The Rays’ backs are up against the proverbial wall right now. The Jays are streaking. The Sox and Yankees are nipping at their toes. And they’ve put up a big fat goose-egg of late against teams that they should be pounding the bejeezus out of. It doesn’t get any easier tonight as Matt Garza draws Roy Halladay in Game 2 of this three game set.
A loss tonight means that the Rays cannot win this series, so here’s to hoping that they find a way to scratch across a few runs and earn the “W.”
What to watch for: Even if the offense were going well, hitting Roy Halladay would be a tough task. It’ll be up to Matt Garza to shut down the Jays’ offense enough for the Rays to scratch across a run or two to try and steal a win away from perhaps the best starter in the league.
Scouting Report on today’s starters from MLB.com:
Matt Garza – Garza never felt in rhythm in his last start, a loss to the Royals. Even when he pitched relatively well in the first two innings, he just didn’t feel right. Garza said he had no juice on his fastball, which affected the timing of the rest of his pitches. By the time manager Joe Maddon asked him how he felt after five innings, Garza was ready to go. He gave up four runs and four walks in those five innings. The start came after one of his best of the season. In that outing, Garza threw 7 2/3 innings of scoreless ball.
Roy Halladay – Halladay pitched well in his last start against Baltimore. The Toronto ace allowed one run on seven hits over seven innings, earning the win. He walked one and struck out six, needing 119 pitches in the outing. In his career against the Rays, Halladay is 9-6 with a 3.90 ERA. This year though, the right-hander has had trouble with Tampa Bay, losing both of his starts against the club and surrendering a total of 10 runs on 17 hits over just 14 innings.
Check out the Rays’ career numbers against Roy Halladay.
View the game preview from Baseball Reference.
| TAMPA BAY RAYS |
TORONTO BLUE JAYS |
| 2B – Akinori Iwamura | 2B – Joe Inglett |
| CF – B.J. Upton | SS – Marco Scutaro |
| LF – Carl Crawford | CF – Alex Rios |
| 3B – Evan Longoria | 1B – Lyle Overbay |
| 1B – Carlos Pena | C – Rod Barajas |
| DH – Cliff Floyd | DH – Matt Stairs |
| C – Dioner Navarro | 3B – Scott Rolen |
| RF – Eric Hinske | LF – Adam Lind |
| SS – Jason Bartlett | RF – Brad Wilkerson |
Be sure to join us in the chat room for some good Rays talk during the game!!!
Tags: Blue Jays
July 29th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
I believe the only way Garza can stop this team is to throw a no hit no run game. If he gives up one run this team will beat him because the Rays can’t come back from that big of a hole and if he does we may be up all nite watching because the Rays can’t score. Now I am hoping they make me look like a fool, but I doubt they will.
July 29th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Does anyone remember the last time we got a 2-out RBI?
July 29th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Who else KNEW that B.J. was going to strike out with the guy on third? Cuz I sure did.
July 29th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Shutout!!!
Talk about a good bday gift :D
July 29th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
And the Skanks and Sux are losing late in their games!!
July 29th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Yuks are trying to pull it out in the ninth….Sherrill sucks as a closer against the Yuks big bats. Too much experience at the plate for him to fool them.
July 29th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Sherrill gave up three runs in the ninth but finally put the Yuks away…Huff hit a HR off Mariano Rivera in the top of the ninth…that gave them just enough runs to hold off the Yuks…who, like the Suks, drop back a game. Go Rays!
Rays MVPs were Garza and Longoria.
July 29th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Hey I’ll take it. Garza didn’t pitch the no hit game but he did the no run. Longo did he’s thing at third. Hey lets let up on BJ. He’s not an RBI man, he’s batting second, thats a plate setter roll. He walked twice. Heck he’s second in the league in walks, he’s hitting 270 only two on the team are hitting better, Aki and Longo. I think his OBP is around 390. His doing his job as a plate setter. I think he scored a run tonite. To me Pena is the guy that’s not doing his roll. But all this bitching and we are still in 1st. Some times it’s better to be lucky than good and right now we are lucky. The first half we were good. Let’s hope the last quarter we go back to being good. A win tommorrow and we win the road trip. I’ll take it.
July 29th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Sorry Richard that just doesn’t fly with me; B.J. has looked at one too many called third strikes with runners on 2nd and/or 3rd for my liking. Not taking his bat off of his shoulder there is inexcusable; his ABs are almost reversed in those situations. He comes out hacking at the first pitch, and then stares at the third one. Yes, he’s getting on base, but he’s GOT to put bat to ball there.
July 29th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
A week or two ago I would have agreed with Richard. I defended BJ as much as possible. The fact is, however, he just doesn’t look like the same guy from two or three months ago. There are things that are excusable for a young baseball team. But for a team that is leading the best division in baseball, and has a chance at one of the greatest turnarounds in Major League history, they have to occasionally get a hit with runners in scoring position. At least someone other than Longoria. I’m not sure how long a 22 year old can carry the team, but I am loving it right now. Back to the point about BJ. Someone has to tell him to start shortening up with two strikes and at least trying to make contact with the close ones. I don’t think that the cutter he watched was actually a strike, but it was sure as hell close enough that you can not take it.
All that being said, how about Matt Garza. Once that kid gets consistent, he just might be the ace of this staff. Dueling with Halladay and out pitching him. Wow, just unbelievable. Big win with Boston and New York losing. We need to finish this series with a win. And hell, maybe even make some noise at the trade deadline here.