Tampa, FL – Taj Bradley kicked off the finale to the Rays’ Opening Weekend, as they slid into a 6-4 win over the Rockies. The Denver-based team got off to a rocky start and their defense was a big sore spot after a number of errors and misplays occurred in the 6th inning.
Bradley performed consistently, particularly in the latter part of his appearance, where he maintained his velocity by throwing a 98.6 MPH four-seam fastball in the top of the 6th inning. Bradley’s fastball showed a slight increase in spin over last year (up 50 RPM), while his cutter, used about a quarter of the time, decreased by 30 RPM.
The 24-year-old pitcher did not allow any runs for the first four innings. In the top of the fifth inning, a Michael Toglia double and a Nick Martini RBI single to right field resulted in the first run allowed by Bradley. Bradley then had some traffic on the bases in the 6th inning following a hit-by-pitch, a single, and an RBI single, marking his second run allowed in today’s game.
1B Yandy Díaz got things going early for the Rays with a lead-off double, followed by a 409-ft home run to right-center field by Brandon Lowe, scoring 2 runs.
Several singles and errors led to the Rays scoring 3 runs in the 6th inning. Jonathan Aranda was hit by a pitch, Taylor Walls hit a ground ball single, Junior Caminero came in as a pinch hitter, scoring Aranda on a groundball RBI single that was bobbled by Rockies SS Ezequiel Tovar.
José Caballero followed up with an RBI single on a misplayed bunt; Rockies catcher Jacob Stallings bobbled the play, allowing Walls and Caminero to score. Ben Rortvedt then reached on a fielder’s choice, allowing Caballero to score.
Colorado’s Nick Martini had three hits in four at-bats today: an RBI single in the 5th inning, a single in the 7th, and another single in the 9th. He also grounded out in the 2nd inning.
