Game 1: Jeff Brockman continues to be MLB's stingiest pitcher and the Rays got the offense they needed in a 5-0 win in the series opener at Kansas City. Brockman was 5.1 5 0 0 2 5 on 95 pitches to improve to 5-0 with an MLB-best 1.02 ERA. The Dans (Anderson and Hill) pitched the final 3 2/3 to complete the shutout. Josh Beckett was the hitting star, going 2-3 with an RBI single to get the Rays on the board and then a 2-run HR (#2) in the 4th.
Game 2: The Rays shellacked the Royals 10-1 to make it 6 straight wins and 18 of 19 behind the bat of Seth Williams and the arm of Vinny Willard. Willard, who's had his ups and downs so far, was up today going 6.2 7 1 1 1 4 to go to 2-0, 4.41. Williams meanwhile was 3-5 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI as the team banged out 6 doubles in all. Andy Ruggles and Jose Mendoza each drove in a pair with doubles as well. The only unfortunate moment was that Jeff Baez suffered one of his semi-regular injuries (he's "wrecked" after all), straining his back which will shelve him for 2 weeks.
May 1: Placed SS Jeff Baez on the 10-day IL with a strained back, recalled IF Jon Callahan from AAA Durham.
Callahan, acquired with Josh Beckett in the deal which sent Bo Angeac to Arizona before the 2039 season, gets the call for the first time and will serve as the IF backup with Ramon Ruiz taking over at SS.
Game 3: Seth Williams celebrated his Rookie of the Month honors by staking a claim to May's award with a huge game as the Rays pulled away from Kansas City 11-4. Williams was 4-6 with a HR (#4) and 3 RBI to lead a 17-hit attack which featured 8 extra-base hits. Josh Alexander hit HR #10 and drove in 3, Josh Beckett was 3-4 with 2 RBI and Mike Willis doubled and tripled among his 3 hits and scored 3 runs. Jose Mendoza started and had a rough 3rd allowing 4 runs to put the Rays briefly behind but stuck around long enough to get the win, finishing 5 4 4 4 3 10 to improve to 4-0, 4.36.
Game 4: The Rays swept the 4-game series from Kansas City, extended their winning streak to 8 and made it 20 wins in 21 with a 7-4 victory. They trailed 3-2 going into the 7th before a 5-run 7th put them in charge, capped by a bases-clearing Jimmy Leonard double. They were double-happy again, hitting 7 of them as Leonard had also hit one earlier knocking in 2 to give him a 5-RBI day. Mike McKee added a pair himself. Danny Romero notched the win after going 6 3 3 2 3 3 and is now 5-1, 3.43 and Kikuo Kawase was needed for the first time in 10 days to get his 10th save.
Team record: 27-5. We have the best record in MLB of course but the Houston Astros (or Rays West as they should be known) have been hot and are now 22-10 after starting the year by losing 3 of 4 to us. Next up: the road trip continues with 3 in Baltimore.