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

BostonRS14 · 08-05-2004, 04:17 PM

Slide continues against Rangers, Rays drop 6th straight
Game 25: Tampa Bay 7, Texas 10

Jeff Suppan was able to avoid his fourth consecutive losing decision, but the Devil Rays were unable to snap out of their funk, losing by three to the Rangers in the Arlington. Suppan lasted just two and a third innings, surrendering 5 runs, 4 of which were earned, on hit hits and a walk.

The Devil Rays were able to get on the board first, creating a two run lead in the top of the 1st. Rocco Baldelli, after stealing third, scored on Jose Cruz's fielders choice with the first run. Geoff Blum followed with a two-out double to short right-center that easily scored Cruz from second.

Unfortunately, Suppan was unable to keep the Rangers quiet. In the bottom of the first, he surrendered a three-run to Brad Fullmer, his eight of the season, that landed deep on the grassy hill past the center field wall.

Tampa Bay tied the game in the 3rd with a sacrifice fly to right field by Jose cruz. Carl Crawford, who reached on an infield single, stole second and third before scoring easily with the tying run. Suppan gave the lead right back in the bottom of the inning. Laync Nix's sacrifice fly gave Texas the lead and Hank Blalock's solo homerun pushed it to two and ended Suppan's afternoon. Former closer Danys Baez, fighting for his life with the ballclub, entered the game and retired the final two batters of the inning.

The Devil Rays came back to tie the game in the top of the 4th on a two-run double by Damian Rolls. Valerio De los Santos replaced R.A. Dickey (3.1 IP, 5 Hits, 5 Runs, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K's) on the mound and retired Crawford and Baldelli on week ground outs before any more damange could be done.

The Rangers took the lead for good in the 5th with three runs against Baez. With two outs, Blalock broke the tie with a double to right, scoring catcher Eddie Perez. Brad Fullmer followed with a walk, and Brian Jordan hit a single, scoring Blalock. Travis Harper replaced Baez and surrenderd the eventual game winning run on a single by Kevin Mench, which scored Fullmer from second.

In the top of 6th, the Devil Rays loaded the bases with one out. Texas pitcher Ron Mahay walked in two runs to cut the lead to one run before Geoff Blum flied out softly to left field to end the threat. Texas added two insurance runs in the 7th to take the opener of the three game series.

W: Valerio De los Santos (1-0); L: Danys Baez (0-3), SV: Francisco Cordero (4)
Player of the Game: Hank Blalock. 3-3, 2B (4), BB, HR (7), 4 Runs, 2 RBIs (15)
Game Notes: Hank Blalock set a career high for runs (4) in a game!

Wasdin outperforms Hendrickson, Rays lose again.
Game 26: Tampa Bay 1, Texas 6

John Wasdin revival continued last night in Arlingon where he pitched six innings against the Devil Rays, surrendering one run on three hits, leaving the game only due to a lenghty rain delay. Wasdin, who has appeared in only three games in the majors combined in 2002 and 2003, won his third consecutive decision. On the losing end was Mark Hendrickson, who once again was the victim of poor run support. In his 5 starts, Tampa Bay is averaging only 3.2 runs a game. For the other 22 games, the Rays are averaging 5.8 runs a game.

Unlike the night before, this game started quiet, with both clubs scoreless after 3 innings. Kevin Mench's two-run homerun in the 4th proved to be all the run support Wasdin needed on this night. The closest Tampa Bay would make it was 3-1 in the 6th, when Gerg Colbrunn singled home Carl Crawford.

Hendrickson got into trouble in the 7th after walking the lead off batter, DH Brad Fullmer. Gerald Laird's double down the left field line scored Fullmer from first and ended the game for Hendrickson. Lance Carter retired the first batter he faced, Hank Blalock with a weak groundout to first that advanced Laird to third. A pitch to the next batter, pinch hitter Laynce Nix, got past Toby Hall, scoring Laird with the fifth run of the game for Texas. carter would surrender one more run in the 8th before Trever Miller retired Michael Young with the bases loaded to end the 8th.

