A Rough Start 
The game began with a shaky start for our Tampa Bay Rays. In the top of the 1st inning, the Padres quickly managed to get on the scoreboard with hits from Jurickson Profar, Jake Cronenworth, and Manny Machado. Machado’s hit drove in Profar and Cronenworth. A sacrifice fly by Xander Bogaerts allowed Cronenworth to score, and another single by Jackson Merrill brought Machado home. Sadly, by the end of the first inning, we were down 3-0.Finding Some Momentum 
The top of the 2nd inning saw the Padres extend their lead significantly, scoring another four runs. Campusano singled to left, and Profar walked, followed by a huge homer from Machado driving in three runs. By the middle of the 2nd, the score was 7-0. At last, we found some much-needed momentum in the bottom of the 2nd inning. A single from Christopher Morel and Jonny DeLuca set the stage. Taylor Walls then singled to center, scoring both Morel and DeLuca. Yandy Díaz hit a stunning 400ft homer to bring Walls home, narrowing the lead to 4-7. 
️Tough Middle Innings 
The Padres struck back in the 3rd and 4th innings, adding another three runs, extending their lead to 10-4. Despite our best efforts, we couldn’t respond effectively. Jackson Merrill and David Peralta caused more trouble for our pitchers. It wasn’t until the 6th inning that we had another scoring opportunity, but we couldn't convert it into more runs.Final Inning Fight 
In the 8th inning, we managed to add one more run to our score. Taylor Walls singled, and Alex Jackson walked. An error allowed Walls to advance and eventually score thanks to Jonathan Aranda's ground out. However, the Padres were relentless. In the top of the 9th inning, Xander Bogaerts homered, and shortly after, Solano's single drove in two more runs. The final score was a tough 13-5 loss for our Rays.While it was a tough game, it's these moments that make us appreciate the victories even more. Heads high, Rays fans!
Scoreboard for Padres @ Rays (August 30th, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 0 |
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 1 |