One and a half innings. It's only been one and a half innings. But already, it's looking like Rays fans might have to put their faith in Alfredo Simon and the Baltimore Orioles, because the situation in St. Petersburg has turned ugly.
Rays Vs. Yankees: Mark Teixeira Grand Slam Blows Things Open
In the top of the second, B.J. Upton robbed Jesus Montero of a hit with a sliding catch on fake turf that had to just eat him up. One could've interpreted that as a positive omen for the Rays, or a negative omen for the Rays, given that Montero had hit a line drive and all.
We may retroactively see it as a negative omen. The next batter - Eduardo Nunez - blasted a double to the gap. Brandon Laird then singled, and Derek Jeter drew a walk to load the bases with only one out.
David Price successfully induced a pop-out from Curtis Granderson, and at that point it looked like the Rays might be able to escape major damage. But against Mark Teixeira, the count ran full, and Price left a fastball in the center of the plate that Teixeira deposited elsewhere. I think this gets the message across:
Price retired Robinson Cano, but the grand slam turned this into a 5-0 Yankees lead. Yes, the Yankees are pitching a bunch of relievers. Yes, the Yankees will presumably end up pulling many of their starters. But five runs is five runs, and oh by the way, the Red Sox are winning. The Rays need to score, and they need to score now.
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