Game 1: The Rays were dominated by Cleveland lefty Danny Romero, one of the league's best, in a 2-0 loss at Progressive Field. Romero was 14-9, 2.74 last season and continues to back that up this year as he went 7 2 0 0 2 7 in shackling the Tampa Bay offense. Josh Hanna pitched pretty well (6 8 2 2 0 8) but gave up a 2-run double in the 3rd and that was it as he lost for the first time this season. Billy Hoyte relieved Hanna and after getting through the 7th loaded the bases with one out on an error and two walks, but Edgar Rios got 2 quick strikeouts and is now unscored upon in 10 innings this year with an 0/13 BB/K ratio.
May 25: Activated 3B Bo Angeac from his rehab assignment at AAA Durham, optioned 2B Robbie Salazar to AAA Durham.
Game 2: The Rays' offense returned tonight in a 12-6 win over Cleveland to snap a mini 2-game losing streak. Jon Jimenez led the way with a pair of homers, the first of which tied the game at 3 in the 4th and second (#14) put the Rays ahead to stay in the 6th. Jaiden Hardaway added a 2-run triple in that 5-run 6th which broke the game open and Dayle Jenkins homered (#3) to score Hardaway to cap the inning. Bo Angeac's return helped as well as he was on base 3 times in 5 trips including a double, a walk and a sac fly. Nate Schultz started and was victimized for a couple of early homers to fall behind 3-1 but settled in from there to finish 6.2 6 4 3 1 9 to improve to 8-0. Mike Wherry had a rough time, coughing up a pair of homers of his own, but Danny Medina finished things out by getting 5 outs on 9 pitches.
Game 3: Apparently Rays hitters took getting shut out in the series opener personally as they once again unloaded on Cleveland pitching, this time to the tune of a 17-2 win. The game was effectively over when the Rays put up a 5-spot in the top of the 1st on a 3-run Bo Angeac homer (#5, his first since returning from the IL) and a 2-run Eric Titcombe blast (#11). Mike McKee led off the 2nd with HR #3 and that was plenty for Kevin Kerstetter to roll, going 6 6 2 2 0 6 as he got to start against (and beat) a team other than the Yankees. KK is now 4-0, 1.72 overall, while Rayhmer Costa went two scoreless and Bob Sirna one to finish the game. But after they were up 6-2 the real fun began with an 8-run 6th inning which saw Danny Ayala homer
twice. First he led off the inning with a round-tripper and then capped the inning with a 3-run shot. And for good measure Ayala added
another 3-run homer in the 8th as his home run hat trick gave him 20 for the year and his 7 RBI upped his total to 54 in 45 games. Stars of the day:
Game 4: Well it was a feast or famine series for Rays hitters as after following up being shut out in Game 1 by scoring 29 runs in the next two games, Cleveland pitching held them in check again in a 3-2 loss. Today it was Emanuel Trejo who held them to 2 runs on 6 hits through 7 despite striking out only one. Eric Titcombe's pinch-hit sac fly in the 7th got the Rays on the board and Jaiden Hardaway launched #10 leading off the 8th, but that was it. A rally in the 9th was cut short when Omar Rodriguez, who reached on his 3rd hit of the game, was caught stealing. Leo Ortega started and was more efficient this time around but got tagged for a 2-run homer in the 3rd which made the difference as he finished 6 4 3 3 1 9 and fell to 4-4, 3.69. Billy Hoyte went two scoreless to keep it close.
Team record: 36-14. Next up: Back home for 3 against Toronto, starting with a Memorial Day tilt.