The Tampa Bay Rays saw the 2022 Spring season come to a thud Wednesday, as the Philadelphia Phillies scored eight runs in the first two innings at Tropicana Field en route to a 9-2 decision at Tropicana Field.
Luis Patino was in trouble from almost the beginning of the game, as Bryce Harper started the scoring with a solo homer with two outs in the first, and after Nick Castellanos doubled to left, Rhys Hoskins made it 3-0 with a loud home run to center.
Things got no better in the second as Patino left after walking Bryson stott with one out, and reliever Jack Snyder‘s first pitch was crushed to right by Mickey Moniak to make it 5-0. Snuyder then walked Kyle Schwarber, gave up a base hit up the middle to J.T. Realmuto, and Harper hit his second home run in as many innings and his eighth of the spring to extend the deficit to 8-0.
Tampa Bay was without a hit until the fifth, when Randy Arozrena singled to left. Ji-Man Choi then singled pinch-runner Christian Johnson to third, and Taylor Walls‘ fielder’s choice brought in Johnson.
Johan Camargo pushed Philadelphia’s lead back to eight runs with a solo homer in the eighth, and Tampa Bay managed to add one more run in the bottom of the ninth on a RBI single by Ronny Simon.
The Rays begin the 2022 regular season Friday afternoon with the first of three games against the Baltimore Orioles. Left-hander Shane McClanahan (10-6, 3.43 ERA in 2021) will get the start, taking on John Means (6-9, 3.62 ERA in 2021). First pitch is scheduled for 3:10.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
