I punted the recap of the Rays-Royals game this morning in favor of talking about my kids, so let’s make up for it. Short version: the Rays remain en fuego.
Longer version: did someone catch the plate of that truck that ran over Luke Hochevar (2.2 IP, 11 H, 9 ER, 2 BB, 1K)? Back-to-back triples for Jason Bartlett Carl Crawford in the five-run second inning. Crawford added two doubles and a single to fall a dinger short of the cycle. And then there was the Reid Brignac attack (2 for 5, 3 RBI).
But it wasn’t all offense. Matt Garza had great stuff last night, striking out nine Royals in six innings, and the bullpen -- led by an impressive Joaquin Benoit -- shut KC out for the final three frames.
Tampa Bay is 17-5. The season is less than a month old, but the Rays have a 2.5 game lead on the Yankees and the Red Sox are six games back in the rear view mirror.