The 2022 (and beyond) Tampa Bay Rays

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Game 1: 3-1 W (10). WP-R.Rodriguez (1-1). S-Okuda (1). Starter-Khattak (6 5 1 0 2 2). HR-Santana (1). Santana's 2-run homer in the 10th won it for the Rays after a well-pitched game as the Rays made it two straight wins after opening the season with three losses.

Game 2: 2-3 L (10). LP-Okuda (0-1). Starter-German (7 3 1 1 1 7). HR-Arakawa (2). Rays took a 2-1 lead into the 8th before Aldry Acosta gave up his second critical homer in three outings this year and they lost it in 10. The bats were lame again with only 6 hits.

Game 3: 4-5 L (12). LP-Sears (0-1). Starter-Bradley (4 10 3 3 2 3, 2 HR). Once again the bullpen failed as Trey Riley gave up the tying homer in the 8th just like Acosta did yesterday and for the second straight day they lost on a sac fly. Bradley was horrid for the second time in as many starts but they fought back to go ahead 4-3 on a 2-run Santana triple.

Team record: 2-5. We're 29th out of 30 in the power rankings which is fitting since this team is punchless so far. Yordan Alvarez is hitting 125/300/125, and that's including a nice opening day. Next up: 3 games in Detroit.

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Game 1: 8-4 W. WP-Evans (1-1, 5 5 4 4 4 5). HR-Caminero (1), E.Green (2). Rays jumped out to a 7-0 lead by the 3rd and cruised from there. Wander was 4-5 with a ribbie, Caminero drove in 3 with a 2-run homer and single and Elijah Green had an inside-the-park homer.

Game 2: 3-5 L. LP-Eldridge (1-1, 7 6 4 4 2 5). HR-Luciano (1). Marco Luciano, in a 1-for-31 slump to the start the year, homered in the 7th to put the Rays up 3-2 but Eldridge and the pen couldn't hold the lead.

Game 3: 3-1 W. WP-Khattak (1-0, 6 5 1 1 1 4). S-R.Rodriguez (1). Khattak was sharp and Natanael Santana was the offense, going 3-4 with 2 RBI while Randy Rodriguez picked up his first Rays save and the Rays took their first series in 2030.

Team record: 4-6. Next up: An off-day then our Midwest road trip continues with 3 in St. Louis.

MLB News: Former Ray and current Nat Spencer Torkelson hit career homer #300.

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Game 1: 2-3 L (12). LP-E.Alcantara (0-1). Starter-German (6 4 1 1 2 6). HR-Albies (2), Y.Alvarez (1). For the third time this year Aldry Acosta blew a lead, giving up a run in the 7th to send us to extras where the bats couldn't get anything going. At least Yordan Alvarez hit his first Rays homer.

Game 2: 6-11 L. LP-Bradley (0-2, 3.2 6 6 6 3 5). HR-Y.Alvarez (2), Santana (2). Bradley was horrible for the third time in three starts (although the .511 BABIP against isn't doing him any favors), and after the Rays got back within 6-5 on Alvarez's 3-run shot Eric Orze gave up 3 homers in 2 innings to put the game out of reach.

Game 3: 7-5 W. WP-E.Alcantara (1-1). S-R.Rodriguez (2). Starter-Evans (4.1 6 3 3 3 8). HR-Caminero (2). Caminero's 3-run homer proved to be the difference as the Rays salvaged the finale. Unfortunately we couldn't enjoy the win as Ozzie Albies suffered an intercostal strain and will be out a month.

Team record: 5-8. Next up: Back home for 4 against the Yankees.

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Transaction: Ozzie Albies goes on the IL and Cuban rookie Victor Mesa is up from Durham, where he was hitting 351/351/730 with 3 HR in 37 AB.

Game 1: 1-8 L. LP-Eldridge (1-2, 6 6 7 7 1 5). It was a 2-1 game going into the 6th when Eldridge was hit for 5 runs. Santana was 3-3 with a double.

Game 2: 6-4 W. WP-Khattak (2-0, 5.2 3 2 2 3 7). S-R.Rodriguez (3). HR-Mesa (1). Haro was 3-5 with 3 doubles and 3 RBI while Victor Mesa hit his first MLB homer.

