by Steve Carney

The Tampa Bay Rays open up a three-game series against the San Diego Padres Friday, with Alex Cobb (4-2, 2.79 ERA) taking on Edinson Volquez (3-3, 5.50 ERA).

Rays Starting Lineup

Joyce LF
Roberts 2B
Zobrist RF
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Scott DH
Fuld CF
Lobaton C
Escobar SS

Padres Starting Lineup

Cabrera SS
Venable CF
Headley 3B
Quentin DH
Alonso 1B
Gyorko 2B
Blanks LF
Denorfia RF
Hundley C

JENNINGS SITS WITH SORE GROIN: Manager Joe Maddon said before Friday's game that outfielder Desmond Jennings would not start Friday and could possibly not start Saturday as well, as he is dealing with a sore groin.

"Playing on our turf a lot, you have to be careful with him," Maddon said.  "All of our speed guys have had it in the past.  I always try to be vigilant with them with their legs, especially at home."

Maddon did say he is available to play if needed.

Rays manager Joe Maddon is known for keeping a relaxed and loose clubhouse. In recent years, one of the ways he's done this is by having fun themed outfits on road trips. The themes have ranged from going grunge when they traveled out to Seattle, dressing as cowboys before they faced the Rangers and even going in pajamas on a red eye flight to the west coast.

This time they are looking to go to battle. Reported in the Tampa Bay Times, the team will be wearing camouflage on their road trip to Baltimore.

Former Orioles outfielder and current Ray Luke Scott seems to be excited for this one. Scott famously brought in hunting spears and a boar's head into the clubhouse. "That works for me" Luke told the Times, "Maybe some face paint, too. Too bad I can't bring some of my other props".

The Rays start a six-game division road trip to Baltimore and Toronto starting at Camden Yards next Friday

by Steve Carney

The Tampa Bay Rays placed reliever Brandon Gomes on the 15-day disabled list with a right lat strain, and recalled pitcher Josh Lueke from Durham of the International League.

"It's something that came up quickly," the 28-year-old righthander said, saying he first felt the pain in Colorado.

Gomes has appeared in 14 games this year, and is 0-1 with a 5.40 earned run average.  He has allowed eight runs (seven earned) in 11 2/3 innings pitches, but six of the runs have come in just two outings, as he was responsible for three of the runs on Chris Davis's walkoff grand slam in Baltimore on April 18, and gave up three runs to Kansas City in the seventh inning on April 30.

Lueke was 0-0 with an 18.90 earned run average in 2012 in just three games with Tampa Bay, but had been closing successfully in Durham this year.  He is 2-0 with a 0.95 earned run average and seven saves in Triple-A in 14 appearances.

Lueke was acquired from Seattle before the 2012 season in the deal that sent catcher John Jaso to the northwest.

by Steve Carney

Luke Scott's worked a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the tenth inning off Brad Lincoln to give the Tampa Bay Rays a 5-4 victory in Thursday's finale of their four-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Tampa Bay rally got started with two out, as Evan Longoria doubled off Aaron Loup, and James Loney was intentionally walked.  Right-hander Brad Lincoln walked Ryan Roberts, but was ahead of Luke Scott 0-2 before Scott fouled off a pitch, then took four straight outside the strike zone to force in Longoria and end the game.

The Rays took another early lead, this time scoring twice in the first inning of R.A. Dickey.  Kelly Johnson started the scoring as he doubled and came home two batters later on Longoria's first double of the game.  Loney drew a walk, and Matt Joyce singled to right field, with Longoria just beating the throw from Jose Bautista to make it 2-0.

Toronto drew within a run in the second, as Edwin Encarnacion was hit by a pitch by David Price, went to second base on a groundout by Mark DeRosa, and scored on a single by Brett Lawrie.

