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Rays: Guessing Hellickson's last book; walkoff losses; on Sunday Night Baseball

 
Tampa Bay Times
Published Aug. 11, 2013

Rays at Dodgers

When/where: 8:05 tonight; Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles

TV/radio: ESPN; 620-AM (680-AM Spanish)

Probable pitchers

Rays: RH Jeremy Hellickson (10-5, 4.77)

DODGERS: LH Clayton Kershaw (10-7, 1.91)

On Hellickson: Didn't last 5 innings in either of his past two starts, both vs. Arizona. Has highest ERA of any AL pitcher with 8-plus wins. Is 0-2, 8.57 in 4 interleague starts. Never faced Dodgers.

On Kershaw: One of NL's best has been on a roll, 5-2, 1.62 over his past eight starts. Has allowed only a .188 average. First start vs. Rays; is 5-3, 2.79 in 16 career interleague games.

Key matchups

Rays VS. KERSHAW

Yunel Escobar 2-for-5

Kelly Johnson 3-for-15, HR

Ryan Roberts 2-for-14

DODGERS VS. HELLICKSON

Carl Crawford 3-for-11

Adrian Gonzalez

3-for-17, 2 HRs

Skip Schumaker 0-for-2

On deck

Monday: Off

Tuesday: vs. Mariners, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays – RH Chris Archer (6-4, 2.71); Mariners — RH Erasmo Ramirez (3-0, 7.13)

Wednesday: vs. Mariners, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — LH David Price (6-5, 3.17); Mariners — LH Aaron Harang (5-10, 5.79)

Thursday: vs. Mariners, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — TBA; Mariners — LH Joe Saunders (10-11, 4.69)

Rays disabled list

• OF Desmond Jennings, broken finger, 15-day, eligible Aug. 19

• RHP Alex Cobb, concussion, 60-day, eligible Aug. 15

• LHP Matt Moore, elbow soreness, 15-day, eligible Aug. 13

• RHP Jesse Crain, shoulder strain, 15-day, eligible July 14

• RHP Brandon Gomes, right lat strain, 60-day, eligible May 22

• RHP Juan Carlos Oviedo, elbow surgery, 60-day, out until September

Book club

Rookie Chris Archer's passion for books raised the question of what other Rays have read. Guesses for Jeremy Hellickson's last book were amusing, Matt Moore suggesting Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham, Joe Maddon offering that it had to do with John Deere tractors. Actually, Hellickson said, it was a classic, The Iliad. It also was during his freshman year in high school. "It was pretty good, actually, I would have thought it would have got me into reading some others," Hellickson said. "But it's not happening."

Historical context

Friday was the 113th walkoff loss in Rays history, but only the third by error: P Albie Lopez in 2000 at K.C., 3B Aubrey Huff in 2006 at Oakland, and P Fernando Rodney at L.A. … It was the first game with two rookies batting cleanup and playing centerfield (Wil Myers, Yasiel Puig) since 1946, when the Pirates had Ralph Kiner and the Cubs Marv Rickert.

Stat of the day

2-5

Rays record on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.