Game 3: 3-2 W. WP-German (1-0, 6 3 1 1 1 10). S-Riley (1). HR-Haro (1). Another big day for Nelson Haro, 3-4 with his first homer of the year as German was dominant.

Game 4: 2-3 L. LP-Acosta (0-1). Starter-Bradley (6 3 2 2 1 6). HR-E.Green (3). Taj turned in by far his best start of the year but it wasn't enough thanks to a limp offense which managed only 4 hits. Aldry Acosta gave up his 3rd back-breaking homer of the year and this one lost it.

Team record: 7-10. Next up: 3 games in Oakland.

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Game 1: 3-4 L. LP-Evans (1-2, 4 6 4 4 2 7). HR-Arakawa (3). Donye Evans hasn't been quite as electric as he was down the stretch last year and this offense isn't going to overcome 4 early runs against too often although they came close today despite getting only 4 hits.

Transaction: James Wood's rehab time was up so he was activated and Victor Mesa sent back to Durham as he had options and Max Viera didn't, so Viera will take over 2B in Ozzie Albies' absence.

Game 2: 6-7 L. LP-Eldridge (1-3, 6.2 5 5 5 2 4). Rays led 3-1 in the 6th before Oakland tied it in the bottom of the inning and put 3 on the board in the 7th off a tiring Eldridge and a bases-clearing double allowed by Victor Gonzalez. They fought back and nearly took the lead in the 9th but fell short, the story of 2030 so far. Wander had a 2-run single and Max Viera had 3 hits including an RBI double.

Game 3: 3-2 W. WP-Khattak (3-0, 7 6 2 2 1 5). S-R.Rodriguez (4). Walt Khattak has been the one bright spot this year and he was excellent again today. His mates squeaked out enough offense to win with Wander and Caminero each with 2 hits and an RBI while Yordan Alvarez was 3-5 with a double.

Team record: 8-12. Next up: 3 games in New York against the Yankees, who aren't doing a whole lot better at 10-10.

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Game 1: 10-5 W. WP-German (2-0, 5 7 3 2 1 8). HR-Rivera (1), Luciano (2), Caminero (3), Viera (1), Arakawa (4). Rays overcame a 3-0 deficit after 2 by scoring 6 in the 3rd including Caminero's 3-run tie-breaking shot as he drove in 4 on the day. Max Viera was 2-5 with 3 runs scored and his own 2-run homer.

Game 2: 4-1 W. WP-Bradley (1-2, 6 3 0 0 2 5). S-R.Rodriguez (5). HR-Luciano (3). Luciano's 3-run homer in the 2nd backed Bradley's best outing of the season as the Rays made it 3 straight wins.

Game 3: 5-2 W. WP-Gonzalez (1-0). S-R.Rodriguez (6). Starter-Evans (1.1 0 0 0 0 3). HR-Luciano (4). There may be hope for this team yet as they completed the sweep of New York despite having to use 8 pitchers when Donye Evans went down in the 2nd with an oblique strain. With the score 2-2 in the 7th Gonzalez got Trey Riley out of a bases-loaded nobody-out jam with no runs scoring, and Rodriguez walked the bases loaded in the 9th but got two whiffs to escape. Yordan Alvarez's RBI double in the 8th was the winning hit and Caminero's 2-run single iced it.

Team record: 11-12. Next up: An off-day then we're home to play 3 against 15-8 Toronto, although it's 16-6 Boston which leads the division.

Rays news: We signed veteran lefty reliever Garrett Crochet to a minor league deal after he was let go by Milwaukee.

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Game 1: 2-3 L. LP-Eldridge (1-4, 5 6 3 2 2 5). Rays tied it in the 5th on Yordan Alvarez's 2-run single but Toronto got the winner in the 6th and that was the end of the scoring.

Game 2: 7-3 W. WP-Khattak (4-0, 6 7 3 3 1 5). HR-Viera (2), Arakawa (5). Viera's 2-run homer in the 1st and Arakawa's slam in the 3rd staked the Rays to a 6-0 lead and they never looked back as Khattak's strong start to the season continued.

