Rays try to keep pace with Yankees

Posted Sep 3, 2010 by Tribune Sports

Updated Sep 3, 2010 at 08:58 PM

By TONY FABRIZIO

BALTIMORE The Rays take the field for tonght’s series opener with the Orioles knowing they need to win to stay 1 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the AL East.

The Yankees played earlier today and beat the Blue Jays 7-3 for their seventh consecutive victory. Boston’s home game against the White Sox has already been postponed by rain, so if the Rays win tonight, they’ll be seven games up in the wild-card standings.

There wasn’t any major Rays’ pre-game news. Manager Joe Maddon said he started Reid Brignac at shortstop to give Jason Bartlett “a deuce,” or two days in a row off. Matt Joyce gets the start in right field and Dan Johnson at DH.

On the Orioles side, manager Buck Showalter reacted to Rays’ pitcher Matt Garza saying he plans to “shove it down” the Orioles’ throats tonight in retribution for giving up four home runs the last time he faced them.

“There’s a lot of people that feel that way they just don’t say it publicly. So what’s the difference?,” Showalter said.  “Certainly you got a pitcher that was a real break from the norm. Pitchers do have a memory, plus guys that pitch once every fifth day like that. I think it’s something a lot of guys feel. I think the difference is from what you tell me, and what I’ve been exposed to, he just did it publicly.”

Here are the lineups:

RAYS

John Jaso, C
Ben Zobrist, 2B
Carl Crawford, LF
Evan Longoria, 3B
Carlos Pena, 1B
Matt Joyce, RF
Dan Johnson, DH
B.J. Upton, CF
Reid Brignac, SS
—
Matt Garza, (13-7, 3.53 ERA)

ORIOLES

Brian Roberts, 2B
Nick Markakis, RF
Ty Wigginton, 1B
Luke Scott, DH
Felix Pie, LF
Corey Patterson, CF
Matt Wieters, C
Cesar Izturis, SS
Josh Bell, 3B
—
Keith Millwood, RHP (3-14, 5.34)