TB 3 SEA 2: Siri Springs Rays to a late night win

Pitcher’s duel and just enough offense gives the Rays a win in Seattle

Jose Siri loves a spotlight. For the third time on this very road trip, Siri came through with the hero bat with a miraculous and monster HR that he and the rest of Rays fans got to watch sail into the night to swipe victory from the jaws of defeat.

Rays fight to return to .500 again was not easy. They still didn’t get a hit with a runner in scoring position. But when you can pitch as well as Springs and the rest of the pen (not you, Cleavinger) and hit a couple of dingers? Well you don’t need much.

Pistols at Dusk

Tonight, on a chilly evening in Seattle, Jeffrey Springs and Logan Gilbert had a good old fashioned pitcher’s duel. In this case, both exceptional pitchers got to slice and dice their way through two supremely struggling lineups.

Gilbert had been cruising with impressive efficiency until Josh Lowe got a grounder just wide enough for Jorge Polanco to be unable to scoop it for a deep infield single to break up the early perfect game bid in the 4th.

Logan Gilbert was overpowering, working his sterling cutter all around the zone, and the Rays hitters were baffled, befuddled, and completely ineffective. Perhaps the biggest problem came from too many strikeouts. Gilbert finished with 10 Ks, but with his pitch count approaching 100 (ended with 97) he would depart after 6 dominant innings.

In particular, Jose Caballero did not have a hit tonight, struck out 2 times, but had perhaps the at bat of the game. In the top of the 5th, Cabby fell behind quickly (as Gilbert put basically every Rays hitter behind with strike 1 all night) 0-2. Taking the next three, Caballero was able to work the count full. That’s when the pesky Cabby really went to work on Gilbert’s pitch count. Fouling off 4 straight put-away pitches, he forced Gilbert to run it up to his fastest fastball of the at bat to get the swinging K.

He didn’t get on base, and the at-bat ended with a whiff, but 10 pitches and a lot of effort in the 5th directly helped forced Gilbert out before the 7th and perhaps that was the difference in a win or a loss tonight.

Not to be outdone, Jeffrey Springs put on a show of his own. Springs change-up was particularly effective making Mariners dance. 9Ks, 5 innings, and 0 runs for Springs in his most efficient start to date returning from surgery. Still a long way to go for the consistency, but these are the starts that make you remember just how filthy and good Springs was before he went down.

Springs would turn the ball over to Edwin Uceta for the 6th. Between two Ks, Victor Robles was able to get a duck snort popper just far enough into the outfield to find grass. With 2 outs, Robles stole 2nd after a very wild throw from Alex Jackson behind home for the Rays. Cal Raleigh would walk, setting up old friend Randy Arozarena to step to the plate with a chance to break the tie. Robles wasn’t long for 2nd, and took off in a flash to steal 3rd. Remember when I said Alex Jackson threw wildly when trying to nab Robles at 2nd? Well that was nothing compared to the uncorked wild throw down to 3rd.

Here’s the thing with this play: Robles had a massive jump, and even with a perfect throw there was no chance to get him out. But Jackson did try and he sailed it wide right to allow the Mariners to take the lead. In a game where offense for either side was going to be very hard to come by, that is a brutal mistake to make.

Siri to the rescue

With the Rays facing the prospects of another brutal, heartbreaking loss thanks to a defensive miscue on back-to-back nights in Seattle, the Rays bats produced some devil magic. After two quick and totally feeble outs from Caballero and Walls, Jonny DeLuca hit a sharp line drive single (finishing his day 2-4 with a double) setting up Jose Siri for the big swing: a 2 strike 2 run bomb over the dead center field into the chilly Seattle night.

In the 8th, Yandy Diaz was able to get into the act to extend the lead (in what would prove to be a BIG run) with a 30.30 park laser beam straight over Arozarena’s head, who has seen that a time or two, and knew there was no point in wasting the steps and instead just watched it fly.

The Stable Stabilizes

The Rays have done it again, building a dominant bullpen out of seemingly thin air and amazing scouting and development. Tonight, they came through to bridge the gap from scoreless game to protecting a narrow lead.

Edwin Uceta first up, and surrendered just the unearned run and adding 3 more Ks to his impressive breakout season.

Colin Poche was next in and pitched a perfect inning adding 2 more Ks and no stress.

Garrett Cleavinger was the one blemish out of the Arm Barn tonight. Wild and off target the entire time, he begin his 8th inning going 3-0 to Dylan Moore. Clev would lock in and bounce back for a K, but the wildness was not as effective after that. A 4 pitch walk to the 9th hole hitter Rivas, and a well struck bunt single from Robles later, and suddenly the Rays are in a pickle.

Cleavinger got Julio to line out safely to right, but could not get one by Florida State alum Cal Raleigh who delivered a line drive RBI single to bring the M’s within 1 run and setting up another potential hero moment for Randy.

Enter Kevin Kelly, who got just one batter: Randy Arozarena with the game on the line. Kelly isn’t paid by the pitch, and just 3 pitches later Kelly added a third K to his name sitting down Arozarena looking.

Manny Rodriguez earned his 2nd Save, thanks to a nifty catch from Siri and an impressive K of another ex-Ray friendo in the pinch hitting Luke Raley.

Rays have a chance to steal a road series win in the afternoon rubber match Wednesday.

And to end, I do want to include the fantastic catch from Siri which helped preserve the win because really, it’s just so dang smooth.

Showman Siri strikes again!