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Rays sweep Jays behind Price
Left-hander gives up just one run on three hits through 6 2/3
By Zach Schonbrun / MLB.com
09/20/09 7:07 PM ET
ST. PETERSBURG -- As Vernon Wells fouled off pitch after pitch, the warning signs for another bullpen blowup blinked brighter and brighter.This was the sort of predecessor to another blown save that the Rays had been growing accustomed to seeing over the past 20 games. And a week ago, perhaps, with Tampa Bay in the throes of an 11-game losing streak, Wells' liner with the tying run on second base in the eighth inning may have settled into left field for a hit and another devastating setback.
Instead, after a 10-pitch at-bat, Wells' rope landed in third baseman Evan Longoria's glove -- a moment of breathlessness, then gratification for the beleaguered Rays' 'pen.
Dan Wheeler teamed with four other relievers to preserve a 3-1 win for the Rays over the Jays, completing a three-game sweep at Tropicana Field in front of 20,937 on Sunday. Tampa Bay finishes the season 14-4 against Toronto, its second-most victories ever over one opponent in a single year.
The Rays also beat Jays ace Roy Halladay for the fourth time this season, the most games the former American League Cy Young Award winner has ever lost to one team in a year.
And for the second time in 2009, Halladay's loss came at the hands of Rays rookie David Price, who shut down the Blue Jays through 6 2/3 innings.
"I didn't think he had his overpowering fastball," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "I thought he was pitching, and I liked it."
In the ongoing progression of the 23-year-old Price this year, few performances have been as complete or effective -- even though he admitted afterward that he didn't have his best stuff. It was his resolve and ability to withstand ineffectiveness with his fastball that impressed Maddon most.
Maddon thought Price had his best breaking ball of the year, a pleasant and coincidental surprise considering he spoke at length before the game about how he was looking for Price to improve command of his other pitches before the season ends. For the first time this year, Price didn't feel the need to blow by hitters with his heater to be effective.
"I did what I had to do," Price said. "I felt good on the mound, I didn't feel great. I finally threw my curveball for strikes, I threw it for swings and misses, and I threw it when I needed to. That's big for my confidence."
For the second consecutive game, the Rays tacked on runs in the first inning, when Carl Crawford hit a two-run homer -- his 14th of the year -- off Halladay. He's hitting .345 in his career against the Blue Jays right-hander.
"They were swinging early today," Halladay said. "I'd say the first three or four innings, they were swinging right away. I think later in the game, that changes a little bit, but they're aggressive."
But, true to form, Halladay settled down and kept the game tight. He allowed 10 hits but no more runs to score. The Rays had an opportunity with the bases loaded in the sixth but couldn't squeeze another run home.
Price was just as effective, though. He allowed a solo home run to Edwin Encarnacion in the fourth but gave up only two other hits and two walks, forcing nine ground balls and allowing only two baserunners to reach second base.
"It was like he was not working hard to get his outs, which was kind of nice," Maddon said. "When you see that the guy's got total awareness of what he's doing, and he was very calm and he was pitching. It was really neat to watch, I enjoyed it."
Toronto's best scoring chance came in the eighth, after Aaron Hill walked and then stole second base with two outs. Facing Wheeler, the cleanup hitter, Wells, saw nine pitches before lining the 10th right to Longoria -- the sort of fortuitous placement that Tampa Bay just hadn't been receiving as of late.
"If you think positive, somehow it seems to find a guy," said Rays reliever J.P. Howell, who got the final out for his 17th save.
Tampa Bay tacked on an extra run in the bottom of the eighth with a home run by Willy Aybar.
For Price, it's his sixth win in his past nine starts, lowering his ERA to 3.10 since July 31. He has worked six-plus innings in 10 of his past 13 outings. Moreover, he seems to have developed consistency in his secondary pitch.
"Before, I was really hit or miss," Price said. "Not even hit or miss -- more miss than hits. Just almost an automatic ball whenever I'd throw it. I just didn't really have a feel for it. Today, I had good feel and I was comfortable with it, so I threw it."
In what Maddon called a "quantum leap" performance for his young left-hander, the manager gushed about what he saw from Price on Sunday. As he watches the top prospect rounding into form as a pitcher, it's hard not to.
"It was kind of nice to see him take advantage of this opportunity to work on different things," Maddon said. "It's almost like an instructional league in a sense. You're not going to just go out there and pound fastballs. He needs to learn how to do this a little more consistently."
Zach Schonbrun is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
