis in the first inning, giving Oakland an early lead. Davis would score again in the fourth on a wild pitch from Snell to Josh Phegley.
Snell, still win-less on the season, was pulled after four innings, giving up three runs on three hits and three walks, but he did manage six strikeouts. Snell sits at 0-5 with an ERA closing in on 5.0 after 11 starts.
The Rays batters never quit on Tuesday though. Going down 2-0 in the first inning, the Rays climbed back over the next couple. First a sacrifice fly from Brad Miller in the third scored Logan Morrison. Then, Souza Jr. tied things up with his 20th home run of the season.
Steven Souza Jr. clubs a solo home run to left-center field, tying the game at 2 in the top of the 3rd inning!!! #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/hMEmcio2CQ
— TheRenderMLB (@TheRenderMLB) July 19, 2017
The bats on both sides fell rather quiet sides from the fifth to the eighth. But then in the ninth, things got going for the Rays. With two outs, and down 3-2, the Rays refused to give up. Combining for two-out singles and a two-out walk, the rally ended up scoring Smith and Miller, and taking the Rays to a 4-3 lead.
2 legit 2 quit. pic.twitter.com/E4HS7FptZk
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 19, 2017
Colome collected save number 28 after a perfect ninth, including two strikeouts. Adam Kolarek picked up his first career win, even though he saw one A’s batter and threw only five pitches. The win moved Tampa Bay to 51-44 and guaranteed another series win.
Wednesday
The series finale did not go the way the Rays were hoping.
Jacob Faria suffered the first loss of his professional career after giving up a career-high four runs. Faria gave up six hits and four walks, while striking out only four. Combined, Rays pitchers allowed 11 hits Wednesday. Compare that to six total between Monday and Tuesday.
The Rays took a two-run lead in the fourth after Longoria and Morrison both scored. With both men going 2-for-4 in the game, they alone accounted for almost half of the Rays hits. Miller and Corey Dickerson also went 2-for-4, and Wilson Ramos collected a single.
Longo is locked in.
He’s batting .342 (27-for-83) with 7 2B, 4 HR and 19 RBI over the last 21 games. pic.twitter.com/v8qMsv1hGJ
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 19, 2017
That was all the Rays offense was able to produce in the afternoon game.
On the other side, all but one Oakland batter collected a hit. The A’s scoring started in the fifth, when they from down 2-0, to ahead 4-2. They posted a single run in the fifth, sixth, and seventh as well, extending their lead. The game was capped off when former Tampa Bay outfielder Matt Joyce hit a home run off of Chase Whitley.
The 7-2 win for Oakland moved them to 43-52, but are still in last place in the A.L. West. Likewise, Tampa Bay moved to 51-45. With New York’s loss on Wednesday, the Rays maintain a 1.5 game lead over them for second in the A.L. East. Both teams are still trailing the surging Red Sox though, who currently hold a 2.5 game lead as we head towards the end of July.
Wednesday’s loss aside, the 4-2 week was the Rays best two-city road trip since 2014. Here’s manager Kevin Cash on the loss and the overall series…
.@RaysBaseball manager Kevin Cash says despite the loss it was good to have a series victory in hand to end the road trip. #RaysUppic.twitter.com/CpTmMUPio9
— FOX Sports Florida (@FOXSportsFL) July 19, 2017
Up Next
The Rays get a day off to recover from jet lag on Thursday, before a three game series against Texas (45-48) at Tropicana Field starts Friday.
