Rays over Dodgers on Remarkable Final Sequence

Posted on by Josh Kapke

https://ktvz.com/sports/2020/10/18/world-series-2020-set-la-dodgers-vs-tampa-bay-rays/

GAME 4 WORLD SERIES RECAP FINAL: RAYS 8 DODGERS 7

https://twitter.com/raysbaseball/status/1320222686287695874?s=21

The Tampa Bay Rays stun the Los Angeles Dodgers to even the series at two games apiece. 

Just a handful of minutes into Sunday morning on the East coast, the Tampa Bay Rays won in improbable fashion. With 2 outs and 2 strikes and two base runners at first and second, Tampa Bay right fielder Brett Phillips swung and connected on what would’ve been a routine single into shallow right field. 

“Arozarena coming around – throw home now he stumbles – and the ball gets away! Tampa Bay wins it!” shouted Joe Buck, FOX’s play by play broadcaster for the World Series.

THE OCTOBER MOMENT

Dodgers center fielder Chris Taylor charges to the ball in an attempt to scoop it, and the ball deflects off the end of his glove toward the Dodgers dugout; Tampa Bay center fielder Kevin Kiermaier has now scored to tie the game.

Taylor now gathers and throws to Max Muncy as Randy Arozarena rounds third. Arozarena slips, trying to beat the throw by Muncy to home. Arozarena briefly retreats to third as Dodgers catcher Will Smith attempts to secure the ball and place the tag on Arozarena. Smith loses the ball and Arozarena dives into home to seal a Rays victory.

https://media.bleacherreport.com/f_auto,w_1440,q_auto,c_fill/br-cms/26/12/3d/c6/42cc/42c1/a395/7e6b3d4996cb/crop_exact_full_image.jpeg

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

  • 1st LAD 3B Turner homered to center: 1-0 LAD
  • 3rd LAD SS Seager homered to right: 2-0 LAD
  • 4th TB DH Arozarena homered to right: 2-1 LAD
  • 5th LAD 1B Muncy singled to right, Seager scored: 3-1 LAD
  • 5th TB starting RF Renfroe Homered to left: 3-2 LAD
  • 6th LAD 2B Hernandez doubled to left, Smith scored: 4-2 LAD
  • 6th TB 2B Lowe homered to left center, Arozarena and Choi scored: 5-4 TB
  • 7th LAD PH-LF Pederson singled to right, Seager and Turner scored: 6-5 LAD
  • 7th TB CF Kiermaier homered to right: 6-6 
  • 8th LAD Seager singled to left center, Taylor scored: 7-6 LAD
  • 9th TB RF Phillips singled to right, Arozarena and Kiermaier score on errors: 8-7 TB

GAME SUMMARY

Game 4 started the same way game 3 started: A two out solo shot by Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner to make it 1-0 in the first inning. The Dodgers scored all of their runs in game 4 with 2 outs on the board. 

LA seemed to be playing keep away from Tampa Bay until second baseman Brandon Lowe hit a three run homer in the sixth inning to put the Rays up 5-4.

The lead was short lived as Dodgers pinch hitter Joc Pederson singled just over Lowe’s glove to reclaim the lead for LA.

This sparked a constant back and forth between the two teams that didn’t end until Dodgers relief pitcher Brusdar Graterol shut out the Rays in the eighth inning shortly after Corey Seager gave the Dodgers a 7-6 lead. Rays relief pitcher John Curtiss returned the favor by shutting out the Dodgers in the ninth inning, setting his squad up for a historic ending.

https://www.mlb.com/news/biggest-win-probability-swings-in-world-series-history

Game 5 is Sunday.

Stats provided by ESPN

Bucs vs Bears May Be a Chess Match Game Preview October 8, 2020

Posted on by Josh Kapke

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have an upcoming game against the Chicago Bears Thursday night at 8:20 p.m. on October 8. The Buccaneers will be without Chris Godwin, O.J. Howard, Justin Watson and Lesean McCoy. 

