Tripling Rays @ Aging Yankees 8/12-8/14

[Tobywan]

Probables

Price VS Sabathia

Hellickson VS Hughes

Shields VS Garcia


The Rays just came off a sweep of the Royalpainsintheasses, first 4 game sweep at home since June of 2005, which was also against the Royals. They swept the Red Sox in a 4 game set in April of last year at Fenway.

The Yankees just lost a 3 game set against the Angels, winning the final game even with Rivera giving up a 3 run homer.

David Price has lost his last 3 decisions, he is 9-10 with a 3.89 ERA.

CC Sabathia has been dominant this year against everyone but the Sawx, though he was out pitched by Shields last time they met but he isn’t on the mound tonight.

Johnny Damon got a single on Thursday to pass George Davis into 65th place on the all-time hits list with 2,684.

At this point last season the Rays were just 1 ½ games back from the Yanks, today they are 8 ½ behind, but play the majority of the remaining season against both NY & Boston with every game counting to try to climb their way up.

[Tobywan]

Line ups

Rays

Jennings LF
Damon DH
Longoria 3B
Zobrist RF
Upton CF
Rodriguez 2B
Kotchman 1B
Shoppach C
Johnson SS


Yankees

Jeter SS
Granderson CF
Teixeira 1B
Cano 2B
Swisher DH
Jones RF
Martin C
Nunez 3B
Gardner LF

[zodious]

Goal: allow only one HR to Granderson in series.... Good luck

[Tobywan]

Desmond Ks.
Damon grounds out to first.
Longoria grounds out to second.

[Tobywan]

Goal: allow only one HR to Granderson in series.... Good luck

Yeah, especially with the believe it or not the weakest link in the rotation going David Price.

[Tobywan]

Jeter singles to right.
Grandy Ks (there's one)
Teix lines out to first, Price covering the bag.
Cano grounds out to short.

So far so good.

[Tobywan]

Zobrist Ks.
Upton grounds out to short.
SRod grounds to short.

[Tobywan]

Swish Ks.
Jones Ks looking.
Martin grounds to short.

On to the third 0-0.

[Tobywan]

Kotch lifts one high and deep towards the RF foul pole.....GONE!!!!

Rays up 1-0.

Shop belts one deep to left center.....back to back homers!!!!

2-0.

Johnson called out on strikes.
Jennings Ks looking.
Damon launches one to the RF porch!!!

3-0.

Longo hits one deep at short, beats the throw from Jeter.
Zobrist grounds to first.

Gone from tripling to homering!

[Tobywan]

Nunez lifts one high to center but not deep enough, BJ with the catch.
Gardner walks.
Jeter chops to short for a double play, 6-4-3.

[Tobywan]

Upton lifts one high and deep to left but caught at the wall by Gardner....look on CC's face , I think he would have cried if that went out.

SRod sends a base hit lining into left.
Kotch flies out to right.

Shop batting, pick off attempt by Martin too high for Teix sailing down the right side line, SRod heads to third.
Shoppach sends his bat into the stands for strike 3.

[Tobywan]

Grandy grounds out to short.
Teix grounds to short. (Elliot is earning his pay tonight.)
Cano hits a hard liner into left center, DJ gets to it quick to hold it to a single.
Swish walks.
Jones hits a shot in right center, Cano scores, Swish heads for the plate Zobrist throws to SRod he throws to the plate and they get Swish!!!!

On to the 5th Rays lead 3-1

[Tobywan]

EJ lifts one high and deep to left......outta there!!!! 4 homers off CC.

4-1.

DJ gets to second on a pop up that Cano drops, given a double...should be an error.
Damon lines out to left.
Longo flies out to center.
Zobrist flies out to right.

[Tobywan]

Martin flies out to left.
Nunez grounds out to short.
Gardner grounds out to second.

[Kingdom]

Casey Kotchman! Woo. How did he not draw more interest at the deadline?