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Rays journal: Tyler Glasnow settles down to pitch well in loss

 
Tyler Glasnow pitches during the first inning, when he throws 28 pitches and the Red Sox take a 4-0 lead against the Rays, then he settles down to pitch into the seventh. [Associated Press]
Tyler Glasnow pitches during the first inning, when he throws 28 pitches and the Red Sox take a 4-0 lead against the Rays, then he settles down to pitch into the seventh. [Associated Press]
Published Aug. 19, 2018|Updated Aug. 19, 2018

BOSTON — RHP Tyler Glasnow looked so bad as he struggled through a 28-pitch first inning of the Rays' 5-2 loss to Boston that he knew enough to not look out to the bullpen, which was in action.

But after allowing four runs — on two doubles, three straight walks, two uncontested steals and a Jake Bauers throwing error — Glasnow settled in and worked impressively into the seventh.

The only other blip was allowing J.D. Martinez's majors-most 38th homer in the third, then Glasnow retired his final 12 batters, and 17 of his last 18 overall.

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In his fourth outing since being acquired from the Pirates in the Chris Archer deal, Glasnow worked a career-high 62/3, allowing three hits and three walks, striking out four with only his fastball reliable, throwing 94 pitches (50 strikes).

In defeat, that was something of a victory.

"I just kind of realized this is what I had today and just go out and compete as hard as I can and get out of that fix-it mode. I went out after the first and did what I had to do,'' Glasnow said. "In Pittsburgh things like that would happen and I wasn't able to go out and complete the day so I'm definitely happy with going back out after the first and getting through 62/3.''

Manager Kevin Cash found the rebound "very encouraging."

"Really proud of the performance,'' he said. "For a young pitcher trying to establish himself and get built up to be a starter that would have been an easy one to knock yourself out of it, get through three innings and be done.''

The first could have been worse, as the Rays caught two runners trying to steal on the same play to end it.

The early deficit proved to be too much for the Rays (62-61), however, as they were shut down by former ace David Price, who worked strong seven innings, allowing just two runs on a massive 464-foot homer by C.J. Cron well over the Green Monster, his 23rd.

"It felt pretty good,'' Cron said. "It was one of the only mistakes Price made all night and I was able to put a good swing on it. I hit it pretty well.''

Familiar setting

LHP Jalen Beeks spent four-plus years working his way through the Red Sox system and made two one-day cameos appearances for them this season before being traded to the Rays July 25, and he's looking forward for the chance to face them today, slated to pitch in relief. "Just the competitiveness in me, I want to pitch here again, especially this year,'' he said. "I'm just happy to be in the big leagues obviously, but it's pretty cool I might get the opportunity to face them so quickly after (the trade). So I'm excited.''

Special K

CF Kevin Kiermaier was so impressed by Red Sox counterpart Jackie Bradley Jr.'s running catch Friday that he tweeted his compliments and then Saturday endorsed him for the Gold Glove. "He's one of the few that does it all out there, and that's part of the reason why he's my favorite,'' Kiermaier said. "I was hoping to run across and tell him, 'Hey, they need to give you the Gold right now.' Because he deserves it. I hope this is his year.''

Kiermaier also explained why he didn't make what would have been a similarly spectacular catch in left-center earlier in the game on what instead became a two-run triple: basically that he didn't want to go full bore into the unforgiving unpadded wall.

"I didn't over-run it, I didn't mis-jump it, at the last second I chose to let off, and that's why it looked the way it did,'' he said. "I told (pitcher Ryne) Stanek, I'm sorry, I went for that as best as I could. But when you're going into the Green Monster like that full speed, and I would have had to jump out and up, that wall is undefeated. And it will be undefeated as long as this park is going. I had to look out for my body right there. There's not a whole of times that I do that. And I'm not afraid. But that's one where you're asking to get seriously hurt.''

Medical matters: Sucre, Nuno

C Jesus Sucre said his sore right wrist "felt way better" and he was expecting to return to the lineup today for the first time since hurting it on a swing Tuesday. … Though LHP Vidal Nuno (hamstring) wasn't sharp in his first rehab game Friday, he felt fine and is likely to make several more.

Number of the day

464 feet, per StatCast, on C.J. Cron's sixth-inning homer well over the Green Monster. He tied — of all people — J.P. Arencibia for longest by a Ray in the StatCast era (since 2015).

Miscellany

• OF Carlos Gomez was hit by a pitch for the majors-most and career high 20th time.

• The Rays decided in the eighth inning Saturday to have RHP Diego Castillo serve as today's opener in front of Jalen Beeks. With LHP Chris Sale (shoulder) going on the DL, the Sox will start RHP Hector Velazquez.

• Facing Price Saturday was the 14th game of the season against a former Rays starter. They are 6-8; going 4-0 vs. Alex Cobb (Orioles), 1-0 vs. Jason Hammel (Royals), 0-1 vs. Matt Moore (Rangers), 0-1 vs. Jake Odorizzi (Twins), 0-2 vs. James Shields (White Sox) and 1-4 vs. Price.

• With OF Mallex Smith getting a scheduled off-day, Cash made an unusual decision by moving Gomez to leadoff despite his 1-for-23 career showing vs. Price.