Tampa Bay Rays DH Luke Scott expected to miss minimal time with hamstring tightness

ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays don't expect DH Luke Scott to be out long after leaving Sunday's game with tightness in his left hamstring.

"I don't think it's awful by any means," manager Joe Maddon said.

Scott said he suffered a similar injury in each of the past two seasons — both coming in an early series at Tropicana Field — and it put him out 3-4 games.

"If I had to guess, that's what it'd be," Scott said.

Scott, a former Oriole who signed a one-year, $6 million deal in the offseason, had looked and felt good at the plate, including going 3-for-4 Saturday with three RBIs. But he said he first felt the tightness Sunday while rounding first after leading off the second inning with a pop out.

"It just turned into a guitar string," Scott said. "Just tight, tight, tight."

Scott said he hopes that with today's off day, the leg will loosen up, and he's already encouraged that he had a good range of motion Sunday. He said the good news is that his right shoulder, surgically repaired in July, is getting stronger with better resistance and more power. "I've just got to get the legs used to everything," he said.

ANOTHER LOOK: 1B Carlos Peña thought he had his second homer of the game in Sunday's fifth inning, but umpires stopped his home run trot and sent him back to second after ruling fan interference.

"I still have my doubts, to be honest," Peña said.

On the play, a fan reached out by the rightfield fence and caught the ball. Yankees RF Raul Ibanez, who was at the warning track, said he couldn't have caught it and the ball would probably have gone off the top of the fence.

Peña wondered why umpires didn't use instant replay, like they did in a similar situation Saturday when 3B Evan Longoria's apparent homer was caught by a fan and resulted in a double. Maddon, who came out to argue, said crew chief Joe West was "adamant" it didn't need a review.

"I'm not going to make a huge deal about it, but at the same time, I wish they would have gone to the cameras," Peña said.

GOOD IMPRESSION: RHP Fernando Rodney couldn't have asked for a better start with the Rays, picking up a win and two saves in his first three outings. He has saves on consecutive days for the first time since Aug. 30 and Sept. 1, 2010, with the Angels.

"It's a good sign," Rodney said, smiling.

Rodney, who signed a one-year, $2 million deal this offseason, was expected to have a key late-inning role in the bullpen. And with closer Kyle Farnsworth (elbow) on the disabled list, it was Rodney who recorded the last out in each Rays victory. But Maddon isn't ready to call Rodney their official closer: "It just happened to be his moment based on matchups."

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MEDICAL MATTERS: CF B.J. Upton (back soreness) will begin a rehab assignment today with Class A Charlotte, which will be playing in St. Lucie (Mets). Maddon has said the assignment is expected to last around 10 days, with Upton potentially returning for an April 20-22 series.

MINOR MATTERS: Triple-A C Chris Gimenez was placed on the seven-day disabled list with a groin strain. C Craig Albernaz was called up from Double-A Montgomery to take his place.