Game 3: 6-0 W. WP-German (3-0, 6.2 1 0 0 4 9). HR-E.Green (4), Caminero (4), Alvarez (3). This was a 1-0 game until the bottom of the 8th on a Green triple and run scored before Tampa Bay bats unloaded for 5 runs on 3 homers. Luis German was dominant and lowered his ERA to 1.23 in the process.

Team record: 13-13. Believe it or not, that's actually good enough for the third wild card spot but we're still 6 behind Boston which is off to a 19-7 start. Next up: An off-day then the Angels visit for 3 games.

MLB News: The Dodgers are on a 14-game winning streak, now 20-6 after starting the year 6-6. Also three star players are done for the year or nearly so as the Cubs' Trea Turner broke his kneecap, Miami's Marcelo Mayer broke a bone in his elbow and the Cardinals' Aaron Judge tore a back muscle. Of the three only Judge might be back in September.

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Game 1: 1-2 L (11). LP-E.Alcantara (1-2). Starter-Bradley (6 6 1 1 1 7). HR-Caminero (5). Five hits in 11 innings isn't going to cut it, and the Rays succumbed to the Angels in 11.

Game 2: 5-6 L. LP-R.Rodriguez (1-2). Starter-Eldridge (5.2 7 4 4 1 5). HR-Caminero (6), Alvarez (4). Yordan Alvarez's dramatic homer in the 8th tied it up but Randy Rodriguez coughed up a homer of his own in the 9th and the Rays lost another one-run heartbreaker late.

Game 3: 3-2 W. WP-Acosta (1-1). S-Dodson (1). Starter-Evans (4 4 2 2 1 8). HR-Luciano (5). Today it was the Rays' turn to win it late with Junior Caminero singling in Yordan Alvarez, who had hit his second double of the game in the 8th.

Team record: 14-15. Next up: Oakland visits for 3.

MLB News: The Dodgers' win streak has now reached 16 games.

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Game 1: 5-0 W. WP-Khattak (5-0, 9 3 0 0 1 11). HR-Wood (1), Alvarez (5), Franco (1). Walt Khattak has been brilliant this year but today he took it to another level to improve to 5-0, 1.82. Wood's 3-run homer was the big blow to back him.

Game 2: 3-5 L. LP-German (3-1, 6 5 4 4 1 7). HR-Alvarez (6). German took his first loss of the year while Alvarez stayed hot with his 3rd homer in 4 games but it wasn't enough.

Game 3: 7-2 W. WP-Bradley (2-2, 7 4 1 0 0 6). S-Riley (2). HR-Alvarez (7), Santana (3). Taj was terrific and Yordan Alvarez homered for the third straight game and 4th time in 5, including a tie-breaking RBI single in the 7th as the Rays scored thrice in that inning and the 8th to pull away.

Team record: 16-16, a game out of the third wild card. Next up: 4 games in New York against the Yankees, right behind us at 15-17.

MLB News: One-time #1 overall pick (in 2018) Casey Mize saw his career end as he needs elbow ligament reconstruction surgery once again and decided to hang it up.

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Game 1: 4-5 L. LP-R.Rodriguez (1-3). Starter-Eldridge (6 7 2 2 2 5). HR-Wood 2 (3). Rays led this 4-2 in the 8th on a 2-run shot by Wood, his 2nd homer of the game, but Acosta (who else?) gave up 2 in the 8th and the Yankees got the winner off R-Rod in the 9th.

Game 2: 2-4 L. LP-E.Alcantara (1-3). Starter-Evans (4.1 5 2 2 3 7). HR-E.Green (5). Rinse and repeat - Green's 2-run pinch-homer in the 7th tied it up at 2 but the bullpen gave it back right away.

Game 3: 4-5 L. LP-Khattak (5-1, 6 6 5 1 0 4). HR-Franco (2), Wood (4). This one was on the starter for a change as Khattak (with help from a key Caminero error) gave up 4 in the 5th on a couple of homers to let it get away.

Game 4: 1-4 L. LP-German (3-2, 5 5 2 2 4 7). The Rays made the misery complete by being swept in the 4-game series and falling 4 below .500 as the anemic bats could only manage four hits.

Team record: 16-20. Next up: We hop on I-95 south to play 3 in Philadelphia.