The Blue Jays tied the game an inning later, as Rajai Davis reached on a throwing error with one out, advanced a base on a Melky Cabrera groundout and scored on a double by Bautista.  Edwin Encarnacion then blooped a broken bat single just out of the reach of second baseman Ben Zobrist in right field to plate Bautista for Toronto's first lead.

Ben Zobrist knotted the game up again in the bottom of the third, as he tripled off Dickey with one out and scored two batters later on a passed ball.

Toronto regained the lead in the fifth, as Davis singled, stole both second and third, and scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Bautista.

The Rays again drew even in the seventh, when Yunel Escobar led off the inning with a home run to centerfield off reliever Steve Delabar.

Price gutted his way through the first eight innings, and Tampa Bay looked like they were going to break the tie in the bottom of the eighth, as Longoria singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Loney.  Roberts flied out, and Scott singled into right field.  However, Bautista was able to nail Longoria at the plate this time, and the game remained tied.

Kyle Farnsworth improved to 2-0 after pitching a perfect tenth inning.

Tampa Bay welcomes the San Diego Padres to town for a three-game series starting Friday.  The opener will feature Alex Cobb (4-2, 2.79 ERA) taking on Edinson Volquez (3-3, 5.50 ERA).  First pitch is scheduled for 7:10, with coverage starting on 620 WDAE at 6:00 with the Suncoast Hyundai Dealers Inside Pitch.

by Steve Carney

The Tampa Bay Rays will look to salvage a split in their four-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays.  Reigning American League Cy Young winner David Price (1-3, 6.25 ERA) will take on reigning National League Cy Young Winner R.A. Dickey (2-5, 5.36 ERA) at 7:10.

Rays Starting Lineup

Jennings CF
Johnson LF
Zobrist 2B
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Joyce RF
Scott DH
Molina C
Escobar SS

Blue Jays Starting Lineup

Davis LF
Cabrera DH
Bautista RF
Encarnacion 1B
DeRosa 2B
Lawrie 3B
Rasmus CF
Izturis SS
Blanco C

by Steve Carney

Kelly Johnson and Evan Longoria each had three hits including a home run, as the Tampa Bay Rays ended their two game skid with a 10-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays Wednesday at Tropicana Field.

Longoria had an RBI single in the bottom of the first off starter Ricky Romero (0-2) that cut the initial Toronto 2-0 lead in half.  James Loney followed with an RBI single of his own to tie the game, and following an Yunel Escobar flyout for the first out of the inning, Luke Scott singled home Ben Zobrist to give Tampa Bay a lead they would never relinquish.

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons pulls Romero after facing Scott, and Edgar Gonzalez was able to get out of the inning without any more damage.

Gonzalez allowed an RBI single by Zobrist in the second that extended the lead to 4-2, and Longoria's two-run homer in the fourth made it a 6-2 Tampa Bay advantage.

Johnson would end Gonzalez's night in the sixth, as his two-run shot made it an 8-2 game, while an RBI double by Loney later in the inning made the lead seven runs.  Loney would score on a sacrifice fly by Scott two batters later.

Toronto would get two more runs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Edwin Encarnacion and RBI single by Mark DeRosa, both off Jamey Wright, but Cesar Ramos got Maicer Izturis to ground into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

The left-hander would also throw scoreless eighth and ninth innings to finish out the contest.

Tampa Bay will look to salvage a series split Thursday, as reigning American League Cy Young Award winner David Price (1-3, 6.25 ERA) will face off with reigning National League Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey (2-5, 5.36 ERA).  First pitch is scheduled for 7:10, with coverage on 620 WDAE starting at 6:00 with the Suncoast Hyundai Dealer Inside Pitch.

NOTES: Manager Joe Maddon was ejected in the sixth inning by home plate umpire Scott Barry.  Maddon is the first in Rays history to be ejected from two consecutive games, and has now been thrown out of 30 games in his career, extending his franchise lead.  By getting five plate appearances Wednesday, first baseman James Loney now has enough to qualify for the batting title, and now leads the American League with a .385 average.