Final
Royals-Rays Preview
Apr 29, 2010 - 4:10 AMVideo
Kansas City (8-12) at Tampa Bay (15-5), 7:10 p.m. EDT
A poor April ultimately led to Tampa Bay missing the postseason in 2009, one year after reaching the World Series for the first time.
The Rays are poised not to let that happen again.
After setting a club record for victories in April, the Rays look for a fifth consecutive win Thursday night in the opener of a four-game home series with the Kansas City Royals.
Tampa Bay went 9-14 last April, and couldn't overcome that hole to return to the postseason. Determined to avoid another poor start, the Rays' 16-5 mark this season is the best in the majors.
They set a franchise high for wins in April with their 13th in 15 games, 10-3 over Oakland on Wednesday to sweep the brief two-game set.
"Everything's obviously working well right now," manager Joe Maddon said. "We're capable of playing this way. We just have to keep our minds right, and we'll be fine."
With two days left this month, Tampa Bay has a good chance to pad that record win total with Kansas City (8-13) visiting. The Royals went 1-9 against the Rays in 2009, and are 2-9 at Tropicana Field over the last two seasons.
Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria each homered and drove in two runs Wednesday for the Rays, who lead the majors with 131 runs.
Longoria is 9 for 20 on Tampa Bay's current 4-1 homestand.
Looking to bounce back from his first loss, Matt Garza (3-1, 2.17 ERA) takes the ball for the Rays.
After giving up three runs over 24 innings in his first three starts, Garza allowed five and four walks in five innings of a 6-5 loss to Toronto on Friday.
"(It's) just one of those things where I'm baffled myself," Garza told the Rays' official website of his recent effort. "You just come back and get ready, try to pick up where I was."
The right-hander also hopes to reverse his fortunes against Kansas City. Garza is 0-4 with a 4.21 ERA in six starts versus the Royals, who've lost two in a row after losing 6-5 to Seattle on Wednesday.
Jason Kendall and Mitch Maier each had two hits as Kansas City rallied from a four-run deficit to tie the game before its bullpen allowed a run in the eighth inning.
Royals relievers are 3-7 with a 6.44 ERA this season. They had a 7.57 ERA versus the Rays in 2009.
"The bullpen has had a lot of bad luck," said Brad Thompson, who took the loss Wednesday. "It's going to turn around soon. There are good arms out there."
Kansas City's Scott Podsednik is batting .365, and has hit safely in 14 of 15 games. The 34-year-old outfielder is batting .314 in his last eight contests against Tampa Bay, but is 0 for 5 all-time versus Garza.
The Royals hope Luke Hochevar (2-0, 3.55) can continue his early success when he gets the start in the opener.
The right-hander, who allowed five runs and struck out seven in 6 2-3 innings of a 9-7 loss in 12 innings to Minnesota on Saturday, is 0-1 with a 6.46 ERA in three starts against Tampa Bay.
Pena is 4 for 7 against Hochevar.
- Rays 11, Royals 1 - FINAL
KANSAS CITY ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D DeJesus dh 3 0 1 0 1 0 1 .297
S Podsednik lf 4 0 1 0 0 2 3 .359
B Butler 1b 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 .318
J Guillen rf 4 0 0 0 0 4 2 .303
A Callaspo 2b 4 1 2 1 0 0 0 .302
J Kendall c 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 .289
B Pena c
Apr 29 10:24 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY BEN ZOBRIST SCORED GABE KAPLER
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B ZOBRIST ON FIRST, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 1
TAMPA BAY 11 BOTTOM,7TH
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: E LONGORIA (.333, 2-FOR-4)
Royals 1, Rays 11 Bot 7, 0 OutsApr 29 9:48 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY JOHN JASO SCORED PAT BURRELL
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J JASO ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 1
TAMPA BAY 10 BOTTOM,4TH
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: R BRIGNAC (.308, 2-FOR-2, 3 RBI)
Royals 1, Rays 10 Bot 4, 0 OutsApr 29 8:52 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY ALBERTO CALLASPO (4) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH 0
OUT IN THE 4TH OFF MATT GARZA.
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 1, TAMPA BAY 9
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: J KENDALL (.293, 0-FOR-1)
Royals 1, Rays 9 Top 4, 0 OutsApr 29 8:39 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
FORCE OUT BY JASON BARTLETT SCORED JOHN JASO
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, J BARTLETT ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
TAMPA BAY 9 BOTTOM,3RD
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: C CRAWFORD (.329, 2-FOR-2, RBI)
Royals 0, Rays 9 Bot 3, 0 OutsApr 29 8:27 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY REID BRIGNAC SCORED B.J. UPTON AND CARLOS PENA
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, R BRIGNAC ON FIRST, J JASO ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
TAMPA BAY 8 BOTTOM,3RD
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: J BARTLETT (.287, 1-FOR-2, 2 RBI)
Royals 0, Rays 8 Bot 3, 0 OutsApr 29 8:24 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY CARLOS PENA SCORED EVAN LONGORIA
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, C PENA ON FIRST, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
TAMPA BAY 6 BOTTOM,3RD
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: B UPTON (.273, 0-FOR-1)
Royals 0, Rays 6 Bot 3, 0 OutsApr 29 8:16 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
TRIPLE BY CARL CRAWFORD SCORED JASON BARTLETT
SITUATION: 5 RUNS IN, C CRAWFORD ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
TAMPA BAY 5 BOTTOM,2ND
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: B ZOBRIST (.247, 0-FOR-1)
Royals 0, Rays 5 Bot 2, 0 OutsApr 29 7:58 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
TRIPLE BY JASON BARTLETT SCORED REID BRIGNAC AND JOHN JASO
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, J BARTLETT ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
TAMPA BAY 4 BOTTOM,2ND
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: C CRAWFORD (.321, 1-FOR-1)
Royals 0, Rays 4 Bot 2, 0 OutsApr 29 7:57 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY REID BRIGNAC SCORED PAT BURRELL
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, R BRIGNAC ON FIRST, J JASO ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
TAMPA BAY 2 BOTTOM,2ND
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: J BARTLETT (.279, 0-FOR-1)
Royals 0, Rays 2 Bot 2, 0 OutsApr 29 7:54 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY PAT BURRELL SCORED EVAN LONGORIA
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, P BURRELL ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
TAMPA BAY 1 BOTTOM,2ND
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: J JASO (.450, 1 HR, 9 RBI)
Royals 0, Rays 1 Bot 2, 0 OutsApr 29 7:49 PM
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