Somebody better buy Jered Weaver a drink tonight. He had what you’d call an unlucky game, and I don’t mean unlucky like someone who didn’t win the lottery. I mean unlucky like someone slipping in dog shit and spilling coffee all over himself. I’ve never seen a pitcher rush a catcher, but I think it was a definite possibility tonight. I think I even heard him mutter “You ain’t no Budde of mine.”
The whole thing started off on a bad note for Weaver. He gets Barty to hit a ground ball and his third baseman makes a wide throw. Then Barty steals second. At which point CC lays down a sweet drag bunt and there is no way Weaver is beating him to the bag. Zobrist pounces and hits a double to right, Barty the error scores. Weaver is a little pissed at this point, so he strikes out Longo. However he walks Pena to load the bases. He gets BJ looking and his catcher starts to run off the field. Weaver quickly says “Yo Budde two outs not three.” Weaver then breathes a sigh of relief when Pat Burrell steps up. He thinks to himself “easy out.” This is when his catcher Budde doesn’t catch a pitch and another run scores. Rays fans like this Budde, Weaver not so much.
The fun doesn’t end there. In the fifth inning Barty walks on a pitch that if it was caught might have been a strike. You guessed it, Weaver was thrilled. Then Carl Crawford hits a ground ball to short, except the shortstop Aybar was covering second so it gets through. Weaver grits his teeth and keeps working. Then his catcher Budde lets another ball get by and another run scores. At this point Weaver is wondering if he is on candid camera. To his credit he pitched seven innings with only one earned run. Budde should get the loss.
As for the Rays it was great to actually see them again. David Price did great. I didn’t love it when he walked the eight and nine hitters but he handled it. The bullpen was good tonight. Anyone else find Soriano comforting. He’s calm.
How many strikeouts are too many? The Rays had 14 tonight. That’s a lot of guys just sitting back down.
I was glad to see BJ get a single, because he has looked pretty awful at the plate lately. Good thing he is pretty awesome in center field.
Pat Burrell did not help his cause tonight. Think anyone’s ever tried to shorten his big huge loping swing?
6 wins on this nine game road trip. That’ll do. Just kidding, great job boys now come on home! Go Rays!