Complete (All Star??) Game James’ Rays @ The susPENCEful Astros 6/24-6/26

[Tobywan]

Caperon out swinging.
Sanches PHing for Rodriguez grounds out to third, high throw by Longo, but Kotch hauls it in to make the tag.
Bourn takes a walk, first one given up by Shields tonight.
Keppinger flies out to CF.

On to the 7th.

[Tobywan]

Fernando Rodriguez pitching for the Astros.


Johnson grounds out to first.
Shields down swinging, decent at bats though.
SRod singles to center.
Zobrist grounds into a force out, SRod out at second.

[Tobywan]

Only 70 pitches tonight for Shields.....another complete game???

Pence flies out to left.
Lee grounds to short.
Wallace taps one near the mound, Shields throws wide, pulling Kotch off the bag...ruled a base hit.
Johnson hits a long fly out to the incline over Upton for a double, Wallace scores.
Barmes flies out to right.

[Tobywan]

Longo Ks.
Upton grounds to short.
Shoppach flies out to left.

[Tobywan]

Corporan flies out to right.
Michaels PHing for F Rodriguez, strikes out, ump says he went around, doesn't like the call...Mills is helping with the discussion.
Bourn out on strikes.

On to the 9th, Rays up 5-1.

[Tobywan]

Now pitching for the Astros Aneury Rodriguez. Lots of Rods in this game.

Rugg grounds out to short.
CK hits a liner up the left side line, dribbles around the LF corner, double.
Johnson Ks.
Shields out looking.

[Tobywan]

Juego trying to finish it out.

Keppinger flies out to CF.
Pence hits a shot, Longo grabs it long throw to first in time, but the ball ruled foul Pence out swinging.
Lee flies out to right.

WOW, 6 CG for Shields, 3 in a row. 9 Ks, 1 walk.
Longo 3 ribbies, SRod goes 3-4 with 2 runs scored.


Yanks lose, RSox lose........Rays stay on their heels.
Go Rox and Bux!!!!!

[Tobywan]

Tonight's match ups...

WD40 is coming off consecutive wins.
Norris has a 0.86 ERA in his last 3 starts, not getting a lot of run support.

JR Towles was clobbered in the chin by a bat while James Shields was batting, he had already been hit once by a ball in the mouth. He needed 11 stitches.


Line ups

RAYS

Damon LF
Zobrist 2B
Longoria 3B
Kotchman 1B
Joyce RF
Upton CF
Jaso C
Brignac SS
Davis P


Astros

Bourn CF
Keppinger 2B
Pence RF
Lee LF
Downs SS
Wallace 1B
Johnson 3B
Corporan C
Norris P

[love_that_reefer]

Doesn't look like Shields will be able to pitch in the ASG. He is scheduled to start the Sunday game beforehand which sucks because he probably would have started.

[Tobywan]

The offense is coming a live a little bit, good nights for Longo, Upton, Kotch and even Reid is slowly creeping up that BA.

Good outing for Davis, finally seeing the guy we signed to the long term contract.

Rays take game 2, 7-2, the win puts them 2 behind the Yanks who now lead the Sawx by half a game due to their loss to the Bux.

Doesn't look like Shields will be able to pitch in the ASG. He is scheduled to start the Sunday game beforehand which sucks because he probably would have started.

Right, due to the scheduling of being in NY before the break Madden will want Shields and Price going against them, also, we have back to back series after the break with Boston and NY at home. It would either have been him or Verlander who I also have heard is scheduled to pitch the Sunday before, but they may still be picked to go. Don't know though how many of those "unavailables" but worthy they can afford to "waste" since the "advantage" is on the line.

[love_that_reefer]

They'll definitely get picked as All Stars but they will simply add more pitchers to fill in. There's always a way to get in.

[Tobywan]

You still have to limit it to a point, only 34 slots, all teams have to be repped and extra inning possibility.. you can't give a lot of slots away to guys that can't "pitch in" and that goes for position players too...one of the reasons we have the "snub whines" every year.

[Tobywan]

Today’s match ups…..

Niemann had a good start his first game back off the DL, now he starts against the team he grew up watching for only the second time.

Happ has lost 5 consecutive decisions, he is 3-9 with a 5.33 ERA.

After having 4 players in the game Friday with the same last name, there were no Rodriguez’ in the game last night. With Houston using Wandy, Fernando and Aneury it was the first time since 1900 that a team had 3 players with the same last name appear in a game. Might be interesting to research and find out the names from 1900.

[Tobywan]

They'll definitely get picked as All Stars but they will simply add more pitchers to fill in. There's always a way to get in.

You know I was doing a little digging and I didn't realize they could take "extra" players as "All Stars" but only 34 can be on the "active" roster. Duh! How the heck did I never notice that???

[Tobywan]

This game has been a slug fest, Astros not going down without a fight.

Niemann only went 3 innings, but he did manage to ge the first hit for the pitchers this season.

The Rays got off to a good start with a 3 run homer from BJ in the 1st, but Niemann let them get ahead with 5 runs in the first 3. In the 6th Longo hit a 2 run homer but almost went balistic when it seemed they weren't going to rule it as a homer, replay changed the verdict. Kind of nice to see the usually cool and collected Evan get a little animated.

Stros scored in the 7th to get within one. Rays scored 2 in the 8th with a PH double from Matty J,
then 2 more on a 2 RBI single from Kotch.
Stros got within one again in their 8th.


Wade Davis PHing in the top of the ninth just got the second.....yes, that's starter from yesterday. Oh I love my whacky team!

A 3 run Longo puts the Rays up 14-10.still batting with 2 outs, Matty J at the plate.