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Game 1: 4-12 L. LP-Sears (0-2). Starter-Bradley (5 7 4 4 0 3, 3 HR). HR-Luciano (6). They actually led 3-0 early before the wheels fell off with Sears allowing 4 runs in the 6th to lose this one.

Game 2: 2-8 L. LP-Eldridge (1-5, 5.2 7 4 4 1 6). HR-Rivera (2). This one was also close in the middle innings before the Phillies pulled away, sending the Rays to their sixth straight loss.

Game 3: 10-1 W. WP-Evans (2-2, 5 2 1 1 4 5). HR-Santana (4), Luciano (7), Arakawa (6). The Rays got a dead cat bounce in the finale, snapping their 6-game losing skid. Luciano drove in 5, including a slam, and Arakawa was 3-4 with a 2-run homer and 4 runs scored.

Team record: 17-22. Next up: 3 at home against a team going even worse than us, 13-26 Miami.

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Transaction: Activated 2B Ozzie Albies from his rehab assignment and DFA'd/waived Max Viera, who was claimed by the Angels.

Game 1: 5-3 W. WP-Khattak (6-1, 8 5 3 3 0 4). S-R.Rodriguez (7). Nelson Haro's 2-out, 2-run double in the 8th broke a 3-3 tie to win it as Khattak gave up 3 in the first but nothing over the next 7 to earn the win.

Game 2: 9-2 W. WP-German (4-2, 7 4 1 1 0 11). HR-E.Green (6). A dominant performance from German and a 3-RBI day from Yordan Alvarez led the way for the Rays. Luciano was 3-4 with a double and 2 RBI as well.

Game 3: 2-1 W (12). WP-Acosta (2-1). Starter-Bradley (7 4 1 1 0 7). HR-Arakawa (7). The bats were quiet today but outstanding pitching and a walk-off blast from Arakawa (off a lefty no less) in the 12th gave the Rays a sweep as they found a team that was worse than them.

Team record: 20-22. Next up: An off-day then we head to 24-17 Atlanta for 3 games.

Rays news: Amed Rosario sent me another PM complaining about a lack of PT even though he's started 4 of the last 5 games. He might want to start hitting better than .192 for his gripes to have any validity.

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Game 1: 2-6 L. LP-Eldridge (1-6, 4 7 6 5 2 6). HR-E.Green (7). Back to reality for the Rays playing a good team on the road as they were never in this one.

Game 2: 1-7 L. LP-Evans (2 5 5 5 2 2). Another non-competitive game from Tampa Bay as Atlanta was up 5-0 by the 3rd and never looked back.

Game 3: 4-5 L. LP-R.Rodriguez (1-4). Starter-Khattak (6.1 8 1 1 1 7). HR-Wood (5), Franco (3). All the ingredients were there for a Rays win: a great outing from their best pitcher this season Khattak and a couple of big homers including a 3-run shot by Wood. But someone forgot to tell Randy Rodriguez and he gave up 4 runs in the bottom of the 9th to blow a 4-1 lead and doom the Rays to a series sweep.

Team record: 20-25. Next up: Home for 4 against Toronto.

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Game 1: 5-2 W. WP-E.Alcantara (2-3). S-R.Rodriguez (8). HR-Alvarez 2 (9). Starter-German (2 2 2 2 0 2). Luis German left with a blister, forcing a bullpen game on us which the staff handled well and Yordan Alvarez had a huge game with 2 homers including a 3-run shot which turned the game around in the 3rd.

Game 2: 5-4 W (13). WP-Orze (1-0). Starter-Bradley (7 5 1 1 1 11). HR-Franco (4), Arakawa (8). Rays had a 4-1 lead in this one behind a dominant outing for Taj but the pen blew it the late innings sending us to extras where Caminero's sac fly thankfully won it in the end. Wander, who came into the game with a miserable 205/283/329 slash line and is one of the main reasons for the team's struggles, had a nice night with a double, homer and 2 RBI.

Game 3: 6-5 W. WP-V.Gonzalez (2-0). Starter-Eldridge (5.1 6 3 3 2 4). HR-Wood (6), Franco (5). For the second straight day the pen blew a late lead and for the second straight day the offense picked them up as Wander's walk-off shot in the bottom of the 9th got Victor Gonzalez and Tanner Dodson off the hook as they combined to allow Toronto to tie with a pair in the top of the inning. Amed Rosario's 2-run triple was the big early hit.

