OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - 2004 Tampa Bay Devil Rays: Youth Brings Hope

BostonRS14 · 07-28-2004, 05:15 PM

Late Rally dooms Rays
Game 13: Tampa Bay 2, Baltimore 3

The Devil Rays looked strong for seven innings, holding the Baltimore Orioles scoreless, but the bullpen once again failed to shut the door. Three runs in the the inning stole the game from the Rays. Victor Zambrano rebounded from his poor showing against the Yankees to pitch seven and a third innings of 5 hits ball, walking three and striking out one.

After Luis Matos was forced out at second on a fielders choice off the bat of Larry Bigbie, Lou Pinella turned the game over to his bullpen, calling upon Al Reyes to stop the rally before it could pick up steam. After Javy Lopez reached on an error by Damian Rolls, Trevor miller came into the game and surrendered a three-run homerun to Rafael Palmeiro.

Sidney Ponson was victimized early, in the first inning, Rocco Baldelli singled to left-center, stole second and then scored on a single by Aubrey Huff. Tampa Bay added its second run in the 5th, when Jose Cruz drove Baldelli in with a single to left. Despite surrendering 8 hits, Ponson hung on to earn his first win of the season. B.J. Ryan came on in the ninth to work a perfect inning for his first save.

W: Sideny Ponson (1-2); L: Trever Miller (0-1); SV: B.J. Ryan (1)
Player of the Game: Sidney Ponson. 8 IP, 8 Hits, 2 Runs, 4 K's, 102 PI.

McGriff, 3-3, makes most of first start.
Game 14: Tampa Bay 6, Baltimore 3

When Fred McGriff was claimed off waivers from Milwaukee, many where wondering if the crime Dog still could contribute to the ballclub. With little avaliable playing time behind Tino Martinez and Aubrey Huff, McGriff made the most of his first start of the season with the Devil Rays, clubbing his first homerun, the 492nd of his career, in the first inning to spark the Rays to the win. Afer Jose cruz drove in Carl Crawford with a ground out to Miguel Tejada, McGriff crushed Kurt Ainsworth's 2-1 pitch to deep right-center, scoring Rocco Baldelli and giving the Jeremi Gonzalez a 3-0 lead.

Gonzalez followed McGriff's homerun with 8 scoreless innings of work, before getting into trouble in the ninth. Despite a six run lead, manager Lou Pinella left his starter in the game in an attempt to earn his first shutout of the season. Unfortunately, Gonzalez put Erick Almonte and Rafael Palmeiro on base before Luis Matos broke up the shutout with a single to right that scored Almonte. Travis Harper was summoned from the bullpened and subsequently allowed both inherited runners to score on a single by Javy Lopez. After Lopez was forced out at second on a fielders choice by Darnell McDonald , Al Reyes came in and got B.J. Surhoff to ground into a double play to end the game.

W: Jeremi Gonzalez (2-1); L: Kurt Ainsworth (1-1); SV: Al Reyes (2)
Player of the Game: Fred McGriff. 3-3, HR (1), Run, 2 RBI (3)
Game Notes: Fred McGriff hit the longest homer of his career, it went 417 feet.

Rays win rubber match, take series from O's
Game 14: Tampa Bay 5, Baltimore 4

Despite surrendering a towering homerun to Melvin Mora to open the bottom of the first, Mark Hendrickson was able to hold off the Orioles' bats to win his second consecutive decision.

After falling behind 4-1 when Javy Lopez lined a 3-run homerun to right field in the 3rd, the Devil Rays battled back. A Brook Fordyce run-scoring single in the 4th cut the lead to two before Rocco Baldelli's homerun in the 5th off starter Rodrigo Lopez tied the score at 4. A sca fly in the top of the 5th by Julio Lugo scored Geoff Blum with the eventual game winning run.

Hendrickson was able to settle down after the Lopez homerun and scatter seven hits over seven and a thid innings. He walked three batters and struck out two to earn the win. Al Reyes, Danys Baez, and Lance Carter combined with Trevor miller to throw the final inning and two-thirds to take the win.

