The Rays scored two runs in Friday’s Game 1 and one run in Saturday’s Game 2. So, naturally, they’re going with the same lineup for this afternoon’s Game 3 against the Astros:
1. Yandy Díaz (R) 3B
2. Austin Meadows (L) LF
3. Tommy Pham (R) DH
4. Ji-Man Choi (L) 1B
5. Avisaíl García (R) RF
6. Brandon Lowe (L) 2B
7. Travis d’Arnaud (R) C
8. Kevin Kiermaier (L) CF
9. Willy Adames (R) SS
Not that anyone should criticize Kevin Cash for that, of course. This is his best lineup available. It just so happened that it was facing Justin freakin’ Verlander and Gerrit freakin’ Cole on Friday and Saturday and, really, whaddaya gonna do? The only real option is to run ‘em out there again and hope they do better against Zack freakin’ Greinke. Good luck with that, fellas. Have fun stormin’ the castle. Charlie Morton will be on the mound to attempt to save the Rays’ season.
The Astros, meanwhile, are going with his group of fellas:
1. George Springer (R) CF
2. José Altuve (R) 2B
3. Michael Brantley (L) LF
4. Alex Bregman (R) 3B
5. Yordan Álvarez (L) DH
6. Yuli Gurriel (R) 1B
7. Carlos Correa (R) SS
8. Robinson Chirinos (R) C
9. Josh Reddick (L) RF
Kyle Tucker and Martin Maldonado got the start against lefty Blake Snell on Saturday, but Chirinos and Reddick are back against the righty Charlie Morton, as they were in against righty Tyler Glasnow on Friday.
