By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Rays were feeling better Tuesday afternoon, the worst of the stomach flu that had been ravaging them seeming to have passed. The good feeling continued Tuesday night as they beat the Angels 4-1 to score back-to-back wins for the first time in nearly a month and, just to be careful, celebrated by bumping elbows rather than slapping hands.
"I kind of like it,'' Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "The fist bump is a lot more hygenic than the good old-fashioned hand shake, but if you want to take it to the next level I believe the elbow is next.''
Rookie Alex Cobb earned his first big-league victory (and the ensuing beer shower) by pitching into the seventh as the Rays scored early and added on late, and J.P. Howell savored some redemption by getting the first two of the eight outs recorded by the bullpen.
The Rays hadn't had a winning streak in nearly a month, since taking three straight May 11-13 to move a season-high eight games over .500 at 23-15. They're 9-14 since and didn't win even two in a row until Tuesday, as they improved to 32-29 and got back within 2½ games of first place.
Cobb showed he can do a pretty good job against the Angels when they don't know what's coming.
"It felt a little bit more fair tonight,'' he said.
When the 23-year-old right-hander made his major-league debut against the Angels on May 1 at Tropicana Field, the Rays noticed early on that something was amiss. The Angels seemed to know whether Cobb was throwing a fastball or an off-speed pitch, and either took more aggressive swings or laid off accordingly, chasing him after four runs in 41/3 innings. Video showed that the tipoff was coming from how Cobb held his glove, and he went back to Triple A (as planned) to work on correcting the problem.
The Rays felt he did, with no signs of concern when he was recalled to start against Texas on May 31, but Tuesday was a better test, and he passed it well.
"He was outstanding,'' Maddon said. "That's two good games in a row for him.''
Cobb shut the Angels out into the sixth, escaping a shaky first inning in which he allowed three singles (two which didn't leave the infield), then retiring 14 of the next 15. Howie Kendrick knocked a ball into the rightfield corner for a one-out double in the sixth then scored on a two-out single by Torii Hunter.
He left in the seventh due to a mess that wasn't all his doing, as Mark Trumbo laced a ball to right-center and Upton allowed it to go under his glove, with Trumbo ending up at third. Cobb got Vernon Wells to pop out, then Howell came on and made up for Sunday's implosion, striking out pinch-hitter Maicer Izturis and Hank Conger.
Joel Peralta, who allowed homers Saturday and Sunday in Seattle, redeemed himself as well, with a 1-2-3 eighth inning, and Kyle Farnsworth finished for his 12th save in 13 opportunities.
Cobb had good command of his fastball early, but needed a couple innings to realize he was forcing his curveball and changeup rather than just throwing it. He ended up allowing the one run and seven hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
By the end of the night, he was standing in the shower in the visiting clubhouse with his teammates pouring ice cold Budweiser and Coors beer over his head. "We beer-jumped him, and good,'' Howell said.
After getting cleaned up (strawberry shampoo helped with the beer smell), Cobb said it still hadn't hit him that he had a big-league victory.
"It's surreal,'' he said. "I don't think I've even had time to comprehend it after that shower I just had. It really hasn't sunk in yet. It's awesome to know it will bring a lot of joy to my family. ... That makes me really happy.''
Cobb plans to give the game ball to his father, Rick, who will be in Detroit for his next start on Monday.
Howell was down over his eighth-inning failure led to a loss Sunday, but employed a little mind game to boost his confidence when he got his next chance.
"I just wanted to act like I was dominating the whole time and I can trick myself into believing that, and I did,'' he said. "It feels a little better than it did in Seattle. But that's just one, one of many I hope.''
Peralta, who followed Howell Sunday and gave up the game-losing homer, also felt better with his performance.
"The difference today was that I was working ahead in the count,'' he said. "It feels great to be out there and help the team.''
The Rays built an early 3-0 lead, scoring in the first, third and fourth innings.
DH Johnny Damon got them started, driving Dan Haren's fourth pitch deep into the left-center gap for a triple then scoring on Ben Zobrist's groundout.
Upton, one of the Rays unable to play Monday due to the stomach flu going around the clubhouse, made it 2-0 with a two-out homer in the third, his eighth of the season.
Damon delivered the third run with a two-out double in the fourth, scoring John Jaso who singled and moved up on Sean Rodriguez's bunt and Reid Brignac's fly ball.
They added to the lead in the eighth with a two-out rally, as former Angel Casey Kotchman doubled, then Justin Ruggiano and Jaso - who also had a good night behing the plate blocking pitches — followed with singles.
For the most part, the Rays were over the stomach issues, with only third baseman Evan Longoria (and strength and conditioning coach Kevin Barr) sidelined Tuesday.
"It was pretty severe (Monday)," Maddon said. "There were a lot of guys feeling really rugged before that game."
Tuesday night, they were feeling better — and bumping elbows. "I do think the elbow has its place in the game,'' Maddon said. "The "Bow.''
"I guess,'' Howell said, "we need to do that.''
Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@sptimes.com.