Skip to main content

"Big Game James" Gets Rays Even

RAYS 4
PHILLIES 2
Series Tied 1-1

It's now a brand new series. The Tampa Bay Rays, behind the efforts of their ace, James Sheilds, have evened up the 2008 World Series at a game apiece with a 4-2 victory over Philadelphia. The win was Tampa's first ever World Series game victory.

Even though Shields was solid tonight for Tampa, it was the Ray offense that set the tone early in this one. Phillies pitcher Brett Myers showed some early wildness as he walked Akniora Iwamura to start the bottom of the first. B.J. Upton followed with a single to right. Unfortunately for Philadelphia, Jayson Werth made a fielding error on the relay throw, allowing Iwamura and Upton to advance.

Carlos Pena followed with a RBI groundout to give Tampa a 1-0 lead. Evan Longoria, who has struggled in this series, grounded out into an RBI as well, 2-0 Tampa Bay.

In the second, the Rays got to Myers again. Duaner Navarro singled and Rocco Baldelli walked to get things started. Jason Bartlett followed with a single to load the bases. Clearly, Myers had nothing in this game. Myers is known for his wildness, but this was just unacceptable for the Phillies and it raises a huge concern about his mental makeup if there is a game six. Upton singled to right to drive in Navarro. Baldelli also tried to score, but he was tagged out at home.

Myers found a way to get through seven innings, but his early wildness cost his Phillies any hopes of winning the game.

Shields went five and two-thirds, scattering seven hits with four strikeouts.

Still, things got interesting in the eighth. With Rays de facto closer David Price now pitching, Eric Bruntlett blasted a solo homerun to left to cut the Rays lead to 4-1. In the ninth, Carlos Ruiz led off with a double and was later brought in after Werth reached on a throwing error by third baseman Evan Longoria. It was 4-2 Tampa, but somehow, Price found a way to get Chase Utley to strike out swinging, and Ryan Howard to ground out to end the game.

The series now moves to Philadelphia for games three, four and five. There is the possibility for rain on Saturday, which could push the series back a day, and possibly put Philadelphia in the splendid position of having Cole Hamels return to the mound for game four.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jets, Dolphins and Patriots Playoff Breakdown

Here are the formuli that could get the Jets into and out of the playoff party this season: 1) If the Jets win against Seattle and Miami, they win the AFC East based on a better conference record (8-4) than the New England Patriots, even if New England wins out as well. 2) If the Patriots win out and the Dolphins win out and finish at 11-5, the Jets would be 10-6, or 9-7, and probably out of the playoffs. Both New England and Miami would make the playoffs, with the Dolphins as a divison winner and the Patriots as a wild card. The Patriots make the postseason if Baltimore loses one of its final two games. 3) If the Patriots win out and the Dolphins and Jets split, then the Patriots win the AFC East. The Jets will have to hope that they beat Miami to win that tie-breaker and, further, hope that they have a better conference record than the Baltimore Ravens in order to clinch the sixth seed. 4) If the Patriots and Ravens win out and the Dolphins and Jets split their final two games, then ...
8 comments
Read more

Francisco Lindor Remains Red Hot as Mets Top Phillies

 Francisco Lindor remains the hottest player in Queens right now.  The Mets shortstop blasted two more home runs, including a three-run blast in the bottom of the eighth inning, Monday night to help propel the Mets to a 5-4 win over Philadelphia.   Lindor who typically struggles in the month of April is putting together a heck of a month. Monday's two hit effort was the 10th game in the last 11 where Lindor has recorded a hit. In fact in the month of April alone this year, Lindor was hitting at .311 coming into Monday's action.  On the year, Lindor is batting .284 with five homers and 13 RBI.  Lindor's efforts proved to be prophetic, as the Phillies Alec Bohm crushed a three-run bomb off Edwin Diaz in the top of the ninth to cut the Mets lead to a single run. Fortunately for New York, Diaz was able to shut the door with strikeouts of Trea Turner and Bryce Harper.  New York (16-7) has now won five in a row.  
Post a Comment
Read more

Mets Keep Rolling into Phillies Series

 The New York Mets are feeling pretty good about things right now!  The Amazin's swept a four game series from the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, winning 7-4 Sunday afternoon. It was the first time since 1986 that the Amazin's had swept such a series from St. Louis. We all know what happened later that season.    Well, not to get too far ahead of ourselves, because the 2025 version now faces a very stiff challenge. The Mets will face their arch rivals the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday with only two games separating the two teams in the NL East.  The Mets took out Philly in the NLDS last October, so this figures to be a heck of showdown. The Mets begin a month long stretch against teams that are likely postseason contenders like the Phillies, D-Backs, Cubs, Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers.  If the Mets (15-7) are this good, we will know for sure in a month.
Post a Comment
Read more