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Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

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Game 4: Not an unfamiliar feeling for Rays

Posted Oct 4, 2011 by Roger Mooney

Updated Oct 4, 2011 at 11:24 AM

ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG It is now or never for the Rays, who are trying to stave off elimination this afternoon Game 4 of this best-of-five game series against the Rangers.

“We’ve played this game several times this month,” manager Joe Maddon said. “We’re playing it again, that’s all.”

Yes and no.

The Rays have never faced a win or go home game like they face today. After trying the Red Sox for the Wild Card lead with two games to the play in the regular season, the Rays actually controlled their destiny.

It’s a little different now, although they still control their destiny. Beat the Rangers and move to Game 5. Don’t and clean out the lockers tomorrow.

“It still feels that way,” Maddon said. “We felt we had to win every game for pretty much that last homestand against the Blue Jays and the Yankees. We pretty much felt we had to win every game. I think we’ve been in that situation where we feel like we got to win, there’s no getting around it. I guess my point is we’ve been in these situations. It’s different but it’s going to feel somewhat the same. I think I do going into this game. I know we can do this. I think our players know we can do this. We’ve had two-game winning streaks before. It’s definitely not a reach.”

Game time is 2:07 p.m., and there are tickets still available for the Trop.

Jeremy Hellickson (13-10, 2.95) faces lefty Matt Harrison (14-9, 3.39).

Maddon said he might have a shorter leash with Hellickson today than he would if this was July 4.

“Yeah, you got to handle it differently,” Maddon said. “There is no tomorrow, so you got to jump it a little bit sooner if it’s there.”

Everyone is in the bullpen with the exception of David Price and James Shields. Maddon said he expects Kyle Farnsworth to be available even though he warmed up Monday night but didn’t get in the game.

Here are the lineups:

RANGERS
Kinsler 2B
Andrus SS
Hamilton CF
Young DH
Beltre 3B
Napoli C
Cruz RF
Murphy LF
Moreland 1B
—
Harrison LHP

RAYS
Jennings LF
Upton CF
Longoria 3B
Zobrist 2B
Damon DH
Shoppach C
Rodriguez SS
Kotchman 1B
Joyce RF
—
Hellickson RHP