Top 1:
- Jason Bartlett, batting lead-off, grounds out to Melvin Mora at third.
- Carl Crawford doubles down the right-field line. Too bad for the Rays he tried for a triple. The relay from Markakis to Roberts to Mora was near perfect and they get Crawford easily. Nice play, though Mora did get spiked a little during the slide.
- That move saves a run, as Evan Longoria homers to center-field just over the outstretched glove of a leaping Adam Jones.
- Carlos Pena pops out, by the Rays have a 1-0 lead.
- Control specialist Andy Sonnastine (3.82 tRA last year) starts for the Rays.
- Brian Roberts greets him with a single to center.
- Adam Jones works back from an 0-2 count to get it to 2-2, and then pulls a breaking-ball down the third-base line for a double.
- Nick Markakis grounds up the middle, but Sonnastine was able to snag it and get the out at first without a run scoring.
- The Rays are employing a big shift against Huff, with the shortstop Bartlett almost playing in the usual second-base position. That doesn't really help when you walk the batter though. The bases are loaded for Melvin.
- Mora lines a single up the middle to give the O's a 2-1 lead. It was an 87 mph fastball up in the zone, which isn't going to get a lot of hitters out.
- They put the shift on against Luke Scott too, and this time it works with the shortstop snagging a line-drive to the right of second-base.
- Ryan Freel getting his first start of the year. Short flyball to right ends the inning.
- Pat "The Bat" Burrell grounds up the middle just passed a diving Izturis for a single.
- Gabe Kapler might not be seeing Hendrickson well, because he swung and missed at a couple of 86-87 mph fastballs up in the zone, including one for strike three.
- Slower roller by Dioner Navarro to third gets the force at second, but was hit too slowly for the double play.
- Ben Zobrist up. Back when Zobrist was still a little-known shortstop prospect in the Houston Astros system, I wanted the team to trade for him. I remember he put up pretty good OBP numbers, and wouldn't have taken much to acquire. On a similar note, I've been a big fan of fellow Rays' under-the-radar acquisition Gabe Gross for a while. I really wish Tampa Bay was in another division, so I could cheer for them during the regular season more. Anyway, Zobrist lifts a pop-up into short left-center field. Izturis ranges way out there to make the catch, but right before he makes light contact with a charging Adam Jones the ball pops out. Navarro's lack of foot-speed means he has to stop at third.
- Akinori Iwaumra walks to load the bases for the top of the order.
- Hendrickson gets out of it by inducing a bouncer back to the mound off the bat of Bartlett.
- ZAUN! leads off the second with a double into the left-field corner. Crawford dove for it, but came up short (though it would have been a two-bagger either way).
- I knew Izturis would try to (stupidly) bunt. After bunting one foul, they let Cesar swing away. He hits a line-drive to right, but Zobrist makes a great diving catch and throws to second to double off Zaun. Even the correct move (letting him hit) and a good middle result (line-drive) can end poorly (double play). It's about the process.
- Roberts walks on four pitches - that's the second free pass allowed by Sonnastine.
- Curveball down for a swinging strike one; fastball up for a swinging strike two; curveball for a called strike three. Andy carves Jones up to end the inning.
- High chop by Crawford - luckily it goes to Huff at first who just has to step on the bag for the out. One of those to third might have been an infield hit.
- Longoria is retired this time on a flyball to right.
- Carlos Pena lines out to first.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment