Oakland Athletics vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Cabrera, who hit a solo home run in the seventh, then lined the first pitch from Drew Pomeranz down the right field line to drive in Nava and Forsythe. And the A’s lost 5-4 to the Rays, victims of their 18 blown save this season. “It’s frustrating”. In the first 20 games of August, the A’s had scored as many as six runs just once. Still, Venditte said he wasn’t thinking about those circumstances as he warmed up before the ninth inning. “I had treatment the whole day yesterday, and I still feel it”, Valencia said. Melvin said the game underscored why he was reluctant to throw Doolittle back into the closer’s role immediately. The switch-pitcher struck out Evan Longoria before walking Daniel Nava on four pitches.
Graveman suffered an injury to his left oblique on the next-to-last pitch of the sixth inning.
“Once I started using my legs more and the ball started going where I wanted it to, everything just got a lot better”, he said.
And at the top of the list was how the Rays pulled it off, coming back to win in the ninth inning for the first time this season, having been 0-49 when trailing after eight. Smyly is 0-2 with a 9.95 ERA and 12 strikeouts in his career against the Athletics.
The solid outing was not only a sign of his physical progress but provided a needed boost to his own confidence, tested by the long, mundane process of strengthening and stabilizing his shoulder and four unimpressive minor-league rehab starts on the way back.
“Heck of a game by Sonny”, Venditte said. “But did not do my job today”.
“They’re tough, man”, Gray said. “And we could really use him the way he’s been going”.
Alex Colome finished it off for the Rays, Cash deciding on this night, with usual closer Brad Boxberger unavailable, that it wouldn’t be so ridiculous to let Colome work two innings, as he retired all six A’s he faced in the stiffest test so far in his transition to high-leverage reliever.
The 50th time was the charm for Tampa Bay.
Gray gave up three runs on five hits in eight innings. John Jaso jumped a fastball over the inside corner in the third.
“You hate to hear the word ‘oblique, ‘ ” said shortstop Eric Sogard, who hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the seventh. “Good offense can make some of those things go away”. They hit some not nice pitches, however they swung the bat fairly properly. I thought my stuff was pretty good. “The hits they did get have been simply homers”.
Two of Gray’s previous four starts had been complete games, but there was no talk this time about sending Gray back out for the ninth at 108 pitches. This will be the final time these teams meet this season.
“I didn’t have control on the first hitter”, Odorizzi said.
Rays: RHP Jake Odorizzi (6-6) has been up and down this season but has fared very well against the AL West. He’s allowed only three earned runs in 29 2/3 innings for a 0.91 ERA. “That’s all you can ask from your starter”.
Phegley’s homer was the second-to-last highlight of the night for the A’s.
The A’s came out of Sunday’s 8-2 come-from-behind win over Tampa Bay a good deal less chipper than would ordinarily be the case.