Rays at Twins
Tampa Bay's offense appears ready to join its potent pitching staff as
the Rays continue to be major players in the American League playoff
race. The Rays will try for their fifth straight victory when they send
ace David Price to the mound against the host Minnesota Twins on
Saturday. The Rays, who average 4.1 runs per game - third-worst in the
American League - have scored 26 in their last four games, including
Friday's 12-6 victory in the series opener. The barrage coincides with
the return of three-time All-Star third baseman Evan Longoria, who
re-entered the lineup Tuesday after missing 85 games with a hamstring
injury. He is 5-for-15 with four RBIs in the four contests while serving
as the designated hitter.
The Rays are tied with the Oakland
Athletics, one-half game behind the Detroit Tigers and Baltimore
Orioles in the AL wild card race. They are six games behind the New
York Yankees in the AL East. Tampa Bay has the third-best ERA in
baseball and leads the American League with a 3.40 mark, including an
MLB-best 2.36 since the All-Star break. Price would be considered a
favorite to win his first Cy Young Award if not for the Angels' Jered
Weaver and his 15-1 record. Price, who has won six straight decisions
and hasn't lost in nine starts, will oppose Nick Blackburn, who is
winless (0-3) in his last six outings.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), FS North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH David Price (14-4, 2.49 ERA) vs. Twins RH Nick Blackburn (4-7, 7.42)
Price,
who has 146 strikeouts in 148 innings, has recorded two consecutive
no-decisions. He allowed two hits in eight shutout innings in a 1-0 loss
to Baltimore on Sunday after yielding three runs and striking out 11 in
seven innings in a 4-3 loss loss at Oakland on July 30. Price is 1-2 in
five games (four starts) with a 2.63 ERA against the Twins. Minnesota's
roster is hitting .146 against him, with Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau a
combined 3-for-19 (.158) with six strikeouts.
Blackburn allowed
four runs and nine hits in five innings in Minnesota's 6-4 loss at
Boston on Sunday. His previous start was better, when he allowed two
runs and five hits in eight innings and didn't receive a decision in a
4-3 loss to Chicago on July 31. Blackburn is 2-4 with a 7.20 ERA in six
career starts against Tampa Bay. The Rays' roster is hitting .350
against him, with Evan Longoria (4-for-12, five RBIs) and B.J. Upton
(6-for-13, three RBIs) the most productive.
WALK-OFFS
1. Price will try to become the first Rays pitcher in history to win 15 games in two separate seasons.
2.
Minnesota's Josh Willingham has 84 RBIs, tied for third in the majors
with Detroit's Prince Fielder. The Tigers' Miguel Cabrera and the
Rangers' Josh Hamilton lead with 96.
3. Rays LHP J.P. Howell has
recorded 22 consecutive scoreless innings, tying the franchise record
set by Fernando Rodney. His streak covers 18 outings since June 14. He
hadn't allowed a hit in his last eight innings before yielding two in one frame Friday.