Transaction: German went on the IL with his blister which will keep him out a couple of week. Erovis Alcantara will take his spot in the rotation and we purchased the contract of reliever Benjamin Buckman from Durham. Buckman is the first player from our 2028 draft to make the big club as the 5th-rounder was closing at Durham, and that is the curious case of Benjamin Buckman.

Game 4: 3-2 W. WP-Evans (3-3, 6 3 2 2 2 7). S-Riley (3). This is the most schizophrenic team I've had in a save and lately they either sweep or get swept. This time it was the former as a 3-run 3rd was enough to ensure victory with RBI singles from rookie Cade Arrambide and Nelson Haro and a bases-loaded walk to Yordan Alvarez supplying the offense while Donye Evans turned in his best start in a while.

Team record: 24-25. And suddenly we're only 1 game out of the third wild card, which happens to be the Jays we just took 4 from. Next up: 3 games in Kansas City. Will they be swept? Will they sweep? Who knows?

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Game 1: 8-1 W. WP-Khattak (7-1, 8 6 1 1 1 3). HR-Alvarez (10). The Rays made it 9 wins in their last 12 and got back to .500 with a comprehensive win over KC. Khattak has becoming the staff ace while Franco (with a double & triple), Caminero and Alvarez each knocked in a pair.

Game 2: 1-5 L. LP-E.Alcantara (2-4, 6 5 3 3 1 4, 3 HR). HR-Franco (6). Can't seem to get above .500, losing at the latest chance as the offense outside of Wander (who doubled and homered and is breaking out of his season-long slump) was AWOL today.

Game 3: 5-2 W. WP-Bradley (3-2, 5 5 1 0 2 4). S-R.Rodriguez (9). HR-E.Green 2 (9), Franco (7). A 4-run 3rd with the first of Elijah Green's 2 homers and another one from Wander (a 2-run shot) propelled them to victory and back to .500.

Team record: 26-26, 1/2 game back of Toronto for the third wild card. Next up: We get Memorial Day off and then return home for 3 against Seattle.

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Transaction: Junior Caminero goes on the IL with a strained rib cage muscle and should be back when his stint is over. Robby Castillo is recalled from Durham, he of the great hitting ratings but meager results in his career to date.

Game 1: 0-1 L. LP-Eldridge (1-7, 8 3 1 1 0 5). Eldridge pitched his best game of the year but it didn't matter as the bats were silenced.

Game 2: This happened:





Donye Evans was Donyemating and the Rays pulled off their first no-hitter in season 9 of this save. It was always going to have to be combined as Evans has only 40 stamina and was already pushed past his limits at 93 pitches. And plenty of offense with every Ray getting at least one hit (I wonder how many no-hitters have seen every player on the other team getting a hit).

Game 3: 1-2 L. LP-R.Rodriguez (1-5). Starter-Khattak (7 5 1 1 1 4). Once again faced with an opportunity to move above .500 the Rays (and more specifically their bats) failed. Randy Rodriguez gave up an RBI double to Julio Rodriguez in the 9th to lose it as this team continues to frustrate.

Team record: 27-28, now 1 game behind Toronto for the third wild card. Next up: 35-20 Texas visits for 3 games.

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Game 1: 2-0 W. WP-Orze (2-0). S-Riley (4). Starter-E.Alcantara (3.1 1 0 0 0 5). Luciano's 2-run double in the 4th held up as the bullpen came through after Alcantara had to leave with a minor tweak in the 4th.

Game 2: 1-2 L (10). LP-R.Rodriguez (1-6). Starter-Bradley (5.1 3 1 1 3 7). HR-Y.Alvarez (11). For the umpteenth time this year the Rays had a chance to go above .500 but couldn't take it despite having several chances to win it late.

Game 3: 9-5 W. WP-Acosta (3-1). Starter-Eldridge (4.2 9 3 3 2 4). HR-Santana (5), Franco (8). Twice the Rays took 2-run leads and twice Rays pitching lost the lead on 2-run homers but a 4-run 8th featuring an Albies RBI single and a 3-run Wander homer gave Tampa Bay the win. Franco had 4 hits and the struggling Albies 3.

