Tampabay.com
JULY 01, 2008

Rays-Red Sox, day 2

Update, 6:17 p.m. There's nothing official, but it sure sounds as if closer Troy Percival is headed to the disabled list due to his left hamstring problem. "It may be, probably, I just don't want to jump the gun, but if I had to guess, that may be what's going to occur,'' manager Joe Maddon said before the game.

Percival was to examined Tuesday night, and the Rays could make a move after the game or sometime before Wednesday's game. RHP Scott Dohmann would seem a likely candidate to be called up, though he would first have to be re-added to the 40-man roster. But with RHP Al Reyes looking like he will be ready to come off the DL early next week, the Rays could opt for a short-term fix and stick with a rostered pitcher, such as Jeff Niemann or Mitch Talbot, and use them in long relief, with Jason Hammel getting an increased role.

Otherwise, Rays manager Joe Maddon said he was glad to have a full complement of bench players again, as 2B Akinori Iwamura concluded his suspension and returned to the top spot of the lineup.

When the talk turned to All-Stars - with the teams to be named on Sunday - Maddon restated his support for three Rays, LHP J.P. Howell, C Dioner Navarro and LHP Scott Kazmir; and added a fourth, RHP Dan Wheeler.

No word yet from the Rays clubhouse on the status of RHP Troy Percival, but the lineups have filtered out, and DH Cliff Floyd is making his first start for the Rays since June 22 and 2B Akinori Iwamura is officially off his suspension. And with knuckleballer Tim Wakefield on the mound, the Sox have Tampa product and ex-Ray Kevin Cash behind the plate.

The lineups:

RAYS
Iwamura, 2b
Crawford, lf
Upton, cf
Pena, 1b
Longoria, 3b
Floyd, DH
Navarro, c
Hinske, rf
Bartlett, ss
Garza, p

SOX
Ellsbury, cf
Pedroia, 2b
Drew, rf
Ramirez, dh
Lowell, 3b
Youkilis, 1b
Moss, lf
Cora, ss
Cash, c
Wakefield, p

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