Question:

Evan Longoria lifts Tampa Bay Rays over Minnesota Twins 12-5 – MLB Update

by  |  earlier

0 LIKES UnLike


Evan Longoria lifts Tampa Bay Rays over Minnesota Twins 12-5 – MLB Update
Evan Longoria had three hits and four RBIs to help Tampa Bay Rays thwart Minnesota Twins’ sweep with a 12-5 victory at Target Field on Wednesday, July 6.
The Rays who had lost the previous two games, by 7-3 and 3-2, turned out to be a different team this time round with unwavering determination to turn the tides, as their toil paid off at the end.
Tampa Bay started the game with Kelly Shoppach’s two-run homer in Francisco Liriano’s second inning. The early lead could not be maintained as Michael Cuddyer hit a two-run homer to level the score for the Twins.
The Rays’ offence maintained the flow of runs as Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist scored a single each in the fourth inning to take the lead to 4-2 as Liriano found it increasingly difficult to bring about some variety in his fastballs.
However, after the Rays’ Ruggiano scored a single to make it 5-2, Jim Thome of the Twins hit a magnificent two-run homer to bring the Rays lead down to 5-4, keeping the game engrossing for the excited crowd.
Cuddyer drove in a single in the seventh inning to level the score, apparently bringing the team back in the game. However, before the Rays could be complacent, their hitters capitalised on the unsuspecting Alex Burnett.
Evan Longoria had a massive hit to take the score to 6-4 while B. J. Upton hit another single followed by Sean Rodriguez’s equally wonderful two-run homer, effectively putting the Rays on the winning track with a 9-5 lead.
It's laughable at this point, some of it," said Longoria. "I've just got to keep going up there and hitting the ball and just hope it falls. There's nothing I can really do to control the outcome of a ball put in play.”
The 4-hit, four runs eighth inning triggered a change in the relievers that brought Phil Dumatrait on the pitching mound. However, Dumatrait was subject to the exhilarating hit of the game.
Longoria hit a breathtaking three-run homer to shatter all hope of the Twins to win the series. “To come through with a hit like that, it kind of opened up the floodgates a little bit," Longoria said. "If it doesn't happen, at least it puts us ahead by one,
to kind of ease the tension a little bit and allow some guys to come up and drive some more runs in."
Longoria’s hit took the lead to 12-5 which was successfully defended by Adam Russell in the bottom of the 9th inning to help the Rays win a deserving victory and to avoid the Twins’ sweep.

 Tags:

   Report
SIMILAR QUESTIONS

Question Stats

Latest activity: earlier.
This question has 0 answers.

BECOME A GUIDE

Share your knowledge and help people by answering questions.