This game was not fun.
The Rays were facing off against the Royals in the final game of a three-game outing, just hoping to avoid being swept at home before heading to the Bronx to take on red-hot division rivals in the Yankees. Shane Baz was on the mound for the Rays up against Seth Lugo for the Royals.
In the first, Bobby Witt Jr. got a one-out walk, but he’d be the only baserunner the Royals could manage as the next two outs followed in quick succession. In the home half, Yandy Diaz clobbered a one-out homer to put the Rays on the board first.
Two outs followed, but the Rays had a leg up leaving the first inning.
Maikal Garcia kicked off the second inning with a single, then successfully stole second base. He did it again one run later, stealing third. Despite all his hustle, the Royals would leave him stranded. In the home half, Junior Caminero singled to start the inning, but three outs then followed.
In the top of the third, Drew Waters attempted to go first to third after getting a leadoff single, but the Rays were quick to challenge the safe call at third, and the Rays won that challenge, getting the first out of the inning and eliminating a real scoring risk. Two more outs followed. Home half saw the Rays go 1-2-3.
In the fourth, it was once again Garcia, swinging a hot bat, who got a one-out double. Again, he stole second. Michael Massey hit a sac fly to bring Garcia home and tie the game. In the home half, Jonathan Aranda got a one-out double, but was left stranded as two outs followed.
Freddy Fermin kicked off the fifth with a ground-rule double. With two outs, Witt Jr. hit a two-run homer, and based on the Rays’ current run numbers, probably effectively won the game. Vinnie Pasquantino came in with his own double. Salvador Perez continued the trend, doubling to score Pasquantino, and mid-fifth, the Royals were up 4-1. The Rays didn’t help themselves by going 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
In the sixth, Mark Canha got a one-out walk, then Fermin singled to put two on. Jonathan India walked to load the bases, and that was it for Baz, who was replaced by Eric Orze. Then Witt Jr. was hit by a pitch to score a run. Pasquantino singled to score two more. They finally got out of the jam but the damage was certainly done. Chandler Simpson singled to start the home half. Two outs later, Aranda got a single to score Simpson. Aranada was then able to advance to second on a wild pitch, but the Rays would have to settle for just the one run.
In the seventh, Michael Massey got a one-out single for the Royals. Then Canha singled. Thankfully Orze was able to pitch out of this new jam without any additional runs scoring. In the home half, Daniel Lynch IV came out of the Royals’ bullpen in relief and got the Rays out in order.
Mason Montgomery was the newest Rays’ reliever out in the eighth. Jonathan India drew a leadoff walk. Pasqantino then reached on a fielder’s choice with precisely zero outs involved. And then Garcia, bona fide menace, singled to bring India home. Angel Zerpa was the new Royals reliever in the home half. Simpson got a one-out single, then a pinch-hitting Curtis Mead got a two-out single. Neither baserunner would score.
Hunter Bigge came in for the Rays, and gave up a leadoff single to Kyle Isbel. One out later, Waters singled. With two outs, Witt Jr. walked to load the bases, but Bigge got the final out of the inning. Chris Stratton came in to close things out for the Royals. Kameron Misner got a one-out single.