THE HISTORY AND WHERE WE ARE NOW

The Buccaneers are entering this matchup along with the Bears at 3-1 a piece. The last time Tom Brady faced off against Nick Foles was in Super Bowl LII where Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles got the better of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Both quarterbacks have taken on new challenges with new teams as they find themselves squaring off again. 

One key matchup to watch in Thursday’s game will be Buccaneers rookie right offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs against the Bears all pro edge rusher Khalil Mack. Tom Brady has never lost to the Chicago Bears in his career. At the same time, this is the first time Tom Brady is facing the Bears with a new head coach and a new team.

Both teams boast superior run defenses in the NFL, the Bears can add a potent pass rush to the mix where the Buccaneers have tackling machines in Lavonta David and Devin White.

THE SCORES

The Buccaneers and Bears are 2-2 in their last four meetings against each other, here are the results as follows:

  • September 30, 2018: TB 10 CHI 48
  • September 17, 2017: CHI 7 TB 29
  • November 13, 2016:  CHI 10 TB 36
  • December 27, 2015:  CHI 26 TB 21 

WHAT TO EXPECT

Most of the recent games have been lopsided one way or another. Which leads many to wonder if Thursday’s game will be the same, or perhaps more of a competition. Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano and Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians have history and are friends. When Chuck Pagano had to briefly step away from football due to cancer, Bruce Arians took over as the interim head coach.  He was able to lead the offense with the now former QB Andrew Luck to success. Thursday’s game will signal a chess match between Bruce Arians’ offense against Chuck Pagano’s defense.

For further details on the Bucs or Bears click the sites at https://www.buccaneers.com/

https://www.chicagobears.com/

Citations:

Scores by https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/chicago-bears/teamvsteam?opp=30 

Match-up picture 

https://www.wfla.com/sports/buccaneers/bucs-vs-bears-what-to-know-before-kickoff/amp/

Tom Brady picture

https://www.tampabay.com/sports/bucs/2020/06/16/bucs-unveil-their-first-photos-of-tom-brady-in-uniform/

Aspiring Filmmaker Jake Hightower

Posted on by Josh Kapke

Jake Hightower is currently a student at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida.

Filmmaking and flying are two things that Jake Hightower wishes he could do, but only one is possible.

“If I could possess any superpower, it’s simple, I would want to fly.  That would be the most fun, I don’t see any downside to flying, and I’d be the highest paid player in NBA history,” he explained.

He is starting his flight now, in a sense, beginning his journey to learn about and make films as a senior at Florida State University. While he does not aspire to be a basketball player, he does want to make films that reach people. 

“My happiest moment was directing my first short film when I first got to say ‘action’ and ‘cut’ after wanting to do that pretty much my entire life,’ explained Hightower. 

“A Night Out” is the silent short film he is referring to. It is a horror thriller about a girl who leaves her apartment to go out for a night on the town. She accidentally drops her keys on her way to a bar, and a masked character appears to be after her but in the end it’s because he found her keys.  The film was designed to build tension and suspense.

Hightower has his own YouTube channel where his work is posted.

Jake Hightower’s YouTube Channel

Hightower enjoys Universal Studios especially learning about the behind the scenes aspects of filmmaking.

“I want to go into film, which is a version of being an artist. At this point in my life, I want to be a good friend and a good family member, one who worked hard and cared about others, and leave the world better than I found it.” 

Hightower hopes he can leave his art as something he can be remembered by, but at this point he hasn’t achieved that goal yet. 

“In an ideal world I would like to make films that would reach people and that is the goal – to make people feel something through what I make. I haven’t made that film yet, but I will.” 

Hightower knows what it is like to be on the other side of the camera as well.  In his senior year in high school, he tried something new, and he is glad that he did. He played William Clayton, the main antagonist in a production of “Tarzan” and participated in the district theater competition, something way out of his comfort zone.

“I would say my most proud moment was when I kind of got roped into doing theater. I decided I cared enough about my friends who cared about it, that I would care about it.  I was able to get through the district theater competition and not screw it up for them. I was able to support people that I cared about and I really appreciated that feeling,” Hightower said.

The team finished with a superior rating in the competition.