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Rays journal: Alex Cobb brilliant, Alex Colome worrying in 10-inning victory (w/video)

 
Rays starter Alex Cobb carries a no-hitter into the seventh and pitches eight shutout innings in his best outing of the season.
Rays starter Alex Cobb carries a no-hitter into the seventh and pitches eight shutout innings in his best outing of the season.
Published June 28, 2017

PITTSBURGH — RHP Alex Cobb couldn't have been much better for the Rays on Tuesday, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning while working eight solid. And Alex Colome couldn't have been much worse, blowing a two-run ninth-inning lead.

But things turned out all right, as the Rays rallied to take advantage of Pirate miscues in the 10th and scored a 4-2 win.

They won when Steven Souza Jr. singled against former Rays minor-leaguer Felipe Rivero, who'd been scored on once in his previous 18 outings. Wilson Ramos then lashed a ball to third that David Freese misplayed, Souza coming around to score on an wisely aggressive send by third-base coach Charlie Montoyo. They added the other without a hit as Ramos went to second on a walk and third on a wild pitch and scored on a sac fly.

As rewarding as the win was that improved them to 41-38, another shaky performance by Colome had to be concerning. He had a tough time getting a save Tuesday vs. the Reds then Sunday gave up three runs in a tie game the Rays lost.

"He's had a rough couple outings," manager Kevin Cash said. "Not going to read too much into it. He's allowed to go through some lumps just like a lot of our players are. He'll get through it, we're confident of that."

It was clear Tuesday it wasn't going to be easy. Colome hit ex-Ray John Jaso with a pitch uncharacteristically up in the zone, got a long out then allowed a double to Josh Harrison deep to right and a two-run double to Andrew McCutchen down the third-base line that tied it.

Colome said he feels fine physically — "great," actually — and isn't sure why his command is off: "I don't have anything hurting, nothing in my mind, I just try to go out and do my best."

Cobb lost his shot at a no-hitter when Harrison singled to lead off the seventh — ironically through the second base spot vacated by a shift — then quickly gave up another hit to McCutchen. But he got Josh Bell to ground into a double play, then with Harrison on third representing the tying run he got Freese also to ground to third.

"He was dominating, that's probably the best way to put it," Cash said. "A lot of soft contact, made big pitches, fell behind a couple guys got back in the count, he did everything you would want to see a starting pitcher do."

Happy to be here

SS Adeiny Hechavarria was happy to join the Rays after the trade from the Marlins, saying he was "100 percent" and totally over the left oblique strain that had kept him sidelined since early May and had added exercises and stretches to prevent future issues. Hechavarria, a Cuban native who lives now in Miami, said he figured he was going to get traded and was excited it was to the Rays: "It feels like home.''

Roster ramifications

The Rays shuffled the bullpen after the game, sending down RHP Austin Pruitt and LHP Jose Alvarado. Pruitt was dropped to make room for LHP Blake Snell, who rejoins the rotation tonight. Alvarado was replaced by LHP Adam Kolarek. To make room on the 40-man roster for Kolarek, CF Kevin Kiermaier was moved from the 10- to the 60-day DL. … RHP Brad Boxberger threw 20 pitches in an inning for the Class A Stone Crabs.

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Miscellany

. DH Corey Dickerson was pleased to see he'd moved up to a close second behind Seattle's Nelson Cruz in the AL All-Star voting, which ends Thursday night.

. There was a good reason for RHP Jake Odorizzi's weak outing Sunday: He came down with food poisoning after a bad sushi lunch.