Does this sound familiar? The Rays' starter went deep into the game and kept the score low, but the offense made an above average starter look like Cy Young.
The Rays (70-59) played out that tired scenario once again in their matinee finale against the Detroit Tigers (71-59). Starting for Detroit, right hander Doug Fister (W, 6-13) made the Rays hitters look mostly foolish, taking a perfect game into the 5th inning.
Casey Kotchman broke the no-hitter with a scorched ground ball to third baseman Wilson Betemit, but the Rays could not must any runs -- despite several times pushing runners to second and third base. Jeremy Hellickson (L, 11-9) proved to be the hard-luck loser, going 7.0 strong innings while allowing only 1 run on an Austin Jackson homer, while striking out 7 and walking 1.
Notes from the game:
- The heart of the Rays lineup -- 2, 3, and 4 -- went 0 for 12 with 4 strikeouts. That combo of Johnny Damon, Evan Longoria, and Ben Zobrist have been carrying the Rays offensively these last two weeks, so it is only natural the Rays can't score when those guys can't get on base.
- Sam Fuld, Desmond Jennings, and Casey Kotchman all had two hits on the day -- and both Fuld and Jennings had doubles. Outside of them, though, the rest of the team was 1 for 22 (a Matt Joyce single in the 9th being the only other hit).
- The Rays built a decent threat against Jose Valverde in the 9th, getting runners on 1st and 3rd with only one out, but Sam Fuld lined the ball hard and right towards Ryan Raburn in right field. Matt Joyce was running on the play, so Raburn flipped the ball to first for a deflating end to the series.