The Tampa Bay Rays are in risk of dropping out of first place for the first time in weeks after losing their sixth straight game. The Rays lead over the second place Red Sox is now only a half game. They lost on Friday 5-0 and on Saturday 8-4. Both losses came to the Cleveland Indians. The Rays are now 55-38.
On Friday James Shields started for Tampa and did not pitch one of his better games of the season. Shields lasted six innings but did give up all five runs to the Indians. He walked one ans allowed 10 hits as he got hit around pretty hard. The Rays also had a tough time getting anything going against Cliff Lee of the Indians. The Tampa offense did manage eights hits but they also struck out ten times. Carlos Pena and Ben Zobrist each had two hits. While Longoria and Iwamura each collected a double.
Saturday saw Matt Garza start for the Rays and he got rocked very early in the game. Garza went five innings and gave up seven runs but all of the runs came in the second and third innings. Garza gave up 11 hits and walked two batters. On offense the Rays got all four runs in the 8th inning. Eric Hinske led the Rays with three hits. Cliff Floyd and Dioner Navarro each had two hits and two RBI to help put some runs on the board.
The Rays will wrap up their series with the Indians on Sunday as they will try to avoid the sweep. Scott Kazmir is scheduled to start for the Rays. Game time is 1:05pm.
