Tampa Bay Rays news and notes

The dish

Rays at Tigers

When/where: 7:10 tonight; Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Tickets: $10-210, available at Tropicana Field box office, Ticketmaster, raysbaseball.com

Probable pitchers

Rays: RHP James Shields (8-9, 4.90)

Tigers: RHP Justin Verlander (12-5, 3.76)

Watch for

Shields up: Shields has pitched at times better than his record shows, but he has lost eight of his past 11 starts and hasn't won at home since April 28. He is 3-0, 3.93 vs. Detroit.

V is for Verlander: The Tigers ace has a tremendous fastball and likes to show it early and often, and he averages nearly a strikeout an inning. In six starts vs. the Rays, he is 4-0, 3.55.

Key matchups

Tigers vs. Shields

Miguel Cabrera6-for-16 HR

Johnny Damon6-for-21 2 HR

Ramon Santiago4-for-9

Rays vs. Verlander

Jason Bartlett0-for-10

Carl Crawford6-for-16

B.J. Upton5-for-10 HR

On deck

Wednesday: vs. Tigers, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeff Niemann (8-2, 2.95); Tigers — Eddie Bonine (4-0, 2.80)

Thursday: vs. Tigers, 12:10, Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (13-5, 2.90); Tigers — Rick Porcello (4-8, 5.55)

Friday: vs. Yankees, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Wade Davis (8-9, 4.32); Yankees — Phil Hughes (12-3, 4.04)

Saturday: vs. Yankees, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Matt Garza (11-5, 4.06); Yankees — Javier Vazquez (9-7, 4.54)

Quote of the day

"We try to operate in as stealthy of a manner as possible. … Our favorite approach is the sneak attack."

Executive VP Andrew Friedman, on their preferred method of trade operation.

Chart of the day

Previous no-hit bids by the Rays:

72/3Dewon Brazelton, 6-25-04 vs. Marlins

72/3Tony Saunders, 4-22-99 vs. Orioles

6Matt Garza, 4-30-09 vs. Boston

6Rob Bell, 9-22-03 at Blue Jays

6Jim Parque, 5-9-03 vs. Tigers

6Ryan Rupe, 5-23-99 vs Angels

Chart of the day

Previous no-hit bids by the Rays:

72/3Dewon Brazelton, 6-25-04 vs. Marlins

72/3Tony Saunders, 4-22-99 vs. Orioles

6Matt Garza, 4-30-09 vs. Boston

6Rob Bell, 9-22-03 at Blue Jays

6Jim Parque, 5-9-03 vs. Tigers

6Ryan Rupe, 5-23-99 vs Angels