Friday, July 31, 2009
First Inning
It’s Hip-Hop night at the Trop, with a post-game concert by Flo Rida. Haha! I don’t think I’ll be around for that. As far as concert games go, this crowd has to be the smallest crowd yet. Billy Butler lined a single to left with two outs BJ Upton and Carl Crawford both singled up the middle. Evan Longoria flies out to center, allowing Upton to tag and go to third. Ben Zobrist strikes out looking for the second out. Carlos Pena hits his 26th homer of the season off the left-field foul pole. 3-0 Rays
Second Inning
Alberto Callaspo singles to lead off the inning. After a strikeout, another single makes it first and third with one out. A fielder’s choice scores a run, but the inning ends. The Rays go in order off the Fat Aruban.
3-1 Rays
Third Inning
David Price gets three groundouts to Zobrist for a 1-2-3 inning. Crawford triples (his sixth) off the wall in right-center with one out. Longo walks, and then Zobrist hits a liner that deflects off Ponson’s shoulders, gets caught by 2B, who then tries to double-off Longo at first. Meantime, CC ran home and gets doubled-off third. Wow, that was interesting. 3-1 Rays
Fourth Inning
Miguel Olivo doubled to the gap in left-center with two outs. It could’ve been a triple, but he didn’t run very hard after rounding first. Brayan Peña walks with two outs. Pat Burrell triples, I repeat triples, off the wall in left-center. The world must be coming to an end. Jason Bartlett doubles down the line in left, driving in Burrell. 4-1 Rays
Fifth Inning
An infield hit but nothing else doing for the Royals. Longo walks with one out. Zobrist triples down the line in right, scoring Longo. Peña is hit by Ponson, putting runners on the corners with one out. Burrell singles to score Zorilla and end the night for Ponson. Gross knocks in ‘Los to make it 7-1 Rays, and there is still only one out. Dioner Navarro lines into a double play to end the inning. 7-1 Rays
Sixth Inning
Price works around a walk to retire the Royals in the sixth. He has thrown 88 pitches, including 58 for strikes. The Rays go down in order. 7-1 Rays
Seventh Inning
Price cruises through the seventh, most likely ending his night, as the Rays had Dan Wheeler warming up during the half-inning. Zobrist singles with one out, followed by a walk to Peña. Gabe Gross strikes out looking to end the inning.
7-1 Rays
Eighth Inning
Lance Cormier is now pitching for the Rays. Umpire Charlie Reliford was diagnosed with a torn right calf and will be out 4-to-6 weeks. An error by Longo allows Willie Bloomquist to reach first, where he is erased on a fielder’s choice. Navi hits his sixth homer of the season. Navi has a walk and a homer and Burrell has a triple. Am I dreaming? It is Armageddon? Crawford ropes a single up the box with two outs. 8-1 Rays
Ninth Inning
Joe Nelson into pitch, and he immediately makes a two-base throwing error to start the ninth. The Royals score their second run of the game on a sacrifice fly. Game over. 8-2 Rays
W: Price (4-4)
L: Ponson (1-7)
S: NONE
Attendance: 26,596
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