The Tampa Bay Rays are feeling good after their first win in a week, but they know it won’t mean much if they follow it up with a loss.
The Rays look to build on their latest victory and continue their playoff push when they wrap up a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field on Sunday.
After averaging 3.2 runs during a five-game losing streak, Tampa Bay (62-54) defeated the Blue Jays 8-3 on Saturday, its first victory since last Saturday’s 10-4 win at Seattle.
Evan Longoria and Carl Crawford each drove in two runs for the Rays, who finished 7 for 13 (.538) with runners in scoring position after going 8 for 34 (.235) in such situations during their skid.
“I’m just happy that the losing streak is over,” said Crawford, who is 6 for 8 with four doubles in the first two games of this series. “Everybody came and did their job. Usually when we’re all clicking like this we’re a pretty tough team to beat.”
With Saturday’s victory, Tampa Bay pulled within four games of wild card-leading Boston. To make their second straight trip to the playoffs, the Rays need to put together a significant winning streak.
“It’s always big to end a losing streak, especially at this part of the season,” said Scott Kazmir, Saturday’s winning pitcher. “If we can string a couple more games together like this, I think that we can feel a lot more confident.”
Matt Garza (7-8, 3.80 ERA) takes the ball for the Rays in the finale trying to bounce back from a rough outing against one of his favourite opponents.
Garza gave up six runs, six hits and four walks in 3 1-3 innings of an 8-7 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, but didn’t receive a decision. The right-hander had allowed three runs or fewer in each of his previous five starts.
A game against Toronto (55-60) could be enough to help him get back on track.
Garza has posted a 1.69 ERA in winning both starts against the Blue Jays this season, and is 5-2 with a 0.83 ERA in seven outings against them since the start of last year. He has won both starts versus Toronto at home, throwing 7 2-3 shutout innings in each.
Garza isn’t the only Tampa Bay pitcher that has had success against the Blue Jays at home.
The Rays, who are 27-9 at Tropicana Field since May 21, are 11-3 at home against Toronto since the start of last season.
The Blue Jays, meanwhile, have lost 14 of 21 on the road.
Toronto has been on a bit of a power surge, homering in a season-high nine straight games, but only one of the team’s six hits Saturday went for extra bases – Aaron Hill’s team-best 28th home run.
Rookie Marc Rzepczynski (1-3, 4.38) takes the hill in the finale for the Jays looking to bounce back from a couple of subpar outings.
Since giving up one run in six innings against Boston on July 18 for his first major league victory, Rzepczynski is 0-2 with a 6.16 ERA in his last four starts. The left-hander allowed four runs and seven hits – including three home runs – in 3 1-3 innings of a 5-4 win over the New York Yankees on Monday.
While Rzepczynski has been mired in a bit of a funk, he had a solid major league debut against the Rays on July 9, permitting one run, two hits and four walks with seven strikeouts in six innings of a 3-1, 11-inning loss.
