Four Errors and Lack of Offense Cost Rays Game 1
(Ivy Ceballo/Times)
The Tampa Bay Rays are on the verge of their second elimination from the Playoffs via sweep in as many years. In tomorrow’s game the Rays will have to fix a few things. The first is to tighten up on defense, and the second is to have timely hitting. In today’s game four different Rays players committed an error. Luckily, only one of them allowed a run.
It started in the first inning when first baseman Yandy Diaz misplayed a ground ball, then when he recovered, threw it slightly out of reach to starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow trying to cover first. The next error occurred in the second inning when Leody Taveras attempted to steal second base. Rays catcher Rene Pinto threw to second base, but it passed the shortstop Taylor Walls allowing Taveras to advance to third base. In the following inning, Walls would have a throwing error of his own allowing Adolis Garcia to reach first base.
The final error would fall on center fielder Jose Siri. In the sixth inning with Evan Carter on second and Marcus Semien on first, Corey Seager would shoot a line drive to center. On one bounce Siri attempted to scoop the ball in one motion to make a quick exchange and fire the ball in. The ball instead would hit his glove and bounce high in the air. In this time, Carter scored from second. When it finally came down, Siri fired it to third base with the attempt of throwing out Semien, but he overthrew the ball and it ended up in the Rangers dugout allowing Semien to advance and score.
Another play that technically is not scored was the wild pitch from Tyler Glasnow in the fifth inning. The score was still 1-0 and with the bases loaded and one out, Glasnow threw a fastball way over catcher Pinto’s outstretched glove allowing all runners to move up and a run to score. On the other side of the ball, the Rays did not do much better. As a team they garnered 6 hits, 1 walk and 7 strikeouts. They went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left 7 men on base. Randy Arozarena and Taylor Wells were the only two Rays players to have multiple hits.
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In tomorrow’s win or go home game, the Rays will send Zach Eflin to start against the Rangers’ Nathan Eovaldi. Eflin ended the season 16-8 with a 3.50 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. First pitch is scheduled for 3.08 PM ET.
