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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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Rays about to play biggest game of season

Posted Sep 18, 2011 by Roger Mooney

Updated Sep 18, 2011 at 01:16 PM

ROGER MOONEY
BOSTON Joe Maddon came just short of calling this afternoon’s game against the Red Sox the biggest game of the season, even thought it is.

The Rays, who have won two of the first three games of this four-game series, begin the day three games back of the Wild Card-leading Red Sox.

“It’s a nice little swing game we got going on today,” Maddon said.

A win and the Rays are two back with 10 to play.

A loss and they are four games out.

“At this time of the season we do need to go three out of four right now, there’s no question. To leave being down by two as opposed to being down by four, is dramatic,” Maddon said. “We definitely have a much more legitimate chance to get to the playoffs if we win this game today. I’m not saying that it’s over if it doesn’t happen, I won’t say that, but mentally I think it puts us in a better frame of mind and mentally it could be very difficult for the Red Sox.”

Leaving Boston tonight for New York four games back will really hamper the Rays chances of returning to the playoffs.

“At that point you almost have to be perfect, because you’re going have to almost win out and they’re going to have to lose almost half their games,” Maddon said. “It’s dramatic. It’s pretty dramatic the difference.”