Bullpen Report: April 19th, 2018

All 13 Tampa Bay Rays fans in attendance last night almost got a little too much excitement with their “closer” once again. Romo and Colome were both warming in the bullpen, up by three runs, as the Rangers threatened with two on, two out in the bottom of the eighth.

The assumption was that if the Rays would have scored a run we would have seen Romo but they did not and Alex Colome came out for the ninth inning. Colome was able to get his fourth save of the year but not before giving the hometown fans panic throughout the process. Colome walked Beltre and Gallo to start the ninth inning. At this point, Sergio Romo started getting loose again. Colome then struck out Robinson Chirinos before allowing a one-run single off the bat of Drew Robinson. With Rays Manager Kevin Cash likely toe-tapping on the top step of the dugout, Colome was able to get a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

Nate Jones entered the game in the eighth inning with two out and his team in a one-run deficit. He entered immediately following the three-run home run by Jed Lowrie. After quickly retiring Khris Davis to end the eighth, Jones struggled a bit with his control to begin the inning. Jones walked the leadoff hitter and then allowed him to advance on a wild pitch. After getting ahead to Mark Canha, he quickly loses him soon after by walking him on the next four pitches to put two on one out both via the free pass. To be honest, Stephen Piscotty gifted him an at-bat. Piscotty slammed his bat after making the second out of the inning. He knew he gave that one away. Two on, two out and Lucroy drew a walk to load the bases. Finally, Jones is able to escape catastrophe by way of the slick-fielding second base Phenom. Moncada made an incredible grab to rob Chad Pinder of a base hit up the middle. The appearance for Jones was pretty awful except the whole “not allowing a run” part. Jones somehow succeeded by doing his best drunken sailor impression, throwing 27 darts in the outing and only getting 13 of them to connect to the board.

Hunter Strickland only needed seven pitches to squabble the Giants chance at the W. Back to back doubles off the bats of Paul Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock, plated a run and sending the game into extra innings. The humidor might have saved Strickland from being on the wrong side of a walk-off home run from Pollock.

Now in a tie two-two game, Brad Boxberger entered the game in a non-save situation as he hadn’t ‘t pitched in the previous five days and the Diamondbacks wanted to keep things close. Boxberger entered the game on a 14-game scoreless streak but that would end in this game. A bloop and a blast put the Giants ahead in this one, four to two. Andrew McCutchen singled and then Brandon Belt was able to strengthen his role as Chase Field villain with a two-run shot good enough to stand up for the win. This coming only a night after Belt broke up Patrick Corbin’s no-hit bid in the eighth inning with what can only be described as an “excuse me” swing. Boxberger’s role as the Diamondbacks closer is as secure as they come. He has pitched well so far this season and Torey Luvullo seems content with leaving Archie Bradley in a flex late inning type role.

Quick Hits

A.J. Ramos pitched the eighth inning with his team trailing two runs and ended up with the victory last night. The Mets were able to rally for nine runs in the eighth. 9 RUNS… Wow!

Just one night after Josh Hader threw a two-inning save it was Jacob Barnes turn. Barnes pitched an almost flawless two innings to record his second save of the young season. His only blemish was a walk to Scooter Gennett to start the ninth inning.

Blake Treinen pitched three innings of work in the herculean effort last night for the A’s. He pitched the eighth, ninth, and tenth inning, throwing 32 of his 42 pitches for strikes. The one run surrendered by Treinen was a big one, and almost cost the A’s the ballgame. In the end, Treinen was tagged with the blown save but his performance was much better than the result.

Tigers fought their way back into the game against Orioles only to have Shane Greene give up the one-run lead. Greene allowed a solo shot off the bat of Luis Sardinas. As far as blown saves go, this was about as boring as it comes.  The home run was the only baserunner in the inning and Greene struck out two of the four batters he faced. Before this one, Greene had pitched five scoreless innings and only allowed two hits. Nothing to see here.