The Tampa Bay Rays face a 2-0 deficit in the World Series because they haven’t played the smart, crisp, small-ball brand of baseball that helped them win 105 games to this point.
asserted
them → face → point
They’ve made mistakes on the bases, committed errors in the field and struck out more than usual at the plate.
The ball just hasn’t bounced Tampa Bay’s way in a pair of grueling one-run losses to the Milwaukee Brewers.
asserted
ball → make → Brewers
“Yeah, it’s frustrating,” second baseman Richie Palacios said on a video conference Sunday.
asserted
Palacios → ’ → conference
“Those are baseball plays — that’s where luck is involved in it.”
asserted
luck → ’ → it
Palacios broke to cover second base on a hit-and-run in the first inning of Game 2 with runners on first and third and one out.
asserted
Palacios → break → first
William Contreras hit a bouncer that could’ve potentially been an inning-ending double play but it rolled into center field because Palacios was out of position going to the base, which is the right decision in that spot.
uncertain
which → hit → spot
The RBI single helped the Brewers cut a 4-0 deficit in half that inning and they went on to win 5-4.
asserted
they → help → inning
Contreras should’ve been retired earlier in the at-bat on a foul pop but first baseman Jonathan Aranda dropped the ball.
asserted
Aranda → retire → ball
Aranda later allowed David Hamilton’s grounder to slip between his legs for an error that brought home Milwaukee’s third run in the fourth inning.
asserted
that → allow → inning
In the sixth, left fielder Chandler Simpson misplayed a fly ball by Christian Yelich and it caromed off his glove for a single.
asserted
it → misplay → single
That misplay didn’t cost Tampa Bay any runs, however.
asserted
misplay → cost → runs
“We didn’t play our cleanest baseball game by any stretch,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.
asserted
Cash → play → stretch
“We pride ourselves on doing everything we can to support the pitchers and making plays behind them.
asserted
we → pride → them
Situational hitting, a staple of Tampa Bay’s offense that led the majors in bunting, hasn’t been effective.
asserted
that → lead → bunting
Down 5-4 in the ninth, Jonny DeLuca led off with a double.
asserted
DeLuca → lead → double
Victor Mesa Jr. failed to advance him, striking out swinging.
asserted
Jr. → fail → him
DeLuca went to third on a groundout but Yandy Diaz struck out on 3-2 pitch, though it appeared on video replay that he checked his swing.
asserted
he → go → swing
“We’ve lost two ballgames.
asserted
We → lose → ballgames
Not in the position we want to be in
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we → want → position
,” Cash said.
asserted
Cash → say → ?
“We’ve also been in two ballgames where we’re one swing of the bat from tying it or taking the lead.
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we → ’re → lead
“It hasn’t happened.
asserted
It → happen → ?
We’re waiting for that to happen.
asserted
that → wait → ?
Hopefully it happens (Monday).”
asserted
it → happen → ?
The Rays are running into too many outs, too.
asserted
Rays → run → outs
Up 4-3 in the sixth inning in Game 2, Tampa Bay’s Liam Hicks was thrown out trying to score from second base on a single to left field by Mesa.
asserted
Hicks → throw → Mesa
The not-so-fleet Hicks had just touched third when Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio fielded the ball in shallow left but third base coach Brady Williams was waving him home the entire way and he was easily out at the plate.
asserted
he → touch → plate
Cash defended Williams for that one, saying the Rays have been aggressive all season and want to put pressure on defenses to make plays.
asserted
Rays → defend → plays
In the series opener Friday night, Mesa was thrown out trying to steal third base to end the top of the third.
asserted
Mesa → throw → third
The Rays were trailing 2-1 when Mesa broke for third on an 0-2 pitch to Díaz.
asserted
Mesa → trail → Díaz
Mesa apologized for what he called “not the smartest move.”
asserted
he → apologize → what
An inning later, Aranda was caught trying to steal second for the third out as Simpson struck out.
asserted
Simpson → catch → out
Cash took the blame for that one, saying he had confidence Simpson would put the ball in play.
asserted
Simpson → take → play
Simpson only struck out 48 times in the regular season.
asserted
Simpson → strike → season
Overall, the Rays have fanned 19 times in two games.
asserted
Rays → fan → games
They averaged 7.1 strikeouts per game in the regular season.
asserted
They → average → season
Despite the team’s uncharacteristic performance in the first two games, Cash gave the players off Sunday while the Brewers worked out at the Trop.
asserted
Brewers → give → Trop
“I think our guys are good,” he said.
asserted
he → think → ?
“Knowing that we have an off day, let’s appreciate the off day for what it was.
asserted
it → know → day
The Aporia
