Sunday, May 23, 2010
Rays 10
Astros 6
The fears that came to town with the best team in baseball were somewhat unfounded despite the Rays taking 2 of 3. Myers outpitched Garza on Friday for the lone win and the Rays looked anything but 20 games over .500 during all three games. But the same issues that have plagued the local 9 continue to rear their heads. Lack of offensive punch – Keppinger excluded – miscues in the field and not-so-efficient pitching performances did in the Astros in game 2 and eventually in Sunday’s rubber match.
The Astros got to young lefty Price early in this one. Kepp led off with a single followed by another by Michaels who was in for Bourn. Pence walked and the bases were loaded for Lee, who looped one into right but it was snagged by Zobrist. It was deep enough though, to score Kepp for a 1-0 lead. Next batter Feliz poked a slider up in the zone to the edge of the Crawford Boxes to put the Astros up 4-0.
The comfortable lead for Norris didn’t last too long. In the 3rd, former Astros prospect Zobrist hit a leadoff solo shot. Then Houston boy Crawford reached on a botched throw by Manzella. After 1 of Crawford’s 3 steals got him into scoring position, Carlos Pena’s single got him home and it was 4-2 Astros.
Price settled down and Norris pitched well enough until the 5th. He K’d Zobrist but walked Crawford. Bud then mistaked a high fastball to Jaso who crushed it to right to erase the Astros lead. Then after striking out Pena, the Rays took the lead on freshly revived Hank Blalock’s solo shot into the Crawfords. Pence led off the bottom of the 5th with a solo poke of his own to tie things up again until the 6th.
Moehler came on and gave up 4 straight hits without an out and the Rays grabbed the lead again for good this time. Though the Astros got within 1 in the 7th, the Rays did a number on Alkie’s boy Sampson the tune of 3 more in the 8th.
Not a bad showing against the Rays but this team is still not good.
Off day tomorrow and then a 6-game roadie starts in Milwaukee.