W: Mark Hendrickson (2-0); L: Rodrigo Lopez (0-2); SV: Trevor Miller (1)
Player of the Game: Rocco Baldelli. 1-4, HR (3), Run, 2 RBIs (13)

American League East Standings: (04/23)

Code:


Team      W-L    PCT   GB  Streak  Last10
Boston    11-6, .647         L1     7-3
Tampa Bay 8-7,  .533  -2.0   W2     4-6
New York  9-8,  .529  -2.0   W4     8-2
Toronto   7-8,  .467  -3.0   W1     5-5
Baltimore 5-11, .313  -5.5   L2     3-7

07-28-2004, 05:15 PM	#25
BostonRS14 All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Boston Posts: 1,029	Late Rally dooms Rays Game 13: Tampa Bay 2, Baltimore 3 The Devil Rays looked strong for seven innings, holding the Baltimore Orioles scoreless, but the bullpen once again failed to shut the door. Three runs in the the inning stole the game from the Rays. Victor Zambrano rebounded from his poor showing against the Yankees to pitch seven and a third innings of 5 hits ball, walking three and striking out one. After Luis Matos was forced out at second on a fielders choice off the bat of Larry Bigbie, Lou Pinella turned the game over to his bullpen, calling upon Al Reyes to stop the rally before it could pick up steam. After Javy Lopez reached on an error by Damian Rolls, Trevor miller came into the game and surrendered a three-run homerun to Rafael Palmeiro. Sidney Ponson was victimized early, in the first inning, Rocco Baldelli singled to left-center, stole second and then scored on a single by Aubrey Huff. Tampa Bay added its second run in the 5th, when Jose Cruz drove Baldelli in with a single to left. Despite surrendering 8 hits, Ponson hung on to earn his first win of the season. B.J. Ryan came on in the ninth to work a perfect inning for his first save. W: Sideny Ponson (1-2); L: Trever Miller (0-1); SV: B.J. Ryan (1) Player of the Game: Sidney Ponson. 8 IP, 8 Hits, 2 Runs, 4 K's, 102 PI. McGriff, 3-3, makes most of first start. Game 14: Tampa Bay 6, Baltimore 3 When Fred McGriff was claimed off waivers from Milwaukee, many where wondering if the crime Dog still could contribute to the ballclub. With little avaliable playing time behind Tino Martinez and Aubrey Huff, McGriff made the most of his first start of the season with the Devil Rays, clubbing his first homerun, the 492nd of his career, in the first inning to spark the Rays to the win. Afer Jose cruz drove in Carl Crawford with a ground out to Miguel Tejada, McGriff crushed Kurt Ainsworth's 2-1 pitch to deep right-center, scoring Rocco Baldelli and giving the Jeremi Gonzalez a 3-0 lead. Gonzalez followed McGriff's homerun with 8 scoreless innings of work, before getting into trouble in the ninth. Despite a six run lead, manager Lou Pinella left his starter in the game in an attempt to earn his first shutout of the season. Unfortunately, Gonzalez put Erick Almonte and Rafael Palmeiro on base before Luis Matos broke up the shutout with a single to right that scored Almonte. Travis Harper was summoned from the bullpened and subsequently allowed both inherited runners to score on a single by Javy Lopez. After Lopez was forced out at second on a fielders choice by Darnell McDonald , Al Reyes came in and got B.J. Surhoff to ground into a double play to end the game. W: Jeremi Gonzalez (2-1); L: Kurt Ainsworth (1-1); SV: Al Reyes (2) Player of the Game: Fred McGriff. 3-3, HR (1), Run, 2 RBI (3) Game Notes: Fred McGriff hit the longest homer of his career, it went 417 feet. Rays win rubber match, take series from O's Game 14: Tampa Bay 5, Baltimore 4 Despite surrendering a towering homerun to Melvin Mora to open the bottom of the first, Mark Hendrickson was able to hold off the Orioles' bats to win his second consecutive decision. After falling behind 4-1 when Javy Lopez lined a 3-run homerun to right field in the 3rd, the Devil Rays battled back. A Brook Fordyce run-scoring single in the 4th cut the lead to two before Rocco Baldelli's homerun in the 5th off starter Rodrigo Lopez tied the score at 4. A sca fly in the top of the 5th by Julio Lugo scored Geoff Blum with the eventual game winning run. Hendrickson was able to settle down after the Lopez homerun and scatter seven hits over seven and a thid innings. He walked three batters and struck out two to earn the win. Al Reyes, Danys Baez, and Lance Carter combined with Trevor miller to throw the final inning and two-thirds to take the win. W: Mark Hendrickson (2-0); L: Rodrigo Lopez (0-2); SV: Trevor Miller (1) Player of the Game: Rocco Baldelli. 1-4, HR (3), Run, 2 RBIs (13) American League East Standings: (04/23) Code: Team W-L PCT GB Streak Last10 Boston 11-6, .647 L1 7-3 Tampa Bay 8-7, .533 -2.0 W2 4-6 New York 9-8, .529 -2.0 W4 8-2 Toronto 7-8, .467 -3.0 W1 5-5 Baltimore 5-11, .313 -5.5 L2 3-7