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Rays-Royals Preview

Oct 2, 2010 - 4:31 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Tampa Bay (94-65) at Kansas City (66-93), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The Tampa Bay Rays seemed to have a good chance to wrap up the AL East when they began a four-game series against the lowly Kansas City Royals with a half-game lead, but they now enter the final two days of the regular season looking up in the standings.

The playoff-bound Rays will try to avoid a fourth straight loss Saturday when they continue their series against Kansas City.

Tampa Bay (94-66), which dropped Thursday's series opener 3-2, fell one-half game behind New York for the division lead and the league's best record with a 7-0 loss Friday. The Yankees, whose game against Boston was rained out, will play a doubleheader Saturday. If New York sweeps that twinbill and the Rays lose again to the Royals (67-93), Tampa Bay will be locked into the wild-card spot.

The Rays have to be concerned about their recent offensive struggles. They managed two hits Friday and got shut out for the third time in five games. They've dropped five of six, plating four total runs in the losses.

"We have not looked good at the plate," manager Joe Maddon said. "We've been through short stretches like this but we always come out of it OK.

"It's all interrelated, the pitching and the offense and the defense. We're not dire, dour or downtrodden. We'll go out and play a good game (Saturday) and we'll be fine."

Tampa Bay is looking to avoid losing four straight for the first time since a season-high five-game skid Aug. 4-8. Puzzlingly, Kansas City continues to give the Rays fits.

The Royals have the third-worst record in the AL, but they've won four of six against the Rays, holding them to seven runs in the last five meetings. Carl Crawford, who leads Tampa Bay with a .306 batting average, is 2 for 15 in his last five games against Kansas City including an 0-for-4 effort Friday.

The Rays' current struggles at the plate likely won't influence Maddon's decision whether to play Evan Longoria, who has missed the last eight games with a strained left quadriceps.

"My concern is any kind of injury or re-injury will force him into a DH role and we want him to play third base," Maddon said. "We will be good with him in a DH role, but we want him to play third base."

Despite the importance of Saturday's game, Maddon wants to keep ace David Price rested.

Price, the team leader with 19 wins, will be limited to two innings and 30 to 40 pitches out of the bullpen while Andy Sonnanstine (3-1, 4.58 ERA) will make his fourth start of this season. He's expected to go three or four innings with fellow reliever Jeremy Hellickson pitching an additional two or three.

The Royals, seeking their first three-game winning streak since Aug. 15-18, will hand the ball to Kyle Davies (8-11, 5.31).

Davies is winless in his last three starts and only lasted 3 1-3 innings against the Twins on Monday. He allowed seven runs and eight hits, but didn't get a decision as the Royals won 10-8.

The right-hander was much sharper against the Rays on May 1, giving up two runs and three hits while striking out six in six innings of a 4-2, 11-inning victory.