W: John Wasdin (3-1); L: Mark Hendrickson (2-1)
Player of the Game: Gerald Laird. 3-4, 3 2B (9), 2 Runs, 2 RBI (13)
Game Notes: Kevin Mench hit the longest homer of his career, it went 393 feet. 54 minute rain delay in 6th inning.

Rays win in extra innings, end losing streak at 7 games
Game 27: Tampa Bay 6, Texas 5 (11)

The Devil Rays can't be too happy about walking away from this game with a win. After rallying late to take the lead, another sloppy performance by the bullpen almost gave the game back to the Rangers. Aubrey Huff, hitless in four previous atbats, responded to an intentional walk to Jose Cruz with a single to left-center that scored Rey Sanchez from second without a throw. Chad Gaudin, who had entered the game in the 10th after Danys Baez surrendered a single to Alfonso Soriano, pitched a perfect 11th for his first win of the season.

With Al Reyes on the mound looking to close out the win, the Rangers rallied to tie the game and send it to extra innings. Pinch hitter David Bellucci was hit by Reyes, putting the tying run on first with no outs. Reyes then followed that up with a wild pitch, moving the runner to second, before a single by Kevin Mench brought Dellucci around the second, barely beating the throw home by centerfielder Rocco Baldelli.

The Devil Rays, trailing 4-3 entering the 8th, took a one run lead with solo homeruns from Geoff Blum and Julio Lugo. Eduardo Perez, in the lineup against the left handed Glendon Rusch, also had a homerun, a solo shot in the 3rd that, at the time, tied the game at three. For the season, Perez is battign .500 against lefties, with an inpressive slugging percentage of 1.038.

W: Chad Gaudin (1-0); L: Ron Mahay (1-1)
Player of the Game: Julio Lugo. 2-5, HR (4), 2 Runs, 2 RBIs (13)
Game Notes: Hank Blalock hit the longest homer of his career, it went 424 feet. Eduardo Perez hit the longest homer of his career, it went 429 feet. Geoff Blum hit the longest homer of his career, it went 425 feet. Rocco Baldelli extends his hitting streak to a career high 11 games!

