Dear Diary Issue One: Rays-Blue Jays, 6-30-09

The Rays are coming off a huge victory against the best pitcher in the MLB last night—how will they one up that? Hopefully, with another win against the Jays. It's Matt Garza vs. Scott Richmond in a pretty good pitchers show down.

Here is my diary of the game; all times are in Central

6:07: Why aren’t there more people at the Jays game? This team scores a lot of runs and is in contention. Weird. Also, the Rays are doing a special on Gabe Gross. Strange—they could do it over anyone else and it would be more entertaining.

6:10: First pitch swinging, the Bossman Junior homers. With swagger and a smirk he trots around the bases. It’s a good start for the Rays. I love when that happens.

6:13: Willy Aybar is playing for Evan. I don’t like this move. This is a critical AL East series, and the Rays need every win against division foes they can get.

6:17 BJ walks out to center field, no beer. That’s good news. Yesterday, two female fans threw a beer at him for catching a liner off the bat of Marco Scuatro. Bossman! Stop catching everything you see! (just kidding).

6:23 Matt Garza continues his dominance over the Jays with a 1-2-3 inning. How did he lose two games last season against them when he only allowed two runs in five games? Mind Boggling.

6:26 Ben Zobrist starts off the inning with a single—another good start to the inning. Ben Zobrist needs to get back on track, even though he was bound to cool off.

6:31 What is Ben Zobrist thinking? When was the last time I ever saw someone get picked off at second? I don’t even know.  Way to kill a rally.

6:32 Behind home plate there is a “Great Canadian Bucket Sale” ad. I’ll ask a few questions here:

a) Why is it there and b) Is this Great Sale really so lucrative that they can buy ad space behind home plate, or is it just that cheap?

6:45 Matt Garza’s first spot of trouble. He hangs a slider, gives up a base hit to Adam Lind—runners at first and third. Garza has been good at minimizing damage—a strike out would be huge here.

6:53 Did Carl Crawford find some undetected steroids or something? Two home runs in two days—his eighth of the year. 2-1 Rays.

6:56 I wish Boston would play someone with a winning record. Beating Baltimore 4-0. Seems as if they have played sub-.500 teams for at least a month.

6:58 Rays announcers, make note about how Toronto’s Raul Chavez was once a  short stop before being converted to a catcher. I would like to see the light-footed Chavez work his magic at short stop.

7:01 Jim Hickey visits the mound. It’s nice to see Garza respond positively. Occasionally Garza just blows him off.  Apparently it didn’t work. There's a pitch right down the middle, and Aaron Hill ropes it to left. Two on, one out.

7:08 Garza gets out of the jam. No damage done. Luckily, Vernon Wells has been disappointing this year.

7:11 I guess Zobrist got the message and criticism in my preview— he ropes another single into right. Lets not get picked off at second this time, buddy.

7:14 Definite web gem by Aaron Hill right there. He dove to his left, did a barrel roll and threw out Gross at first.

7:21 Another 1-2-3 inning for Garza—Maybe he’s back on track after having to work a little in the second.

7:24 If there was an award for biggest fall off by an all star from the following year, Dioner Navarro would have to win. He's batting .214 this year. Maybe Maddon should put in the Cuban refugee (Hernandez). However, Richmond was scared enough of that and walked him in five pitches.

7:35 Who is slower—Burrell or Chavez? I mean, Aybar wasn’t exactly quick to first with that throw.

7:42 BJ Upton saves a run by getting to a gapper before it hits the wall.  Runners on second and third. This brings up the ever so clutch (cough cough) Vernon Wells, who flies out to left center. Sigh of relief.  He’s 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position today. He should be moved down further in the lineup.

7:46 Evan Long…. I mean Willy Aybar jacks a home run to right center. I think Aybar has an OPS over 1000 when subbing for Longoria. It fails to make sense. Rays 3, Jays 1.

7:55 Jason Bartlett breaks out of the things that made him so good earlier in the year, chasing three straight pitches outside of the strike zone. He leaves two on.

8:01 Gabe Gross might be 0-for-2, but he throws out Adam Lind, who tried to get greedy by stretching a single into a double. TTwo outs in the sixth. If only I could see BJ throw out someone.

8:04 More rain in the Baltimore area. It's been like monsoon season there. Now, if only it will delay the game too much. It's in the top of the fifth, which means they would have to reschedule it. Come on rain!!

8:20 Seventh inning ends. Two well pitched games by both starters. Richmond goes seven strong, with three runs, six hits, and seven strikeouts. Garza goes seven innings, with seven hits, one run, two walks, and three strikeouts.

Both pitched well enough to win. Garza continues his dominance over the Jays, probably bumping up his 0.47 ERA against the Jays.

8:25 Pena’s bunts are scaring Carlson, the new Jays pitcher away. Two straight balls. Pena should learn to perfect that bunt down the third baseline. But I'll take the double down the first base line. Runners on second and third, with no outs.

Gaston’s decision to bring in the lefty backfires.

8:30 I wonder who Joe Maddon will select from his bullpen by committee. Balfour has been warming up, and I don’t think he will use a lefty because the Jays hit so well against lefties—even though Howell is an anomaly and pitches better against righties.

8:31 Another anomaly takes place. Pat Burrell gets intentionally walked to get to Gabe Gross. The second worst offseason move (Milton Bradley is the worst) still has some respect, I guess.

Evan Longoria pinch hits behind him for Gross. Oh, Joe Maddon you never fail to make me laugh—going for the throat here.

8:39 WOW! Am I shocked. Garza enters the eighth inning, even though he has thrown over 100 pitches.  He walks the first batter on five pitches. Time to go to the bullpen.

8:40 Keys to success. The Jays have only gotten the leadoff man on twice tonight. I wonder what team gets the leadoff man on the most.

8:46 Mariners tie the Yankees in the fifth. I’m surprised the Mariners have scored three runs, but its great news for the Rays.

8:50 WOO! Randy Choate gets a big strikeout of Adam Lind with two on and one out.

9:10 Any Many Miney Howell. JP Howell will be saving this game in the Rays bullpen by commission. 

9:17 RAYS WIN! Howell gets the save and is looking ever more comfortable in the closer roll.

Garza continues his excellent streak, with two runs in his last 15 innings. The Rays now have their longest winning streak of the year at seven. Also, the Rays are winning close games where they don’t score much, which brings back memories of last year.

Tomorrow, they go for the sweep against another tough pitcher Ricky Romero.