Rays Face Tough Challenge to Avoid Sweep Against Mariners, Eye Bounce Back Sunday
Hey, so here’s the latest on the Tampa Bay Rays as they try to dodge a series sweep against the Seattle Mariners. It’s been a rough weekend for the Rays in Seattle, and they’ve definitely found themselves with their backs against the wall.
After a heartbreaking loss on Friday, the Rays couldn’t quite even the series on Saturday, falling 7-4. That game was notable because it included the special occasion of Ichiro Suzuki’s jersey retirement ceremony, which added a sentimental vibe to the Mariners’ home turf. Despite solid efforts from Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero, who both homered for the second consecutive day, it wasn’t enough to stop the Mariners from pouring on six unanswered runs. This surge was largely fueled by the Mariners’ center fielder Julio Rodriguez, who hit two home runs, and catcher Cal Raleigh, who blasted a massive three-run homer, marking his 44th of the season — leading the league.
So, now the Rays enter Sunday’s finale hoping to avoid a complete sweep before moving on to the next leg of their West Coast trip in Sacramento, California, where they’ll face the Athletics. At this point, Tampa Bay, sitting at 57-61, is chasing an American League wild-card spot and really needs to start racking up some wins if they want to stay in contention.
Also Read:- FedEx St. Jude Championship Drama Builds as Fleetwood Leads Into Final Round
- Marcus Rashford Set to Feature in Barcelona’s Strong Lineup Against Como
One key storyline is the performance of their starting pitcher Adrian Houser. He was acquired recently in a deadline trade with the White Sox, but his debut for the Rays wasn’t ideal. Houser allowed 11 hits and five earned runs over nearly six innings in his first outing, a 5-1 loss against the Angels. Still, over the season, he’s maintained a solid 6-3 record with a 2.54 ERA. Against the Mariners specifically, Houser is 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA, and players from Seattle have hit about .250 against him with a few home runs sprinkled in. So, there’s definitely hope he can bounce back and give the Rays a strong start on Sunday.
On the other side, the Rays’ lineup will be facing Seattle’s right-handed pitcher Bryan Woo. Woo is only 25 years old and in his third season with the Mariners. He’s posted a solid 3.02 ERA this season, ranking around 16th among qualified starters. Woo has only faced the Rays once before, last season, when he pitched five innings and allowed just one earned run. Tampa Bay won that game 4-3. Interestingly, only a handful of Rays players have actually faced Woo — four to be exact — and they’ve collectively hit quite well against him so far.
For anyone looking to catch the game, it’s scheduled for Sunday, August 10th, starting at 4:10 p.m. Eastern Time at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. The Mariners are slight favorites in the betting lines, but the Rays will be looking to prove otherwise. Key players like Randy Arozarena and Julio Rodriguez are expected to be active, while Tampa Bay’s offense will rely on the likes of Brandon Lowe, Junior Caminero, and Yandy Diaz.
In a few extra notes, Rays pitcher Joe Boyle showed some serious heat on Friday, throwing a bunch of 100+ mph fastballs, nearly doubling the franchise’s single-game record for such pitches. Meanwhile, Junior Caminero is on fire, hitting his 32nd home run of the season recently, which ranks him sixth in all of MLB.
All in all, this Sunday’s game will be a crucial test for the Rays as they try to turn around a challenging weekend and keep their playoff hopes alive.
Read More:
0 Comments