Rays 8, D-Backs 7: Extra Inning Exhaustion

A wild game of ups and downs, ending on a high for newest Rays folks hero Dylan Carlson

I had to double check, but in the official rules of Major League Baseball both teams cannot be awarded a loss for the same game. Although, the game tape of this will be submitted to federal courts to review and maybe we can get that changed.

But until the Supreme Court rules, the Rays officially did indeed get the W and complete the most unlikely sweep of the season, maybe for any team.

12 innings, big lead blown, multiple come backs, shut down innings, errors, HBPs, injuries galore. Let’s dive in to what was a wild, weird, agonizing Sunday game.

Opener and Bulk

Often copied but accept no substitutions when it comes to an Opener day run by the Rays.

The Rays had another well orchestrated, dare I might say cruising, Opener day with Drew Rasmussen looking like vintage Ras with 2 perfect innings and 2 Ks. In the Bulk role today was Tyler Alexander who was magnificent (until he wasn’t). Taking a combined no-hitter into the 7th,

Alexander gave the Rays bullpen a much needed rest and kept putting up 0s. Needing some more length before a long road trip, Cash allowed Alexander to extend deeper into the game, even allowing him to work in and out of a big threat in the 7th as AZ loaded the bases with nobody out. With the Rays working with an extremely rare multi run lead at the time (6-0) Alexander stayed in and worked his way out of the jam with just a single sac fly for Arizona for their efforts.

In the 8th, Alexander remained in the game, perhaps getting a bit greedy with the 5 run lead, and that lead to a dead center sinker that didn’t sink and Corbin Carroll sent it to the moon.

Comeback completed

Still, the Rays had a 3 run lead in the 9th and handed the ball to Pete Fairbanks, so still all good, right? Right?!?

Yeah, unfortunately Pete was not quite right and worked into immediate trouble, giving up a sharp single, an uncompetitive walk, and then the back breaking bomb to fully blow the 6-0 lead for good.

Injuries

Neither team escaped this one without harm, as multiple palyers were hit, bruised, and injured.

Yandy Diaz had to leave the game in the 1st inning after a pitch struck him directly in the forearm.

Later on, for Arizona, Ketel Marte came in to pinch hit but after trying to dodge a ball low went down in a heap and had to be helped off the field.

And finally the scariest of all: a big injury as Pete Fairbanks was dropping in velo and clearly struggling with command (as seen from the aforementioned game tying 3 run bomb), he immediately signaled to the dugout after a very uncharacteristically floated slider.

Very scary, and any time a pitcher immediately knows something is wrong you know it isn’t good. However, we’ll await anxiously for the official word on the news and hope the best for Pete.

Dawg Day Afternoon

On Bark at the Park day, you kinda knew Brandon Lowe would make his presence known. And one very poorly located cutter later, the DAWG opened the scoring with a loud and long gone bomb.

I’ve been a broken record about this, but seriously folks: Brandon Lowe is an amazing, all time Ray and one of the best 2nd basemen in baseball. It’s such a pleasure to watch him work when he’s healthy.

While BLowe got the bat party started, this was an overall real encouraging day for the offense. Jose Caballero got the somewhat surprised 3-hole start today in the lineup and delivered a wells truck 2 RBI double. Junior Caminero continued his hot start, but instead of his normal high exit velocity missiles, he used a well placed grounder and his speed to create a bit of chaos ball to add on.

The other welcome surprise from the bats came from Christopher Morel who had to come in to work on his off day and took it out on the baseballs. A smoked 107 MPH wall ball double, a welcome BABIP luck single, and a walk.

Season of Disappointment

This game is the microcosm of the overall agonizing season for the Rays and Rays fans. This year’s Rays team seemingly does everything it can to lose. Every small margin, every angle, every opportunity, just ways to find ways to be a bit worse than the team they are facing.

Today the offense finally provided a lead, a good lead. Their starting pitching (through the Rays funky ways) were able to keep it clean until late in the game. And then the bullpen, Pete Fairbanks especially, the one element of this season that has not been an abject disappointment blows it. And of course an injury to make it even the more bitter.

They have been a destroyer of joy and mirth.

Extra Inning Exhaustion

The Rays were able to get to 2 outs in the top of the 10th...but then Garrett Clevinger gave up a walk and then a weak single to Joc Pederson to allow AZ to take the lead.

The Rays in the bottom were able to get a fantastic base hit from Taylor Walls (Walls?!?) to tie the game. But a good play? That cannot stand! So of course after some sloppy defense, Walls was thrown out trying to reach 3rd. The play required a great play from a relief pitcher fielding their position, AND a slide Walls was able to beat to the bag but couldn’t hold on and over slid.

In the 11th, Kevin Kelly came on and compltely shoved the DBacks around for a 1-2-3 inning to keep the score tied at 7-7. In the bottom of the 11th, after intentionally walking Brandon Lowe and hitting Jose Caballero, the bases were loaded with nobody out and a chance to win.

Again, mirth and joy obliterated. Back to back Ks for Siri and Caminero, and a weak grounder to the pitcher for Alex Jackson, and the game would continue.

In the 12th, an unlucky slip from Edwin Uceta on a well placed bunt allowed the Diamondbacks to have 1st and 3rd with no out. But Uceta locked in and was able to gt a grounder to Junior Caminero filling in at 1st, and get the runner at 3rd jogging down to home. Back to back Ks after that and Uceta gave the Rays yet again another chance to win the game in the bottom half.

A New Hope?

Somebody who hasn’t been with the team for their annoying up and down around .500 year would prove to be the difference maker. Somebody who has had his own nightmare season, and several years of injuries and disappointment. However, sometimes the best thing for a career that’s stagnating is a change of scenery. And the best change of scenery is going from an OF with the St Louis Cardinals to being an OF anywhere else.

Dylan Carlson came over at the trade deadline in what was a fairly under the radar tiny move, in exchange for Shawn Armstrong. Dylan Carlson’s post trade deadline has been anything but under the radar. And today, well Carlson came off the bench and came through with multiple extra inning base hits, including the game winning walk off.

Carlson is quickly playing his way into a large role. And maybe not just for this year...

This game felt like a full series packed into 12 innings. There were some very high highs and some brutal lows. Rays lost multiple key players to injuries, and at the time of finishing this we do not know for how long. But we also saw some life in some bats that we haven’t seen for weeks. We are seeing some new faces earn roles as this season turns into an early audition for 2025. And with that sweep, the Rays remain clinging on for dear life in their playoff chances.