Rays at Phillies
Cliff Lee again searches for his first victory of the season when the Philadelphia Phillies open a three-game series against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. Lee is winless in 11 starts after notching 17 victories last season. Philadelphia is in last place in the National League East, nine games behind the Washington Nationals. The Rays lost consecutive games to the Nationals and are 3 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees in the American League East.
Tampa Bay reliever Joel Peralta was handed an eight-game suspension for the Tuesday incident in which pine tar was found in his glove. Peralta appealed the decision and took the loss in Thursday’s game. The Rays have lost six of their last nine contests. The Phillies lost to the Colorado Rockies 4-1 on Thursday after scoring seven runs in each of the first two games in the series. Philadelphia was in a 3-12 funk before winning two of three from the Rockies to kick off a crucial 10-game homestand that concludes with four games against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH James Shields (7-4, 3.72 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Cliff Lee (0-3, 3.48)
Shields has won just one of his last six starts. He took a no-decision in his last outing when he allowed three runs (all unearned) in 7 2/3 innings against the Miami Marlins. Shields has just 12 strikeouts in his last three starts after fanning 26 over his previous three outings. He beat the Phillies in 2006 in his lone start against them.
Lee gave up five runs and a season-high 12 hits in seven innings while taking a no-decision against the Toronto Blue Jays in his last outing. Opposing hitters are batting .253 against Lee after hitting .229 against him last season. Lee is 6-5 with a 2.87 ERA in 13 career starts against the Rays.
WALK-OFFS:
1. Tampa Bay OF Matt Joyce missed the final two games of the Washington series with back stiffness.
2. Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins is batting .310 in June and homered for Philadelphia’s lone run on Thursday.
3. Rays 1B Carlos Pena has homered three times against Lee but is batting just .229 in career 35 at-bats.