Earlier this year we asked Why Has There Been No Interest in Kelly Johnson? We are almost certain that Tampa Bay Rays general manager Andrew Friedman didn’t need any help from us when he signed Johnson to a one-year deal, but he has to be happy with the results.
Johnson became the first player in Tampa Bay history to hit two three-run homers in the same game, and as it turns out Tampa Bay needed them for a 10-6 victory over the Miami Marlins.
Johnson has been white-hot this month with 24 RBI in 21 games, including six RBI against the Marlins today. “I feel good and I feel confident,” Johnson said. “You’re always searching for something that’s going to let you feel confident and you try to just roll with it. It could be daily, weekly. That’s the way baseball is. I’m not going to sit here and try to figure it out.”
Jake Odorizzi, making his second start for the Rays, Was staked to a 6-0 lead but gave up eight hits and six runs of his own and couldn’t get through the fifth inning. “It’s very frustrating not to be able to get through the fifth inning when the team gets you six runs,” he said.
Jake McGee, ho has had his share of struggles this season got the win after pitching two scoreless innings of relief. Jose Fernandez took the loss for Miami pitching 3 1/3 innings, allowing five hits, three walks in four runs while striking out six.
