April 9-15, 2029
April 9: vs Oakland 5-2 W. WP-Bradley (2-1, 6.2 3 1 1 3 6). S-Klein (5). HR-Westburg (5). Westburg's torrid start to the season continued with a 2-run homer in the first, Irish doubled and tripled and drove in a run, and Taj was terrific.
April 10: vs Oakland 8-4 W. WP-McGee (2-1, 6 6 2 2 0 7). HR-Irish (2), C.Williams (1), Montes (3), Westburg (6). Rays actually trailed this one 2-1 going into the bottom of the 6th before erupting for four runs including Williams' 2-run shot and never looked back, bashing four longballs in all.
April 11: vs Oakland 3-2 W. WP-Klein (1-0). Starter-Sheehan (6.1 5 1 1 2 3). Rays went up 2-1 in the 8th only for Klein to blow his first save as a Ray but his teammates picked him up with Ramos' sac fly in the bottom of the 9th walking off a win and completing a sweep of the A's. All three Tampa Bay runs came on sac flies as it turned out.
April 12: Off-Day.
April 13: vs San Francisco 6-1 W. WP-H.Smith (2-0, 6 3 1 1 2 5). HR-Isaac (3), Kjerstad (1). Smith continues to look like his 2027 self and Isaac was 3-4 with a double, homer and 3 RBI to lead the attack.
April 14: vs San Francisco 1-2 L. LP-Schwellenbach (0-1, 3.2 3 1 1 2 6). HR-Caminero (3). Rays were dominated by the Giants' Kyle Harrison, who held them to two hits over 7 1/3 and they only added one more in a tough loss. Schwellenbach has had a hard time making it through games without leaving due to injury and today he strained his back but should make his next start.
April 15: vs San Francisco 9-3 W. WP-Bradley (3-1, 5 6 3 3 5 7). HR-Isaac (4), Cermak (3), Montes (4), Kjerstad (2), Caminero (4). Isaac's solo homer in the 5th broke a 3-3 tie and the Rays piled on from there with four more homers as they won today despite Taj's wildness and took 5 of 6 this week off the two teams from the "other Bay area". Cermak was 3-4 with a homer and 2 RBI.
Team record: 11-5, a game up on Baltimore and two on Boston in a good start to 2029. Next week: We conclude the homestand with 3 against those Red Sox before taking a day off to travel to Arizona for 3 as the schedule seems front-loaded with interleague games.
Players of the Week:
AL: Vlad Guerrero Jr (TOR), 9-23, 4 HR, 8 RBI
NL: Curtis Mead (LA), 12-24, 2 HR, 5 RBI (if Sheehan wasn't pitching so well this would bother me)
Rays news: Down on the farm pitching prospect Jose Urbina pitched a no-hitter for AA Montgomery.
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