08-05-2004, 04:17 PM	#39
BostonRS14 All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Boston Posts: 1,029	Slide continues against Rangers, Rays drop 6th straight Game 25: Tampa Bay 7, Texas 10 Jeff Suppan was able to avoid his fourth consecutive losing decision, but the Devil Rays were unable to snap out of their funk, losing by three to the Rangers in the Arlington. Suppan lasted just two and a third innings, surrendering 5 runs, 4 of which were earned, on hit hits and a walk. The Devil Rays were able to get on the board first, creating a two run lead in the top of the 1st. Rocco Baldelli, after stealing third, scored on Jose Cruz's fielders choice with the first run. Geoff Blum followed with a two-out double to short right-center that easily scored Cruz from second. Unfortunately, Suppan was unable to keep the Rangers quiet. In the bottom of the first, he surrendered a three-run to Brad Fullmer, his eight of the season, that landed deep on the grassy hill past the center field wall. Tampa Bay tied the game in the 3rd with a sacrifice fly to right field by Jose cruz. Carl Crawford, who reached on an infield single, stole second and third before scoring easily with the tying run. Suppan gave the lead right back in the bottom of the inning. Laync Nix's sacrifice fly gave Texas the lead and Hank Blalock's solo homerun pushed it to two and ended Suppan's afternoon. Former closer Danys Baez, fighting for his life with the ballclub, entered the game and retired the final two batters of the inning. The Devil Rays came back to tie the game in the top of the 4th on a two-run double by Damian Rolls. Valerio De los Santos replaced R.A. Dickey (3.1 IP, 5 Hits, 5 Runs, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K's) on the mound and retired Crawford and Baldelli on week ground outs before any more damange could be done. The Rangers took the lead for good in the 5th with three runs against Baez. With two outs, Blalock broke the tie with a double to right, scoring catcher Eddie Perez. Brad Fullmer followed with a walk, and Brian Jordan hit a single, scoring Blalock. Travis Harper replaced Baez and surrenderd the eventual game winning run on a single by Kevin Mench, which scored Fullmer from second. In the top of 6th, the Devil Rays loaded the bases with one out. Texas pitcher Ron Mahay walked in two runs to cut the lead to one run before Geoff Blum flied out softly to left field to end the threat. Texas added two insurance runs in the 7th to take the opener of the three game series. W: Valerio De los Santos (1-0); L: Danys Baez (0-3), SV: Francisco Cordero (4) Player of the Game: Hank Blalock. 3-3, 2B (4), BB, HR (7), 4 Runs, 2 RBIs (15) Game Notes: Hank Blalock set a career high for runs (4) in a game! Wasdin outperforms Hendrickson, Rays lose again. Game 26: Tampa Bay 1, Texas 6 John Wasdin revival continued last night in Arlingon where he pitched six innings against the Devil Rays, surrendering one run on three hits, leaving the game only due to a lenghty rain delay. Wasdin, who has appeared in only three games in the majors combined in 2002 and 2003, won his third consecutive decision. On the losing end was Mark Hendrickson, who once again was the victim of poor run support. In his 5 starts, Tampa Bay is averaging only 3.2 runs a game. For the other 22 games, the Rays are averaging 5.8 runs a game. Unlike the night before, this game started quiet, with both clubs scoreless after 3 innings. Kevin Mench's two-run homerun in the 4th proved to be all the run support Wasdin needed on this night. The closest Tampa Bay would make it was 3-1 in the 6th, when Gerg Colbrunn singled home Carl Crawford. Hendrickson got into trouble in the 7th after walking the lead off batter, DH Brad Fullmer. Gerald Laird's double down the left field line scored Fullmer from first and ended the game for Hendrickson. Lance Carter retired the first batter he faced, Hank Blalock with a weak groundout to first that advanced Laird to third. A pitch to the next batter, pinch hitter Laynce Nix, got past Toby Hall, scoring Laird with the fifth run of the game for Texas. carter would surrender one more run in the 8th before Trever Miller retired Michael Young with the bases loaded to end the 8th. W: John Wasdin (3-1); L: Mark Hendrickson (2-1) Player of the Game: Gerald Laird. 3-4, 3 2B (9), 2 Runs, 2 RBI (13) Game Notes: Kevin Mench hit the longest homer of his career, it went 393 feet. 54 minute rain delay in 6th inning. Rays win in extra innings, end losing streak at 7 games Game 27: Tampa Bay 6, Texas 5 (11) The Devil Rays can't be too happy about walking away from this game with a win. After rallying late to take the lead, another sloppy performance by the bullpen almost gave the game back to the Rangers. Aubrey Huff, hitless in four previous atbats, responded to an intentional walk to Jose Cruz with a single to left-center that scored Rey Sanchez from second without a throw. Chad Gaudin, who had entered the game in the 10th after Danys Baez surrendered a single to Alfonso Soriano, pitched a perfect 11th for his first win of the season. With Al Reyes on the mound looking to close out the win, the Rangers rallied to tie the game and send it to extra innings. Pinch hitter David Bellucci was hit by Reyes, putting the tying run on first with no outs. Reyes then followed that up with a wild pitch, moving the runner to second, before a single by Kevin Mench brought Dellucci around the second, barely beating the throw home by centerfielder Rocco Baldelli. The Devil Rays, trailing 4-3 entering the 8th, took a one run lead with solo homeruns from Geoff Blum and Julio Lugo. Eduardo Perez, in the lineup against the left handed Glendon Rusch, also had a homerun, a solo shot in the 3rd that, at the time, tied the game at three. For the season, Perez is battign .500 against lefties, with an inpressive slugging percentage of 1.038. W: Chad Gaudin (1-0); L: Ron Mahay (1-1) Player of the Game: Julio Lugo. 2-5, HR (4), 2 Runs, 2 RBIs (13) Game Notes: Hank Blalock hit the longest homer of his career, it went 424 feet. Eduardo Perez hit the longest homer of his career, it went 429 feet. Geoff Blum hit the longest homer of his career, it went 425 feet. Rocco Baldelli extends his hitting streak to a career high 11 games!