Scott Kazmir ~ SP [R]

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Scott Edward Kazmir (born January 24, 1984 in Houston, Texas) is a left-handed starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. He was highly recruited after striking out 172 batters in 75 innings as a senior at Cypress Falls High School, and had verbally committed to the University of Texas, but was drafted in the first round (15th overall) of the 2002 MLB Draft by the New York Mets. Along with teammate Clint Everts (who was selected 5th overall by the Montreal Expos) he became half of the first pair of high school pitchers from the same team drafted in the first round. His most popular nickname is perhaps "Sco-Kaz,"[1][2] with his lesser known ones being "Kid K", "K-Train", "Kazmanian Devil" and "Scotty K." The K being emphasized in his nicknames as a double meaning between the initial in his last name and his high strikeout rate.

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LHP Scott Kazmir has gotten into some trouble here in the first, loading the bases with one out.

He gave up an infield single to start off, then walked two of the next three hitters.

But Kazmir battled his way out of the inning, striking out Jay Bruce swinging and getting Adam Rosales to fly out to end the threat.

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Kazmir had a quick and clean second inning, retiring the Reds in order.

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The Reds took a 2-0 lead here in the third, when Jay Bruce hit a two-run homer off of Kazmir.

Reds 2, Rays 0

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Kazmir just helped his own cause with a two-run double to leftfield, a long fly ball that carried over Chris Dickerson's head.

Rays 5, Reds 2

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Kazmir continued his big day at the plate, ripping an RBI single in the fifth to give the Rays a 10-2 lead.

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Kazmir finished up his day, which was a pretty good one - he went six innings, giving up two runs (on homer by Jay Bruce), striking out five walking two (hitting two), and four hits.

And, of course, Kazmir went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI at the plate....

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Rays win 11-2.

Maddon praised Kazmir, saying his sliders were as good as he's seen them in a long time.

“I thought (Kazmir) was very, very good,” Maddon said. “That’s what we’re talking about right there, great repetition of his delivery, quality strikes down in the zone with his fastball. Sharpest slider ive seen in a long time. And the changeup was there too. He was just in control o fhis body and thus the pitches were in the right spots. He looked really sharp today.

Kazmir said he had been working on some drills on keeping his head straight, and his direction toward the plate, and it worked out well.

"It seems like it's getting less and less of me coming out of my delivery," Kazmir said. "Everything seems like it’s a lot more consistent now."