Rays news and notes

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
In print: Thursday, May 8, 2008

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Musical note of the day

Loverboy, the '80s rockers responsible for such hits as Working for the Weekend and Turn Me Loose, has been added to the summer concert series, playing after the July 5 game vs. K.C. Also added was Latin Grammy winner Gilberto Santa Rosa (June 14). The Commodores lead off on May 24.
Number
of the day

42 Strikeouts by Carlos Pena, most in the AL

The dish …

Tonight: Rays at Blue Jays

When/where: 7:07; Rogers Centre, Toronto

TV/radio: FSN; 1250-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Probable pitchers: Rays — RHP Edwin Jackson (2-3, 4.98); Jays — RHP Jesse Litsch (4-1, 4.32)

Rays tickets: $9-$210, available at Tropicana Field box office (no service charge), by phone (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 …

Something different: Rays starter Edwin Jackson is 0-3 with a 7.97 ERA in his past four starts after opening the season with two wins, though manager Joe Maddon says he has been throwing the ball well.

Something familiar: Aaron Hill is 5-for-16 against Jackson but Lyle Overbay is 0-for-13, Alex Rios 1-for-11 and Vernon Wells 3-for-12.

Something else familiar: Jays starter Jesse Litsch, the Pinellas Park native and former Rays bat boy, makes his 27th major-league start and fifth against the Rays, having gone 1-2, 3.86. Carl Crawford is 4-for-7 and Eric Hinske 5-for-10 but B.J. Upton 1-for-10.

On deck

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)

Sunday: Angels, 1:40, FSN. Rays — RHP Andy Sonnanstine (5-1, 4.63); Angels — RHP Ervin Santana (6-0, 2.02)

Monday: Yankees, 7:10, Ch. 66. Rays — RHP Matt Garza (1-1, 4.91); Yankees — TBA