Rays at Angels
Three perfect games have been pitched against the Tampa Bay Rays in the
past four years and after the first two, the Rays went
on a run. History appears to be repeating itself as Tampa Bay goes for its third
straight victory against the host Los Angeles Angels on Saturday. The
Rays won eight of their next 12 after Mark Buehrle pitched a perfect
game against them July 23, 2009 and took 10 of 13 following Dallas
Braden's perfecto May 9, 2010. The Rays are 2-0 since Seattle's Felix
Hernandez threw a perfect game against them Wednesday. Tampa Bay has won
10 of the last 11 meetings with Los Angeles and 11 of the last 13 in
Anaheim, including a 12-3 victory Friday.
The Rays, who lead the American League wild-card race by a half-game
over Detroit and Baltimore, have won 14 of their last 19 games. The
Angels are slumping and so is their top hitter. Albert Pujols is
6-for-40 in his last 10 games and Los Angeles is 6-11 in August to fall 2
1/2 games behind the Tigers and Orioles for the final AL wild-card
spot. Tampa Bay's Alex Cobb has won three straight games, allowing one
run in each contest, and has recorded four consecutive quality starts -
all seven innings. The first was a 3-1 loss in Anaheim on July 27. The
Angels' C.J. Wilson pitched better in his last start, but hasn't won in
nine starts and is 0-5 during that span.
TV: 9:05 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Alex Cobb (7-8, 4.08 ERA) vs. Angels LH C.J. Wilson (9-9, 3.32)
Cobb has struck out 18 and yielded 13 hits over his last three starts in
victories over Seattle, Toronto and Oakland. Two of the wins came on
the road, where he is 4-3 this season. Cobb allowed three runs and eight
hits against Los Angeles. Cobb was 1-0 in two outings against the
Angels last season and earned his first major league victory against
them June 7. The Angels' roster is hitting .254 against him with Albert
Pujols 3-for-3 and Torii Hunter 4-for-7.
Wilson, whose last victory came June 26 at Baltimore, allowed three runs
(two earned), six hits and struck out five in 6 2/3 innings in a 6-2
loss to Cleveland on Monday. The Angels are 1-7 in Wilson's last eight
outings. Wilson is 4-2 with a 2.35 ERA against Tampa Bay, including a
3-0 loss at Anaheim on July 28. The Rays' roster is hitting .162 against
him, with Evan Longoria, B.J. Upton and Desmond Jennings a combined
6-for-46 with 17 strikeouts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tampa Bay had recorded three consecutive shutouts at Angel Stadium
and had its 34-inning scoreless streak end Friday when Erick Aybar
homered in the third inning.
2. The Rays are 9-2 since Evan Longoria returned after missing 85 games with a hamstring injury.
3. Tampa Bay RHP J.P. Howell pitched a perfect ninth inning Friday to
extend his scoreless streak to 23 2/3 innings, breaking the franchise
record of 23 set by Shields in 2011.