Back to the Rays Report

Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

 @RMooneyTrib
 TBO_Rays
Send us your questions

More Links:

• Schedule/Results
• Player Stats
• Team Stats

Most Recent Entries

• Pasco baseball players Blaine Duncan, Matt Plourde headed to Barry, Daytona State respectively
• Maddon changes stance on Escobar’s home run guesture
• Panini previews Rookies & Stars football
• A peek at Panini’s 2013 Cooperstown Collection
• Wharton athletes sign NLI’s
• Touchdown Club of Atlanta names Hargreaves top defensive back in the country
• Rays @ Jays: Cobb looking for 5th win
• FACA Baseball Classic Rosters announced
• Stargell stands tall in biography
• Profar is second Bowman redemption card
• Rays @ Jays: Victoria Day matinee
• Green seeking funds for trip
• Area Athletes Shine at Golden South Classic
• Rays @ O’s: Moore looking to go 8-0, Rays looking for sweep
• Collect call: 2013 Bowman baseball

More

• Bucs Report -Tribune staff
• Rays Report - Roger Mooney
• Bolts Report - Erik Erlendsson
• Bulls Report
• Prep Report - Hillsborough
• Prep Report - Pasco
• Prep Report - Region
• Prep Report - Recruiting Updates
• Prep Report - Football
• Go Fishing: On The Waterfront
• The Sports Bookie - Bob D'Angelo
• Gators Report - Tribune staff
• Youth Sports Report
• NFL Draft Report
• Go Ask: Frank's Tacklebox
• Bucified Bert Blog
• BUK Power - Bucs Fan Blog
• Pigskin Preacher - NFL Fan Blog
• Breakfast Bonus - Tom McEwen
• Highlands Sports

Monthly Archives

• May 2013
• April 2013
• March 2013
• February 2013
• January 2013
• December 2012

Rays 8, Blue Jays 5: Odds and ends from a win

Posted May 23, 2012 by Roger Mooney

Updated May 23, 2012 at 12:26 AM

ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG The Rays beat the Blue Jays 8-5 on Tuesday in a game that didn’t have to be that close.

The Rays led 6-0 after four innings, but rookie Matt Moore struggled in the fifth, walking the bases loaded before allowing a two-run single to Jose Bautista, and a pair of errors on one play led to two more runs.

“We let them up,” manager Joe Maddon said. “That’s why that game was close.”

The Rays snapped a two-game losing streak and can, with a win this afternoon, finish this homestand with a .500 record.

Here are some tidbits from the win …

—Carlos Peña and Luke Scott homered in the same game for only the second time this season. The first was in a 5-0 win against the Angels on April 24.

Peña became the third power-hitter following Evan Longoria and Matt Joyce to homer in their first career start as a leadoff hitter. Longoria and Joyce did it last season.

Peña was hitless in his previous five games and was 0-for-19 before driving one off the roof of the restaurant in center field. The three-run homer was his third hit in 30 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

—B.J. Upton homered on consecutive games for the first time since last July. He is 10-for-23 in his last six games after going 8-for-50 in his first 14 games of the month.

—Wade Davis picked up his first career win as a reliever.

—Fernando Rodney is now perfect in his 14 save opportunities this season. He’s two saves away from tying the team record for the most consecutive saves to begin a season. He is also one of three closers to not blow a save this season, joining Baltimore’s Jim Johnson (16-for-16) and Philadelphia’s Jonathon Papelbon (13-for-13).

Nine of Rodney’s 14 saves have been perfect. He has allowed only one earned run in 20 2/3 innings this season.

—The Rays failed to draw a walk for only the second time this season.

—The 14 hits were the most for the Rays at the Trop this season. The eight runs matched their season-high at home.

—The seven extra-base hits were a season-high.

—Drew Sutton, making his Rays debut, had two hits, including an RBI double.