Team record: 29-29. Next up: We'll try to get over .500 again in Minnesota, where we'll play 3. The Twins are underwater at 27-31.

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Game 1: 9-4 W. WP-Orze (3-0). Starter-Evans (3 3 3 3 6 3). HR-Albies (3). A 4-run 1st and a 5-run 4th won it for the Rays. Albies' 2-run homer and Angel Rivera's 2-run double were the big hits and the bullpen got the job done in relief of a wild Donye Evans as the Rays finally climbed above .500 for the first time this year after numerous chances.

Game 2: 2-10 L. LP-Khattak (7-2, 5.2 7 5 5 2 5). Believe it or not the Rays held a 2-0 lead in this one going into the 6th, when Khattak gave up 3 runs and left with two more on. Still a close game, but enter the most un-clutch pitcher in the history of this save, 2030 Aldry Acosta, who gave up an RBI double and then a 3-run homer to let it get away.

Game 3: 5-4 W. WP-Dodson (1-0). S-R.Rodriguez (10). Starter-E.Alcantara (4 4 2 2 1 0). It looked like the Rays would blow another one and go back below .500 after squandering a 3-0 lead, but Robby Castillo (who earlier had a 2-run double) lofted a game-tying sac fly in the 7th and Wander's RBI single in the 8th was the winner as the Rays close a series above .500 for the first time this year.

Team record: 31-30, a game behind Seattle for the third wild card. Next up: A day off then back home for 3 vs the 29-33 Rockies.

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Game 1: 5-0 W. WP-Bradley (4-2, 7 3 0 0 1 5). HR-Haro (3), R.Castillo (1). Taj was brilliant again (his last 5 starts: a combined 31.1 16 4 3 7 34 line), and solo homers from Haro and Castillo along with a 2-run Yordan Alvarez single supported him.

Transaction: Junior Caminero comes off the IL and as a reward for his homer last night Robby Castillo is returned to Durham.

Game 2: 3-0 W. WP-German (5-2, 6.2 3 0 0 3 5). S-R.Rodriguez (11). HR-Y.Alvarez (12). More outstanding pitching as German lowers his ERA to 1.99 and Yordan's 2-run homer in the first was all the offense needed.

Game 3: 4-2 W. WP-Evans (5-3, 7.1 3 2 2 0 6). HR-Santana (6). A weekend of superior pitching gave the Rays a sweep and put them a season-high 4 games over .500. Santana's 2-run shot in the 4th broke a 1-1 tie and gave them the win.

Team record: 34-30. Tied with Seattle for the third wild card and we've crept within 4 of Boston for the division lead. Next up: A much tougher opponent as the 41-23 Dodgers visit the Trop for 3 games.

MLB News: Aging Angels superstar Mike Trout (now 38) will miss 6 weeks with a hamstring.

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Game 1: 4-3 W. WP-E.Alcantara (3-4). S-Riley (5). Starter-Eldridge (4.1 2 1 1 2 6). HR-Caminero (7). Caminero's solo homer in the 7th broke a 3-3 tie after Alcantara blew a 3-0 lead for Eldridge, who had to leave with a minor blister injury. Yordan Alvarez had a 2-run double.

Game 2: 9-4 W. WP-Khattak (8-2, 7 2 1 1 2 5). HR-Caminero (8), Y.Alvarez (13). Yordan knocked in 5 with a bases-loaded walk and a 440-ft grand slam to dead center while Wander was 4-4 with an RBI to back a sterling outing from Khattak and make it 6 straight wins for the Rays.

Game 3: 6-10 L. LP-Okuda (0-2). Starter-Bradley (3.1 8 6 5 0 4). HR-Y.Alvarez (14). The pitching let the Rays down with Bradley's awful start. Although the Rays battled back to tie at 6 the bullpen then failed with Okuda, Orze and Victor Gonzalez combining to allow the 4 runs which made the difference. Wander was 3-5 with 2 RBI and Alvarez homered again to cap a great series for both.

Team record: 36-31. Boston swept its series to push the Rays 5 games back in the division, but they are in the second wild card spot. Next up: An off-day then off to Chicago to play 3 against the White Sox.