Preview: Rays look to build on momentum in second game against Red Sox
TV: FOX Sports Sun
Time: Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m.
CAN'T GET TO A TV? WATCH IT LIVE ON FOX SPORTS GO
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Once a team beats one of the best pitchers in the American League, confidence can come in a hurry.
After a 4-1 win against the Boston Red Sox and ace Chris Sale, the Tampa Bay Rays will hope to build on the momentum on Friday in the second game of the series.
"Hopefully we can keep it going tomorrow," said Rays first baseman Logan Morrison, who had three hits, hours after learning he missed out on the "Final Vote" balloting for the All-Star Game. "Wilson (Ramos) did a great job and picked us up. He had a great game when we needed him to, not only at the plate hitting, but behind the plate. One of the reasons why we got him."
Ramos, who missed the first 76 games of the season recovering from knee surgery, was a huge part of the Rays' win -- he drove in three of Tampa Bay's four runs, including a two-run home run in the sixth that Sale said "sucked the energy" out of the Red Sox.
The Tampa Bay catcher also threw out two baserunners, one at second and one at third, helping rookie Jacob Faria hold a potent Boston lineup to one run on four hits in six innings.
The Red Sox had been red-hot, scoring 53 runs on 85 hits in a six-game winning streak before a loss Wednesday at Texas. After scoring two runs in the finale against the Rangers, they managed only one on Thursday, going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
"We just couldn't string any hits together tonight, even when we started a number of innings with the leadoff man getting on," Boston manager John Farrell said.
Thursday notwithstanding, the Rays have generally struggled against left-handed pitching, and they will face another lefty on Friday, Boston's Drew Pomeranz (8-4, 3.64 ERA).
Pomeranz is 5-1 with a 2.52 ERA in his past nine starts. He pitched well against the Rays last year, producing a 2.45 ERA in two starts and 11 strikeouts in an August outing against Tampa Bay.
In his career, Pomeranz is 2-2 with a 3.82 ERA in seven games (six starts) vs. Tampa Bay.
The Rays will turn to Jake Odorizzi (5-3, 4.08 ERA). The right-hander is coming off a win at Baltimore, but he has allowed home runs in 12 consecutive starts, the longest streak in team history. For his career against Boston, he is 3-3 with a 4.08 ERA in 14 starts, but he is 2-0 with a 1.52 ERA in five starts at Tropicana Field against the Red Sox.
The Rays hope Odorizzi can turn a lead over to Alex Colome. The closer had allowed runs in five straight appearances, seeing his ERA jump from a stellar 1.95 to 4.10, before he bounced back Thursday. Handed a three-run lead, he pitched a scoreless ninth for his 23rd save, giving up a two-out single but otherwise pitching like his old self after a difficult patch.
"Really good. It was nice to get Alex a three-run save where he had some runs there that he could work with," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "I like the way he attacked the first hitter, and it just followed suit from there."
Once a team beats one of the best pitchers in the American League, confidence can come in a hurry.
After a 4-1 win against the Boston Red Sox and ace Chris Sale, the Tampa Bay Rays will hope to build on the momentum on Friday in the second game of the series.
"Hopefully we can keep it going tomorrow," said Rays first baseman Logan Morrison, who had three hits, hours after learning he missed out on the "Final Vote" balloting for the All-Star Game. "Wilson (Ramos) did a great job and picked us up. He had a great game when we needed him to, not only at the plate hitting, but behind the plate. One of the reasons why we got him."
Ramos, who missed the first 76 games of the season recovering from knee surgery, was a huge part of the Rays' win -- he drove in three of Tampa Bay's four runs, including a two-run home run in the sixth that Sale said "sucked the energy" out of the Red Sox.
The Tampa Bay catcher also threw out two baserunners, one at second and one at third, helping rookie Jacob Faria hold a potent Boston lineup to one run on four hits in six innings.
The Red Sox had been red-hot, scoring 53 runs on 85 hits in a six-game winning streak before a loss Wednesday at Texas. After scoring two runs in the finale against the Rangers, they managed only one on Thursday, going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
"We just couldn't string any hits together tonight, even when we started a number of innings with the leadoff man getting on," Boston manager John Farrell said.
Thursday notwithstanding, the Rays have generally struggled against left-handed pitching, and they will face another lefty on Friday, Boston's Drew Pomeranz (8-4, 3.64 ERA).
Pomeranz is 5-1 with a 2.52 ERA in his past nine starts. He pitched well against the Rays last year, producing a 2.45 ERA in two starts and 11 strikeouts in an August outing against Tampa Bay.
In his career, Pomeranz is 2-2 with a 3.82 ERA in seven games (six starts) vs. Tampa Bay.
The Rays will turn to Jake Odorizzi (5-3, 4.08 ERA). The right-hander is coming off a win at Baltimore, but he has allowed home runs in 12 consecutive starts, the longest streak in team history. For his career against Boston, he is 3-3 with a 4.08 ERA in 14 starts, but he is 2-0 with a 1.52 ERA in five starts at Tropicana Field against the Red Sox.
The Rays hope Odorizzi can turn a lead over to Alex Colome. The closer had allowed runs in five straight appearances, seeing his ERA jump from a stellar 1.95 to 4.10, before he bounced back Thursday. Handed a three-run lead, he pitched a scoreless ninth for his 23rd save, giving up a two-out single but otherwise pitching like his old self after a difficult patch.
"Really good. It was nice to get Alex a three-run save where he had some runs there that he could work with," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "I like the way he attacked the first hitter, and it just followed suit from there."
