On the celebration weekend dedicated to the greatest Rays player of all time, retiring his number 3 and entering him into the Rays Hall of Fame, the current iteration of the Rays has an All Star 3rd baseman leading the team to first place and another series win under the Trop.
The more things change, the more things stay the same.
With emotions running high pregame with a fantastic ceremony to celebrate the franchise’s first great home grown legend, the Rays were able to put on a show for Longo.
For those that missed the ceremony, please do yourself a favor and check it out and then come back to read the rest of what happened in the game.
The current face the of Rays, batting 3rd playing 3rd, Junior Caminero did not hit a HR (it’s actively worth mentioning when he doesn’t because that’s becoming a rarity) but did have the hardest hit ball of the day, a 115 MPH double. He would also reach base twice more on free passes. For as much as we Rays fans might lament the long and less than storied search for long term answers at SS or Catcher, 3B has been a rock since the Rays selected Longo. It’s quite something to feel pride in knowing that the Rays now have a 3B well worth the legacy of the hot corner that Longo left behind.
The game today was quite the pitcher’s duel. Griffin Jax continued his conversion to starter as most starts: some high wire acts (1st inning escape act after loading the bases), super efficient pitching (ended the game completing 5 innings at just 69 nice pitches), and mostly kept the the Mariners bats frustrated unable to produce that one big inning.
Facing off against Logan Gilbert, you knew that runs would be at a premium. In fact, during a game of such ceremony Gilbert recorded his 1,000 career K. However, the Rays bats made him work for everything he got. Despite a game leading 15 whiffs, Rays hitters were able to only strike out 5 times vs Gilbert. Putting it in play can get results, and Ben Williamson in the 2nd inning (after the Mariners jumped to an early lead in the top of the 2nd) was able to lace a double down the 3rd base line like so many Longo doubles of yore.
Chandler Simpson sped around scoring from first after a less than full speed Randy Arozarena jogged over to the 162 landing to get the ball back in.
After another houdini act from Jax in the 3rd, the Rays were able to take the after back-to-back doubles from Yandy and Aranda.
Cam Booser would get the first call out of the pen starting in the 6th inning to hold that 1 run lead, and got to immediately face the heart of the Mariner order: Cal Raliegh, Josh Naylor, and Luke Raley. Booser would mow them down striking out both Cal and Naylor. Booser would then get the next inning too and would add 3 more Ks (with a little double inbetween, but we won’t worry about that little guy). Rays have needed some answers from this pen and Booser has been a stopper for them in the middle innings.
In the 7th, after recording the first two outs, Aranda was able to knock a double off Gilbert, and after an intentional pass to Caminero, M’s manager Dan Wilson to come get Gilbert out of the game.
Wilson chose to go get lefty specialist Gabe Speir to face Cedric Mullins due up. Kevin Cash countered with a call to the bench for Ryan Vilade to pinch hit. Oh boy did that move work out well for Cash and the Rays.
2 outs, runners at 1st and 2nd, still a 1 run game, Vilade delivered the back breaking 3-run bomb to all but secure the Rays the series win.
Rays will look to complete the sweep and conclude the Longo celebration weekend in spectaular fashion Sunday morning.
