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Rays-Blue Jays Preview

Jun 2, 2010 - 4:48 AM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Tampa Bay (34-18) at Toronto (31-22), 7:07 p.m. EDT

When David Price and Shaun Marcum are on the mound, innings are usually much more subdued than the last one played between the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays.

In what has the potential to be an outstanding pitching matchup, Price looks to become the American League's first eight-game winner as the Rays face Marcum and the Blue Jays on Wednesday night.

Tampa Bay (35-18) tied up this three-game set with four runs in the ninth inning of a 7-6 win Tuesday night.

Sean Rodriguez hit a go-ahead, three-run double in an inning that featured the ejections of Rays manager Joe Maddon and Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gregg.

Rays first baseman Carlos Pena struck out looking after being denied a timeout call by home plate umpire Angel Hernandez, and the dispute led to Maddon's ejection. Gregg was tossed by Hernandez for arguing as he walked off the mound.

"Sometimes weird stuff does spark the good," said Pena, whose team avoided a third straight defeat.

The decisive contest of this series may end up being just as compelling.

Price (7-2, 2.57 ERA) is tied with New York's Andy Pettitte and Boston's Clay Bucholz for the AL lead in wins. The left-hander, though, had a personal four-game winning streak snapped in his last start, surrendering three runs in seven innings of a 4-2 loss to Chicago on Friday night.

Price has a 6.00 ERA over his last two starts.

"It's just fastball command," Price said. "I've got to get back to that. I've kind of lost that the last however many starts, and it's hurt. ... I've got to figure some stuff out."

Price is 3-0 with a 2.92 ERA in four starts against the Blue Jays (31-23).

Marcum (5-1, 2.59) is 1-0 with a 0.83 ERA in three starts versus the Rays.

Marcum has won four straight starts and is 5-0 with a 1.76 ERA in his last seven outings. The right-hander struck out seven in six innings of a 5-0 win over Baltimore on Friday night.

All of Marcum's wins have come after Toronto losses.

"Everybody wants to step up and pitch well and everyone wants to do it that much more after a loss," Marcum said. "Somebody has to get us back on a winning streak and on the right note. But it's not only me, it's the guys that are swinging the bats and playing defense behind us."

He will be trying to help Toronto rebound from its first defeat in five games. Another outstanding performance from left fielder Fred Lewis wasn't enough to help the Blue Jays secure a second straight series win.

Lewis had three hits, including his fourth homer of the season. He has an AL-best 19 doubles in 40 contests since joining the Blue Jays in a trade with San Francisco on April 15.

Tampa Bay, meanwhile, bounced back at the plate after being held to six hits in a 3-2 loss to Toronto on Monday night.

Rays left fielder Carl Crawford had a hit, two runs and a stolen base. Crawford is 5 for 13 (.384) over his last three games after going 4 for 21 (.190) in his previous six contests.