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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Posted Sep 7, 2011 by Roger Mooney
Updated Sep 7, 2011 at 12:16 PM
ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG The Rays are still clinging to their playoff hopes, which grew dimmer with Tuesday’s 8-0 loss to the Rangers that dropped the Rays eight games behind the BoSox in the Wild Card race.
David Price gets the start this afternoon during the finale of this three-game series against the visiting Rangers.
In six career starts against the Rangers, Price is 0-3 with a 6.26 ERA. The Rangers are the only American League team Price has yet to beat, and that ERA is his highest against any AL team.
Casey Kotchman, who was supposed to have today off rather than face Texas lefty Derek Holland, talked his way into the lineup, and Joe Maddon put Kotchman in because Maddon wants his best defensive team behind Price.
That’s why Justin Ruggiano gets the start in right and Brandon Guyer is serving as the DH. Maddon said Ruggiano has more experience searching for balls against the backdrop of the Trop’s roof.
Here are the lineups:
RANGERS
Kinsler 2B
Andrus SS
Hamilton LF
Young 1B
Beltre 3B
Napoli C
Murphy RF
Torrealba DH
Gentry CF
—
Holland LHP (13-5, 4.13)
RAYS
Jennings LF
Upton CF
Longoria 3B
Zobrist 2B
Rodriguez SS
Guyer DH
Kotchman 1B
Shoppach C
Ruggiano RF
—
Price (12-12, 3.41)
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