Advertisement
  1. Rays

Six home runs doom Rays in loss to Blue Jays (w/video)

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria (11) greets center fielder Kevin Kiermaier (39) at the plate after his two run home run in the third inning of the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017.
By Times Staff Writer and Roger Mooney
Published Aug. 24, 2017

ST. PETERSBURG — A curve that didn't bounce was the difference Wednesday as the Rays lost 7-6 to the Blue Jays in front of 8,264, the smallest Tropicana field crowd since Sept. 5, 2006.

Kevin Pillar's eighth inning homer off RHP Tommy Hunter broke a 6-6 tie in a game the Jays led 5-0 after two innings.

"I bounced the next one, but in this game you don't get any do-overs," Hunter said. "(Stinks) to be in that position. I didn't get it where I wanted to go, and he just clipped."

The Rays (62-66) began the day four games out of the last wild-card spot in the American League.

The Jays and Rays combined for nine home runs, tying the Rays' team record for most home runs in a game.

The Jays hit six home runs, with three coming in the second inning off rookie RHP Austin Pruitt.

"If we don't keep the ball in the ballpark, we're not going to win," manager Kevin Cash said.

Kevin Kiermaier (two) and Steven Souza Jr. homered for the Rays.

TOPKIN'S TAKEAWAYS: Beat write Marc Topkin's takeaways from Wednesday's Rays-Blue Jays game.

The Rays tied the score in the seventh when Kiermaier scored on an infield single by Evan Longoria.

Pillar broke the tie the next inning with his leadoff homer.

"That home run was not the issue," Cash said. "It's the other ones that lead up to it."

Kiermaier power

Kiermaier had the second two-home run game of his career.

He homered to center off RHP Marcus Stroman with Adeiny Hechavarria on in the third, then drilled a ball to the back of the rightfield seats in the fifth.

His first two-homer game came Sept. 8, 2016 at the Yankees.

Kiermaier is 10-for-12 since coming off the disabled list.

RELATED: Commissioner Rob Manfred moves closer to wanting a decision on Rays stadium.

Roster shuffle

The Rays optioned RHP Chase Whitley and RHP Andrew Kittredge after the game and reinstated RHP Alex Cobb from the 10-day disabled list. The Rays recalled RHP Chih-Wei Hu. Kittredge was recalled Wednesday after INF Trevor Plouffe was designated for assignment to serve as insurance if Pruitt had a short outing. He and Whitley both pitched 1? innings in place of Pruitt.

A silver lining

Cobb returns this afternoon after missing three starts because of turf toe. He said the layoff was longer than he expected but also said it was welcomed.

With his innings pitched this season at 147, the time on the disabled list was a welcomed break for Cobb, who missed nearly all of the past two seasons because of Tommy John surgery. "(It's) kind of blessing in disguise," he said. "Coming back from Tommy John it's been pretty well-documented that you try to limit your innings and be smart on that front. We knew that was kind of hovering us this whole time, so that takes any of the thought away getting latter into September.

RELATED: Stop talking and start building a new Rays stadium, columnist Tom Jones says.

"Hopefully we're right there in the thick of things that last week of September. The last thing we would want to be thinking about is innings limit and stuff like that, so that takes that burden away."

Down on the farm

RHP Matt Andriese made the second of what is expected to be three minor-league rehab starts Wednesday, throwing 4? innings for Triple-A Durham.

Andriese allowed a run on five hits. He struck out six and did not walk a batter.

With a win against visiting Gwinnett, the Bulls would clinch the International League South title.

Number of the day

8 Home runs in 12 games against the Rays this season by Blue Jays 3B Josh Donaldson.

ALSO IN THIS SECTION

  1. Is this as good as it gets for the Bucs’ Jameis Winston?
    Earlier today• Bucs
    Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) warms up before an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) ALASTAIR GRANT | AP
    Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast: What else went wrong in London, ranking the Rays, Lightning worries, Gators’ SEC title hopes.
  2. Yankees, Astros plan Game 4 bullpen day
    Earlier today• Rays
    Yankees manager Aaron Boone talks about his plans for a bullpen day in Thursday's Game 4 of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium. KATHY WILLENS | AP
    The Rays Way could play a role in the ALCS.
  3. Nationals take 3-0 lead over Cardinals in NL Championship Series
    Earlier today• Rays
    The Nationals' Victor Robles reacts as he crosses home after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of a Game 3 rout of the Cardinals in the NL Championship Series. JEFF ROBERSON | AP
    Washington rolls to an 8-1 rout, is one game from World Series.
  4. Rays thank fans in a variety of ways
    Yesterday• Rays
    The Rays posted this message of appreciation on their Twitter account. RAYS BASEBALL | Twitter
    An ad in the Tampa Bay Times from the team and Twitter messages from players cap the season that included playoffs for the first time since 2013.
  5. Which players are arbitration eligible? Free agents? A Rays roster review
    Oct. 13• Rays
    Tampa Bay Rays leftfielder Tommy Pham (29) takes a moment in the dugout after the Rays' 6-2 loss to the Houston Astros in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. DIRK SHADD | Times
    Contract terms for every player currently on Tampa Bay’s roster.
  6. Gleyber Torres leads New York Yankees’ 7-0 rout of Houston Astros in ALCS Game 1
    Oct. 13• Rays
    The Yankees' Gleyber Torres hits a home run off Astros starting pitcher Zack Greinke during the sixth inning in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. SUE OGROCKI | AP
    The 22-year-old homers and has five RBIs, the youngest AL player to drive in that many in a postseason game in major-league history.
  7. Rays postseason superlatives: Energized Trop, confident Cash, team unity
    Oct. 12• Rays
    Tampa Bay Rays centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier (39), right, and shortstop Willy Adames (1) celebrate the Rays 10-3 win over the Houston Astros in Game 3 of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field. DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times
    Rays Tales: Underdogs really do almost “shock the world,” and Kevin Cash deserves serious American League manager of the year consideration.
  8. Washington Nationals combine for 1-hitter to beat St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 in Game 1 of NLCS
    Oct. 12• Rays
    Nationals starter Anibal Sanchez pitches during the eighth inning of Game 1 of the NL Championship Series against the Cardinals on Friday, Oct. 11, 2019. MARK HUMPHREY | AP
    Starter Anibal Sanchez has a no-hitter through 7 2/3 innings before giving up a clean single to center.
  9. Tampa Bay Rays seemingly knew Tyler Glasnow was tipping pitches, but there wasn’t much they could do
    Oct. 12• Rays
    Rays catcher Travis d'Arnaud and starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow walk back to the dugout after the Astros score four runs in the first inning of Game 5 of the American League Division Series on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019. DIRK SHADD | Times
    Manager Kevin Cash says that wasn’t the main problem for the four-run first inning in Game 5 of the ALDS. It was the Astros’ hitters.
  10. End is really just the beginning of good things to come for Rays
    Oct. 12• Rays
    The Tampa Bay Rays grounds crew works to remove the ALDS playoff logo along the first base line on the field at Tropicana Field on Friday. DIRK SHADD | Tampa Bay Times
    That’s what the team stresses as it faces an offseason with roster flexibility.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement