June Sports Update Part 2
by Adam K.
Baseball
The Rays had a tough opposition on paper last night on paper, facing their division rival Toronto Blue Jays and their ace Roy Halladay taking the mound Monday night. What transpired, though, was another seemingly smooth win for the Rays, to make it their 6th straight, only 1 & ½ games behind the Yankees and 5 behind the Red Sox. Crawford scored a 2-run homer in the third off of the 10-game winner Halladay in his first start back from the DL for a mild groin strain. When any other day the Blue Jays might have left him in, their manager Cito Gaston had pulled Halladay early to not strain Halladay in his first start back. That proved to be costly, however, as Pat Burrell hit a solo homer in the seventh and BJ Upton later drove in a run on a sac fly thanks to the Jays bullpen, as Halladay watched from the dugout. Rays rookie Jeff Neimann had one of his stronger starts of the season, going 7 innings, only allowing 4 hits and 1 run.
"I think we'll continue to see him get better as the season goes on." Said Upton after the game, “I think it's definitely coming, but I think we all know it's going to take time.”
Hopefully this is a step in the right direction for both Neimann and the Rays, who are winners of 8 of their last 10, and closing in on the division leading Red Sox. Only time will tell.
"I think we'll continue to see him get better as the season goes on." Said Upton after the game, “I think it's definitely coming, but I think we all know it's going to take time.”
Hopefully this is a step in the right direction for both Neimann and the Rays, who are winners of 8 of their last 10, and closing in on the division leading Red Sox. Only time will tell.