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Rays
Rays news and notes
By
Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
In print: Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Flashback of the day
Ex-Rays OF Elijah Dukes, right, on a rehab assignment (hamstring strain) with Washington's Triple-A team, was ejected from Saturday's game after arguing a called third strike.
Number of the day
35 Doubles by the Rays, fewest in the majors.
Up next:
Blue Jays
Tonight-Thursday
What's new: Since being swept by the Rays at Disney, the Jays have made quite a pitch, posting a dazzling major-league-best 1.02 ERA since April 26 and getting dominant starts. And 3B Scott Rolen is off the DL.
Key stat: The Rays have won 11 of the past 17 games against Toronto and have been .500 or better in three of the past four seasons.
Connections: Rays DH/RF Eric Hinske and LHP Trever Miller are former Jays. Jesse Litsch, Toronto's starter Thursday, is a Pinellas Park native and former Rays batboy, and reliever Shawn Camp is an ex-Ray.
Series history: Rays lead 3-0 this season; Jays lead 92-78 overall, 53-33 in Toronto.
The dish …
Tonight: Rays at Blue Jays
When/where: 7:07; Rogers Centre, Toronto
TV/radio: Ch. 66; 1250-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)
Probable pitchers: Rays — RHP Andy Sonnanstine (4-1, 4.42); Jays — RHP A.J. Burnett (3-2, 4.82)
Rays tickets: $9-$210, available at Tropicana Field box office (no service charge), by phone (1-888-326-7297), all Ticketmaster outlets and on raysbaseball.com; $2 surcharge for purchases within five hours of that day's game.
Rays info: 1-888-326-7297 (FAN-RAYS)
Watch for …
Sonny day: Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine is on a roll, 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA in his past three starts. He is 1-1, 5.40 in four games against the Jays, handling Alex Rios (3-for-12) and Vernon Wells (1-for-9) relatively well, though Matt Stairs is 3-for-9 with one home run.
Tough A.J.: Jays starter A.J. Burnett has been tough on the Rays, piling up a 6-2 record with a 2.95 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 972/3 innings. The Rays have just a .185 average against them, though Carl Crawford is hitting .407 (11-for-27).
Super Carl: Crawford is a .322 career hitter against the Jays, with more homers against them (14) than any other team (next, 9 vs. Baltimore). He has a .299 average at Rogers Centre.
On deck
Wednesday: at Blue Jays, 7:07, Ch. 66. Rays — RHP Matt Garza (1-0, 6.16); Jays — RHP Shaun Marcum
(3-2, 2.70)
Thursday: at Blue Jays, 7:07, FSN. Rays — RHP Edwin Jackson (2-3, 4.98); Jays — RHP Jesse Litsch (4-1, 4.32)
Friday: Angels, 7:10, FSN. Rays — RHP James Shields (3-2, 3.80); Angels — RHP Jon Garland (4-3, 5.08)
Saturday: Angels, 7:10, Ch. 66. Rays — LHP Scott Kazmir (0-1, 6.75); Angels LHP Joe Saunders
(6-0, 2.61)
By the numbers
Home/road: 10-7/6-8
Day/night: 6-3/10-12
Grass/turf: 8-7/8-8
vs. East: 13-10
vs. Central: 2-3
vs. West: 1-2
vs. NL: 0-0
vs. RH/LH starters: 12-9/4-6
1-run games: 2-4
2-run games: 4-2
Extra innings: 1-0
Decided last at-bat: 3-2
Come-from-behind wins: 8
Come-from-ahead losses: 4
When making error: 5-8
When homering: 12-9
When scoring first: 9-3
Scoring 5 or more: 13-4
Marc Topkin,
Times staff writer
[Last modified: May 06, 2008 09:19 AM]
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