The Tampa Bay Rays, based in St. Petersburg, Fla., participate in Major League Baseball (MLB) and are a member of the American League East Division. The Rays were founded as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1998.
MINNEAPOLIS — Scott Kazmir got nickel-and-dimed in the first inning. The Twins weren't as kind in the fourth frame. Kazmir surrendered four first-inning runs on four softly hit singles, two walks and two wild pitches. He composed himself for two innings before a three-run fourth included a couple of extra-base shots off the right-field baggie. [...]
MINNEAPOLIS — Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett exited Wednesday's game against the Twins with left hamstring tightness. Bartlett grounded out to lead off the top of the fifth inning, and he was replaced in the field in the bottom half of that inning. Ben Zobrist moved from right field to shortstop, while Gabe Gross entered the [...]
MINNEAPOLIS — The Rays lost their sixth straight series on Wednesday by falling, 8-3, to the Twins. The Rays players are well aware of the streak, having talked about breaking it over the last two days following their 7-1 series-opening victory over the Twins on Monday. "We are not pleased with what's going on," Tampa [...]
MINNEAPOLIS — Ben Zobrist didn't exhibit a modicum of patience. Zobrist, summoned to pinch-hit in the ninth inning of Tuesday's game against the Twins with the Rays trailing by one run, was placed into one of baseball's most difficult situations: coming in cold against all-world closer Joe Nathan. Zobrist blasted the first pitch he saw [...]
MINNEAPOLIS — The first version of Tuesday's Rays lineup included Pat Burrell's name. The second did not. Burrell was a late scratch because of neck stiffness. Willy Aybar was inserted into the lineup, batting fifth as the designated hitter, in Burrell's absence. "I would rather use [Burrell] later in the game as opposed to beginning [...]
MINNEAPOLIS — Patrick Schuster's favorite Major League pitcher followed "The Streak." It brought back memories. But back when Scott Kazmir threw four straight no-hitters for Houston's Cypress Falls High School, he wasn't subjected to nearly the media attention that Schuster received. "They didn't get me on SportsCenter," Kazmir joked. "They left me out. They had [...]
MINNEAPOLIS — A team looking for consistency may have found some in its fifth starter. Jeff Niemann pitched 5 2/3 solid innings, Carlos Pena had three RBIs, including his Major League-leading ninth home run, and the Rays beat the Twins, 7-1, on Monday night. "It was a good win overall. It was a very good [...]
MINNEAPOLIS — Ask Jason Bartlett about his sweet-swinging April, and he doesn't talk about anything but basic baseball. "I'm just feeling good," said the Tampa Bay shortstop. "Everybody goes through a stretch where they are feeling good, and mine just happens to be the first month. I'm just going to try to keep it going." [...]
MINNEAPOLIS — Rays reliever Grant Balfour has not let last season's success go to his head. After earning a save in his first outing of the season, he allowed three earned runs on three walks and two hits while getting no outs in an April 12 loss at Baltimore. In the ensuing two weeks, the [...]
OAKLAND — What looked to be a tough nine-game road trip for the Rays is living up to its advanced billing. On Sunday, the Rays lost the rubber game of their three-game series against the A's, taking a 7-1 defeat in front of a crowd of 18,689 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. By losing, the Rays [...]