News
Rays plan on giving Yanks a fight
Tampa Bay (72-64) at New York (87-50), DH 1:05 p.m. ET
By Zach Schonbrun / MLB.com
09/06/09 9:42 PM ET
ST. PETERSBURG -- No, a day-night doubleheader against the first-place Yankees is not what Tampa Bay is looking forward to right now. Not the way it finished up its recent homestand. Not the way it has lost games of late. After being swept by Detroit over the weekend -- on a heartbreaking, go-ahead grand slam in the ninth inning by Brandon Inge on Sunday -- the Rays would probably prefer a day or two to recover from perhaps their most disappointing stretch of the season. Instead, they'll play two. Nonetheless the Rays limp into a Labor Day twin bill in New York hoping to make at least one sort of statement to the division-leading Yankees: Tampa Bay's not going to hand over the crown easily. Though New York has an 8 1/2-game lead over Boston in the American League East (and 14 1/2 ahead of the third-place Rays), Tampa Bay's 2008 AL East banner still hangs from the left-field rafters. And the Rays know this September series may be the last legitimate chance to throw a parting shot to their division rivals. The Rays head into the series facing steep odds in the AL Wild Card chase on the heels of a 1-5 homestand -- which included dropping two of three to Boston, the team they're chasing. It's sucked a lot of the juice out of the defending AL champs, who were squarely in the hunt until losing eight of their past 11. Tampa Bay has been particularly scorched by its struggling bullpen, which is 2-8 with a league-high eight blown saves since Aug. 7. In the past six games, the Rays' relief corps has allowed 14 earned runs (7.85 ERA). "It's difficult because when you lose games late like that, that's the more difficult one to take," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "When you have leads and when you can't hold leads late, that's the part of the game that's most difficult to endure." Matt Garza, Tampa Bay's starter for Game 1, said he's not about to fold for a series at Yankee Stadium, though. "I want to go out there and make a statement," Garza said. "Yeah, we're 13 back, but we're still here to fight." Maddon made the decision to throw Garza in the afternoon to match up with New York's ace CC Sabathia, another indication the Rays aren't taking this series lightly. Andy Sonnanstine will pitch Game 2 for Tampa Bay. "It was just that Sabathia was in the first game," Maddon said. "No more complicated than that. Had he been in the second game, Garza would be pitching the second game."Garza threw five innings and allowed four hits and one run in a no-decision at New York on June 7. He's 1-3 with a 3.80 ERA in his career against the Yankees.
Though confidence is at a minimum right now within the ranks of the Rays relievers, they still maintain the issues are not fatigue or stuff-related. There is still faith the group can turn the tide. J.P. Howell, Tampa Bay's unofficial closer for much of the season, has epitomized the bullpen's dropoff recently. He had a 1.81 ERA through July and had converted 13 consecutive saves until mid-August. Since Aug. 22, though, he's 1-2 with three blown saves and a 10.80 ERA. "It's very disappointing," Howell said. "We've got each other to fall back on and that's about it right now. We spoke about it earlier. We're good for rebounding. We can rebound really well, and this gives us another opportunity to show that." The chance to rebound comes fast and furious on Monday. The Rays play four in three games vs. the Yankees and then head to Boston for a three-game series with the Red Sox. Other than the bullpen issues, Tampa Bay seems to be firing on all cylinders, which is a positive. The starting pitching during the six-game homestand was solid, combining for a 4.62 ERA. And the offense batted .246 while averaging 4.5 runs per game. Furthermore, Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena both seem to be surging at the same time, after slumping through July and much of August. Longoria is hitting .421 during a current nine-game hitting streak; Pena is hitting .338 with 23 RBIs since Aug. 19. Longoria's solo home run in the second inning on Sunday gave him 100 RBIs on the season. He and Pena became the first Rays teammates in team history to reach the century mark in the same season, and the first in baseball to do so this season. But those numbers don't shield the fact Tampa Bay has struggled to close out games as of late. And though the games it will play the rest of September likely won't be meaningful for the playoff race, there is some sentimental value in coming into Yankee Stadium and playing well. The Rays have maintained the attitude that they can easily forget tough losses and move on. They'll have another test of that notion this week. Garza will look to get the ball rolling again with a big performance on Monday. If he can't get it done, it could be another long week for the Rays. "If we can't win the division, we sure don't want to make it easy for [the Yankees]," Garza said. Pitching matchupTB: RHP Matt Garza (7-9, 4.01 ERA)
