Tough Outing in St. Louis
Hey Rays fans, we've had better nights. Our boys went down 5-2 to the Cardinals, but let's break it down.Early Trouble
We couldn't get anything going in the top of the 1st. Yandy Díaz, Brandon Lowe, and Christopher Morel all couldn't find a way on base.
In the bottom half, the Cards got on the board with an RBI single from Contreras, and a fielding error by Josh Lowe didn't help. Cardinals 1, Rays 0. 
Missed Opportunities
In the 2nd inning, Josh Lowe led off with a double
, and Dylan Carlson followed with a walk. However, Jose Siri, Jose Caballero, and Curtis Mead left them stranded. 
Meanwhile, our pitching kept it close - no runs for St. Louis.Bright Spot in the 3rd
Finally, some action! Alex Jackson got on base, scoring after Brandon Lowe grounded into a fielder's choice. 1-1 tie!
But the Cards responded quickly. A two-run double by Arenado pushed them ahead. Cardinals 3, Rays 1.More Trouble in the 4th
After starting the 4th with promise, Jose Caballero hit into a fielder's choice but was left stranded again. The Cardinals capitalized again with a two-run double from Burleson. Cardinals 5, Rays 1.
6th Inning Hope
A flicker of hope in the 6th. With bases loaded, Jose Caballero’s sacrifice fly brought in Josh Lowe
. Unfortunately, that was all we managed. Cardinals holding steady at 5, Rays 2.Final Attempts
Our bullpen kept us in the game. Props to Bigge and Rasmussen for scoreless 5th, 6th, and 7th innings. In the 8th, Jose Siri got a single but the rally ended there. 
In the 9th, hope flickered again with Rortvedt’s single and Díaz's walk. However, Brandon Lowe and Christopher Morel both struck out to end the game. Final Score: Cardinals 5, Rays 2.
Summary
Not the outcome we wanted, but we'll bounce back. Let's keep cheering for our Rays!
Go Rays!
Scoreboard for Rays @ Cardinals (August 7th, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 2 |