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MLB: Tampa Bay tries to get up after being flattened

It will be a Memorial Day the Tampa Bay Rays won’t soon forget, for almost all the wrong reasons. The day had begun nice and quiet enough with manager Joe Maddon being given a three-year contract extension and the team itself was feeling pretty good about

2009-05-26

It will be a Memorial Day the Tampa Bay Rays won’t soon forget, for almost all the wrong reasons. The day had begun nice and quiet enough with manager Joe Maddon being given a three-year contract extension and the team itself was feeling pretty good about itself as had they won seven of 10 and starting to resemble the club that won the AL East last season. That all changed quickly though, and now the Rays must attempt to get back up off the mat when they face the Indians again on Tuesday night. Get the latest line on tonight’s contest on the LIVE ODDS page.

Though Tampa Bay had lost 13 games in a row at Cleveland, they were starting their prized possession from the minor leagues, David Price. The Indians had done little right this season in losing 28 of first 45 games and were ready to be had again after the Rays had built a 10-0 lead thru four at bats.

The first sign of trouble for Tampa Bay actually occurred the day prior, as second baseman Akinori Iwamura will miss the rest of the season with a torn ligament in his left knee, trying to turn double play.
Price must have been too fired up or something else, but he lasted just an 3 1/3 innings, throwing 100 pitches, allowing fours hits, two runs, along with six strike-outs and five walks.

The Rays bullpen, which has not been nearly as successful at last season, gave up a couple more runs, still, the bottom of the ninth started with Tampa Bay holding 10-4 lead. Faster then you could say Devil Rays, Cleveland started hitting the ball hard and received more free passes than a group going to a Taylor Hicks show. New closer Jason Isringhausen walked three batters in a row and gave up solid single to Victor Martinez, who drove in runs six and seven to cap the rally and provide winning margin of improbable 11-10 triumph.

Professional athletes are trained to let yesterday go and focus on next game, but it’s not often you blow 10-run leads, including six-run gaps with three outs to go. That left the Rays at 23-24 (-5 units) and they are 10-25 after four or more consecutive Overs. Matt Garza (4-2, 3.41, ERA, 1.154 WHIP) will be the starting pitcher in charge of trying to turnaround Rays’ fortunes. The right-hander has had as much success in Cleveland as his team, with 0-3 record and 6.12 ERA in his previous five starts near Lake Erie.

Sportsbook.com has Tampa Bay as -120 money line favorites and Garza and Tampa is 2-9 as a road favorite of -110 or higher over the last two seasons. In fact, the Rays are 4-13 as visitors when the money line is +125 to -125 in 2009.

Cleveland (18-28, -11.1) hopes its good fortune will continue, since they need a winning streak to match success against Tampa Bay to get over .500. Carl Pavano (4-4, 6.10, 1.500) will be entrusted with trying to keep streak alive and has pitched better of late winning four of last five. Though Pavano allows a lot of hits ( 62 in 48 and 2/3 innings), he’s minimized damage giving up more than two walks once in last eight starts and just three home runs in same time frame. The right-hander has been about what you could hope for as fifth starter.

The Indians have not enjoyed any success after big offensive output, with 0-11 mark after scoring eight or more runs and are 1-10 after 15 or more total runs were scored.

This American League contest will be televised in local markets starting at 7:05 Eastern, with the Tribe seeking 15th consecutive win over Rays, despite 12-24 record against RH starters this year.
StatFox Power Line – Tampa Bay -183

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