News
Rays at Astros
When/where: 8:05 tonight, Minute Maid Park, Houston
TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)
Starting pitchers
Rays
RH James Shields (7-4, 2.40)
Astros
LH Wandy Rodriguez (5-3, 2.88)
Watch for ...
Complete-game James: Shields has thrown complete games in his past two starts and has a major-league-leading and team-record-tying five complete games overall. He is 8-6 with a 4.49 ERA in interleague play. He has never faced the Astros.
Magic Wandy: Rodriguez also has been on a roll, going 4-0 with a 1.31 ERA over seven consecutive quality starts, and he has a 12-inning scoreless streak since a three-week disabled list stint (elbow). Rodriguez is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in two starts against the Rays.
Key matchups
Rays vs. Rodriguez
Johnny Damon 2-for-3
Evan Longoria 1-for-5
B.J. Upton 0-for-3
Astros vs. Shields
Carlos Lee 1-for-2
Jason Michaels 0-for-5
On deck
Saturday: at Astros, 7:05. Sun Sports. Rays — Wade Davis (6-5, 4.57); Astros — Bud Norris (4-5, 3.26)
Sunday: at Astros, 2:05. Sun Sports. Rays — Jeff Niemann (2-4, 4.82); Astros — J.A. Happ (3-9, 5.33)
Monday: vs. Reds, 7:10. Sun Sports. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (7-6, 3.09); Reds — TBA
Tuesday: vs. Reds, 7:10. Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (8-6, 3.51); Reds — TBA
Marc Topkin, Times staff writer
'Do of the day
OF Matt Joyce said he and 3B Evan Longoria figured they had struggled enough and it was time for something different. So they got their hair cut in Milwaukee, planning "to do something with the 'hawk." The modified mohawk goes from higher and wider in front to lower and pointed in back. It doesn't have a nickname, said Joyce, right. "We'll call it the 'do." A video of the cut is at tampabay.com/blogs/rays.
Quote of the day
"I know there are a lot of baseball purists out there who love the pitchers hitting, but oh my gosh."
Kelly Shoppach, Rays catcher, who clearly isn't among those purists
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