Game 1: Eric Titcombe was the offense today in a 5-4 win over the White Sox at Publix Park. The slugger hit a pair of homers, a 2-run shot in the 4th to get them back within 3-2, and then a 3-run blast in the 8th to put them ahead late and bail them out. The two homers gave him the AL lead at 18 and kept the Rays in a tie for first with Toronto. Tim Gates started and was adequate, going 6 6 3 3 1 6 while Damani Cotton continued to struggle, giving up a run on 3 hits. Billy Hoyte had to get the final out of the 8th, and therefore his 3rd win, while Jim Golunski picked up his 3rd save with a 1-2-3 2K 9th.
Game 2: Bo Angeac had a career day and Jon Soranno allowed only 1 hit over 8 1/3 innings as the Rays walloped the White Sox 12-0. The All-Star 3B went 5-for-5, including a bases-clearing double and an RBI double in the same inning (a 7-run 4th) and then added HR #17 for good measure to give him 5 RBI. He hit a third double and finished with 11 total bases. Omar Rodriguez also continued his MVP bid with his own bases-clearing double and an RBI single to give him an MLB-best 58 RBI in 51 games to go with a 347/405/658 line. Soranno meanwhile pitched his best game of the year, taking a 1-hit shutout into the 9th but having to leave with 1 out after walking a pair and seeing his pitch count hit 120. He finished 8.1 1 0 0 4 9 and is now 4-3, 4.98, not bad considering his ERA was over 6 a couple of starts ago. Chris Toombs got the final 2 outs. Of course Toronto won another 1-run game so we remain tied atop the division.
Game 3: Welcome back, Danny Ayala! The superstar slugger was given the first two games of this series off to clear his head after a miserable two months to start the season, and the time off did him good as he went 4-4 today with a solo HR (#9) in a 4-2 win over the White Sox. Ayala also doubled as he looked locked in at the plate for this first time this season. The big hit of the game, though, belonged to Jon Jimenez, whose 3-run homer in the 3rd (#12) supplied 75% of the offense. Kevin Kerstetter started and pitched well for the win, going 5.2 5 2 2 2 7 and improving to 8-2, 3.01. Danny Medina went 1 1/3, Tim Siqueiros and Jim Golunski took care of the 8th, and Kikuo Kawase struck out the side around a single for save #12. And things got better when word came that Toronto lost to Boston 2-1, so the Rays finish the week a game up in the AL East.
Team record: 44-20. Next up: 4 games with the Nationals, with the first two in Publix Park.