Jul 5, 2008 - 9:27 AM
0 shoutsKansas City (39-48) at Tampa Bay (53-32), 7:10 pm EDT
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- The baseball world keeps doubting, while the Tampa Bay Rays keep winning.
The American League's worst team in 2007 with a 66-96 record, the Rays will look to win for the 10th time in their last 11 games Saturday when they face the Kansas City Royals.
Tampa Bay's one loss during its recent hot streak came a week ago against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 13-inning thriller.
Andy Sonnanstine (9-3, 4.60 ERA) takes the mound for the Rays, who received eight brilliant innings from starter Edwin Jackson on Friday. Sonnanstine has allowed just three runs in the last 12 innings, which spans over his last two starts.
The Royals counter with Zack Greinke (7-4, 3.65), who is coming off a no-decision against the Baltimore Orioles in which he surrendered five runs in five innings.
Kansas City has lost two straight series against the St. Louis Cardinals and Orioles, respectively. Meanwhile, the Rays haven't dropped a series since June 11, where they fell to the Angels twice in a three-game series.
On Friday, Rays first baseman Carlos Pena hit his first home run since returning from the disabled list with a broken left index finger, which kept him out of action for most of June. He returned from a 19-game layoff last weekend at Pittsburgh, but failed to get back on track quickly.
Pena hit .282 with 46 homers and 121 RBIs last season, but his average has not been above .250 this season, and Friday was only his eighth multi-hit game this year.
Lately, the Royals have gotten great production from outfielder David DeJesus, who is batting .321 and has gotten a hit in nine of the last 10 games.
From the Bleachers
-
KANSAS CITY: 0
TAMPA BAY: 3
Final
Jul 5 9:52 PM -
AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY BEN ZOBRIST (3) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN THE
7TH OFF HORACIO RAMIREZ.
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0, TAMPA BAY 3
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: A IWAMURA (.275, 1-FOR-3, 2 RBI)
Jul 5 9:06 PM -
AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY AKINORI IWAMURA SCORED CLIFF FLOYD AND DIONER
NAVARRO.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, A IWAMURA ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
TAMPA BAY 2 BOTTOM, 2ND
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: C CRAWFORD (.284, 1-FOR-1)
Jul 5 7:46 PM
