Rays vs. Royals
When/where: 1:10 today; Tropicana Field
TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)
Tickets: $9-210, available at Tropicana Field box office, Ticketmaster, raysbaseball.com, team Tampa store; $3 surcharge within 5 hours of game time.
Probable pitchers
Rays: RH James Shields (11-7, 4.03)
ROYALS: RH Luis Mendoza (7-8, 4.36)
On Shields: He has been on a nice roll, having won three of his past four and lasting at least seven innings in each. He is 6-2 with a 3.45 ERA in nine career starts against the Royals.
On Mendoza: He has won three of his past four starts and allowed two runs in seven innings against the White Sox last week. He has never faced Tampa Bay.
Key matchups
Rays VS. MENDOZA
Luke Scott 1-for-2
Matt Joyce 1-for-1
Jose Molina 0-for-1
royals vs. shields
Billy Butler 7-for-18
Alex Gordon 3-for-19
Mike Moustakas 2-for-3
On deck
Thursday: vs. A's, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Alex Cobb (7-8, 4.74); A's — Bartolo Colon (10-9, 3.43)
Friday: vs. A's, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Matt Moore (10-7, 3.57); A's — Jarrod Parker (8-7, 3.48)
Saturday: vs. A's, 1:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (8-8, 3.28); A's — Brandon McCarthy (7-4, 4.62)
Sunday: off
Monday: at Rangers, 8, Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (16-4, 2.28); Rangers — Derek Holland (7-6, 4.98)
Rays disabled list
(with eligible-to-return date)
C Robinson Chirinos, concussion, 60-day, June 5
*OF Brandon Guyer, left shoulder surgery, 60-day, July 13
RHP Jeff Niemann, right leg fracture, 60-day, July 14
* out for season
Joe Smith, Times staff writer
Surprise of the day
Once RHP Joel Peralta saw on the clubhouse TV manager Joe Maddon doing a live MLB Network interview from the field Tuesday afternoon, he rushed out there to smother a whipped-cream pie on Maddon's face. Maddon laughed, toweled off and continued. "It was an ambush," Maddon said. "Thank God it was whipped cream and not shaving cream so it was actually tasty." INF Jeff Keppinger also made a cameo, walking shirtless behind Maddon during a shot. Joked Maddon: "If I'm watching, that would be the highlight."
AL race for wild cards
Team W L Pct. GB
Tampa Bay 68 55 .553—
Baltimore 67 56 .545—
Oakland 66 56 .5411/2
Detroit 65 57 .533 11/2
Los Angeles 63 60 .512 4
* Late game not included
Quote of the day
"I've been chomping at the bit. I'm running out of fingernails to chew on."
DH Luke Scott, on being excited to return after a month-long stay on the disabled list.
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