Garza battled through 6 2/3 innings on Wednesday, tossing a season-high 120 pitches against the Red Sox. He was given a 5-1 lead and left the game ahead 5-4, but the Rays bullpen eventually blew the save and Garza's winless streak was extended to a season-long seven games. Garza was squeezed on a few close strike calls and the Red Sox grinded out some long at-bats early. He hasn't won at home since June 24 against Philadelphia. He pitched well in his one start at Yankee Stadium this season, on June 7, allowing one run in five innings. Garza's 1-3 with a 3.80 ERA in his career against the Yankees. NYY: LHP CC Sabathia (16-7, 3.48 ERA)
Sabathia gets the ball for the first game of the Yankees' day-night doubleheader against the Rays. The left-handed ace became the American League's first 16-game winner on Wednesday at Baltimore, pitching seven innings of one-run, seven-hit ball while walking one and striking out nine. Sabathia has not lost since a July 28 start at Tampa Bay, a span of seven starts. He is 7-0 with a 2.45 ERA since that outing. Pitching matchup - Game 2
NYY: RHP A.J. Burnett (10-8, 4.29)
Burnett had a turbulent outing on Tuesday at Camden Yards, but was bailed out by the Bombers' bats, charged with six runs on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings, including home runs to Felix Pie and Luke Scott. Burnett walked two and struck out two in remaining winless since July 27 at Tampa Bay, a span of seven starts. In that most recent effort against the Rays, Burnett limited them to one unearned run on two hits over seven innings, walking two and striking out five. TB: RHP Andy Sonnanstine (6-8, 6.62 ERA)
In his first start since being recalled from Triple-A Durham, Sonnanstine was let down by some defensive miscues and struggled to keep Boston off the basepaths. He allowed eight hits and five runs (three earned) with four walks in four-plus innings, while throwing 91 pitches. Rays manager Joe Maddon said he was encouraged by Sonnanstine's pitching, however, enough for him to earn another start. Sonnanstine said he felt he did a better job at switching up arm angles and altering his timing than earlier this season -- two aspects of his game that he considers his strengths. Despite the loss, he could at least take those two positives into his next start. Tuesday was his first loss at home this season. Tidbits
B.J. Upton should be ready to start on Monday, most likely in the second game of the doubleheader, Maddon said Sunday. Upton did not play this weekend after spraining his left ankle in the fifth inning on Thursday. Maddon said he is doing well and was available to pinch-hit in an emergency on Sunday if needed. ... Reid Brignac will start at shortstop one of the games on Monday, giving Jason Bartlett a rest. Maddon said only three or four players will start both games of the doubleheader. ... Wade Davis seemed to earn himself a spot in the rotation for the rest of the season after his performance on Sunday, though Maddon said he will wait to make the final decision. Maddon said Sonnanstine is not necessarily pitching for his job on Monday. "It's not an evaluation process," Maddon said. "It's not a do-or-die situation at all. Just go out and pitch, we'll see what happens next." ... Sunday marked the first time Tampa Bay was ever swept at Tropicana Field by the Tigers. The Rays' 1-5 homestand was the worst homestand of two or more teams under Maddon. ... Davis became the third pitcher since 1962 to strike out the first four batters faced in his ML debut. Texas's Neftali Feliz did it on Aug. 3 this year. Prior to Feliz, the last pitcher to do it was Los Angeles's Pete Richert on April 12, 1962, vs. Cincinnati. Tickets
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Tuesday: Rays (David Price, 7-7, 4.75) at Yankees (Chad Gaudin, 5-10, 4.98), 7:05 p.m. ET
Wednesday: Rays (Jeff Niemann, 12-5, 3.67) at Yankees (Joba Chamberlain, 8-5, 4.41), 7:05 p.m. ET
Zach Schonbrun is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
