Rays 14, Braves 5
The Tampa Bay Rays scored 10 unanswered runs, highlighted by an eight-run fourth inning, to take game one over the Atlanta Braves. The Rays and Braves both entered the game with a record of 2-1. The Braves used up a lot of firepower the night before in their 14 run outburst against the Mets.
The long ball was out early and often in this one as the Rays sent five balls into the empty stands at Tropicana Field. Rays catcher Mike Zunino tied the game up at one with his first home run of the season. Hunter Renfroe, after a rough weekend, gave himself a batting average with a single in the second. He then homered in his next two at-bats. Joey Wendle and Jose Martinez joined in on the party as well, both hitting solo shots.
Glasnow More Than Ready
Tyler Glasnow was going to take it inning by inning to see how long he could go. After missing a good portion of the summer camp due to a positive COVID-19 test, no one knew what his strength and stamina would be. Those answers came quickly as he struck out the side in the first. He would go on to rack up six more strikeouts in the next three innings to total nine for his four innings of work. His only blemish came when his 3-2 offering to Dansby Swanson was hit out to straightaway center field.
New Acquisitions Break Out
Martinez and Renfroe were a combined 1-15 through the first weekend. On Monday, the two right-handed sluggers went 5-9 with three home runs and seven RBI. Renfroe collected three hits in his first three at-bats including two long home runs to left-center. Martinez followed his two-run single in the sixth with a massive blast to left in the eighth. A night like this can be a big confidence builder for the two new faces.
Record-Breaking Night
Any night you score 14 runs, it’s a night most won’t forget. When you pair that with the pitching staff striking out 19 batters, the record books show up. Those two totals haven’t happened together in a nine-inning game since 1901. Those 19 strikeouts are also a club record for the Rays. Glasnow’s nine strikeouts got the night started, while three different relievers added 10 more to the total.
Braves Designate Foltynewicz
Mike Foltynewicz was cruising through his first eight batters. He gave up a solo shot to the nine hitter in the lineup and the wheels came undone in the fourth. His finishing line of six earned runs, four walks, and three home runs was enough for the Braves to say no more. After the game was over, the Braves designated Foltynewicz for assignment. It will be interesting to see which team grabs the 2018 All Star as several rotations have taken early hits to injury and illness.
Up Next
The Rays host the Braves for the last time in Tampa on Tuesday starting at 6:40 Eastern. The two teams will then head to Atlanta for a two-game series on Wednesday.
The Rays will send Yonny Chirinos to the mound in Tuesday’s matchup. Chirinos, just like Glasnow, missed some time in Summer Camp due to COVID-19. He was strong in his last tune-up outing and will let the game dictate how long he will go in his first start.
The Braves will counter with the 24-year-old Kyle Wright. Wright was a fifth overall draft pick out of Vanderbilt in 2017 and is looking to keep a stronghold on a starting spot in the Braves rotation. This will be only his fifth career big league start.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
