MVN - Most Valuable Network

Longoria, Navarro, Aybar Blast Rays Past Angels 13-4

“Shoot, what a homecoming for me.” - Evan Longoria

Courtsey of Yahoo! Sports:

Rays 13, Angels 4

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP)—Evan Longoria had a pair of solo homers and an RBI double, Dioner Navarro drove in four runs with four hits for Tampa Bay.

Edwin Jackson(4-5) allowed four runs and 10 hits in seven innings, striking out two and walking one. The right-hander is scheduled to begin serving a five-game suspension on June 13 for his part in a bench-clearing brawl with the Boston Red Soxon Thursday at Fenway Park.

Longoria, Willy Aybar and Navarro hit consecutive homers in the second inning off Joe Saunders(9-3), helping manager Joe Maddon get his first win in Anaheim as a big league manager after eight losses at the “Big A.”

Inside The Box Score:

• Evan Longoria: 3-4, 2HR(10), 3RBI(32), 2B(12), 4R, 1BB
• Dioner Navarro: 4-5, HR(3), 4RBI(24), 2B(10), 3R
• Willy Aybar: 2-4, HR(2), 2RBI(6), 2R
• Carl Crawford: 2-4, 1RBI(32), 2R, 2SB(19), Crawford’s two steals increased Tampa Bay’s major league-leading total to 72
• Edwin Jackson: 7IP, 10H, 4R, 4ER, 1BB, 2K

Erik’s Take:  Congrats on your first win in LA/Anaheim, Joe.  We’d been saying for awhile that this team had to wake up offensively, and it seems that they have the past couple of games.  I hope they don’t go out tonight and throw up a low score like they did in Texas after a big night. 

This Longoria kid is gonna be pretty good.  He collected his second two Home Run game of the season.  He’s been great, but I’ve been really impressed with Willy Aybar.  Willy has been fantastic since coming off of the DL, and played a good first base last night for someone who had never played it before at the major league level.  I hope they keep him as the utility infielder when Pena comes off the DL. 

Jackson was ok last night, but still allowed 10 hits and only struck out two.  He did only walk one, which is very un-Jackson like.  If he can throw up 7IP and 4ER every night out this season, I’ll be very happy. 

I wish Troy Percival was healthy enough to pitch in this series.  I’m sure he’d get a nice standing ovation from the Anaheim fans.

Tommy’s Take: While most of the Rays fans were sleeping, the Rays bats were doing anything but. The offense’s attack included 18 hits and 13 runs, both tied season highs and back to back to back home runs for the first time in the team’s history.

Edwin Jackson pitched like a back end starter, which is just fine. He threw 7 strong innings, and kept the cheap runners he gives up via the walk, off base. He has been getting hit around lately giving up 26 hits in 18 innings, but has only walked six in those 18 innings.

Can’t say enough about the awakening of the offense. Over the past four games the offense has scored 33 runs. The are getting the long ball stroke back and Evan Longoria is leading the charge with three home runs in the past four games, including two bombs last night.

Following Longoria’s lead has been B.J. Upton, Dioner Navarro and Willy Aybar.  Here are the numbers of the Rays murder’s row since Friday:

Longoria: 4 games, 6 H, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 7 runs

Upton: 4 games, 5 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 6 runs

Navarro: 3 games, 8 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 5 runs

Aybar: 3 games, 4 H, 1 Hr, 2 RBI, 3 runs

One final observation, as much as I love Justin Ruggiano and want him on this team, dude throws like a girl. However, he did have two outfield assists last night.

Rays Next Game:  James Shields(4-4, 3.64) will face Jered Weaver(5-6, 4.79).  Shields will make this start then start serving his suspension on Wednesday.  He’s 3-1 with a 2.62ERA in five career starts against the Angels, including a one hit complete game shut out earlier this season.  Though for the season Shields is 1-3 with a 7.06ERA in six road starts this season.

OPS Notebook:

• Improve to 38-26, fifth best record in baseball. 1 game back in the East
• Best record in baseball since April 22nd(30-15)
• Rays hit back-to back-to back home runs for the first time in club history
• Troy Percival is set to throw an simulated inning:  “Three outs and call it good,” said Percival about Tuesday’s session. “You never know what’s going to happen, but my body feels good.”
• Rocco Baldelli went 1-4 with a Sac Fly in an extended Spring Training game, and will play Wednesday in the final Spring game.  The Rays will then decide on his rehab after.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 at 10:04 am and is filed under MVN Rays. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.