Rays regain footing in division against Yankees with a 7 – 2 thump (pt 3: Preview to Game 4)
The match ended with the Tampa Bay Rays beating the New York Yankees, 7 – 2 on early Thursday morning. The reality of the situation was further realized by many fans and analysts across the Major League Baseball universe as a startling revelation on what
was to come in the next ten days, materialized in Wednesdays match-up.
The two teams were facing each other for the 3rd time in the 4-games series and much to the displeasure of the fans, thunder showers delayed the encounter. The fixture began with more than 46,000 fans in the stands but a subsequent rain shower
reduced that number to almost half. Regardless of what happened, one thing was confirmed by the end of the event, baseball is not as predictable, as one claims it to be.
While many discounted Tampa Bay as the likely winner of the American League Eastern Division title, by the end of the season, many were greeted to a realization that there was still time to play the game and observe how things progressed. Much of the disbelief
in the Rays originated from their previous two losses to the Yankees. However, due to some good leadership from Evan Longoria and some strong hitting from Carl Crawford, the third fixture went in favour of the Florida side.
One can easily digress here and focus on the match’s high points and low points, but the important matter is, what can one expect from Game number 4? If some don’t already know, a showdown between CC Sabathia and David Price is scheduled for tomorrow’s finale.
The two pitchers have been on mark and their last contest in Tropicana Field, on the 13th of September resulted in a no-decision as both did not allow a single run in their 8 innings of pitching. Reid Brignac grabbed the winner for that game in
the 11th inning for the Rays. With both teams readying for a showdown tomorrow, it is important to note down the strong players contesting in the bout on Thursday.
New York Yankees
Carsten Charles Sabathia: The 30-year old veteran has been phenomenal this season, winning 20 of his 32 games and losing just 6. There is no question that he’s a candidate for the Cy Young award, this season. His inspiring performance
is a sign of great hope for the Yankees in their bid for the 2010 World Series. Thursday’s fixture will pan the big man up against the 2nd ranked American League pitcher, David Price. Sabathia’s Earning Run Average sits on 3.05 and with a record
of 20 wins under his belt; there will be room for more accomplishments to come from the ace man.
Robinson Cano: Cano is the only New York Yankees hitter to make it the top 5 spot on the batter’s list for the 2010 American League. His batting Average sits on .321 and he has crossed 104 Runs Batted In (RBI), this season. Many
fans in the Yankee Stadium will be hoping for the strong man to perform and bring in 2 more homers to hit the ‘30’ mark.
Tampa Bay Rays
David Price: The Rays star man has been wonderful to watch, this season. Joe Maddon’s tactical change shift and strong support has landed the 25-year old in an amazing position. His ERA 2.84 stands as a testament to his patience
and focus on the field. He’s won 17 games in his 29 games this season, losing only 6 times. The left hand ball thrower has done a lot for his team this season and he will be hoping to take the side out on a winning stance on Thursday when he goes up against
a much experienced, Sabathia.
Evan Longoria: The star hitter for Tampa Bay equals the same number of RBIs as Robinson Cano. Even though he’s hit 22 home runs this season, those shots have come at critical moments. Wednesday’s match saw him hit twice, run twice
and lead RBIs, twice. It is a mistake to discount the player for his impact on the team before the last game.
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