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Rays aim to bounce back against Jays up north

Apr 23, 2011 - 3:27 PM (Sports Network) - The Tampa Bay Rays hope to rebound from Friday night's loss in extra innings against the Toronto Blue Jays when the two AL East foes clash again this afternoon from Rogers Centre.

The Rays dropped a 6-4 decision in 11 innings to kick off the three-game set, as reliever Adam Russell surrendered the game-winning two-run homer to John McDonald in the bottom of the 11th. Jeremy Hellickson started for the Rays and allowed three runs in seven innings with six strikeouts for the no-decision.

Sam Fuld led the Tampa Bay offense with three hits, three runs scored and RBI, while B.J. Upton had two runs batted in and Johnny Damon extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a 2-for-5 performance at the plate.

"I loved the way we played again," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "I thought we went after it really well. It was a really good baseball game on both sides -- really intense. And they got the big hit at the end. John McDonald really likes to see the Rays uniform."

Tampa Bay has dropped back-to-back games and lost for the third time in 11 tries last night in the opener of this three-game series.

Rays young hurler David Price has his sights set on a third straight winning start when he takes the hill Saturday. After losing his first two starts of the 2011 campaign, Price has shown signs of his No. 1 pick formula in his latest mound stints.

Price ended the losing streak by holding Boston to two runs over 7 2/3 innings of a 3-2 win at Boston on April 12, then fired eight scoreless frames in a 5-0 victory versus the White Sox on Monday. He fanned a season-best nine batters in the win over Chicago and is 2-2 with a 2.83 ERA.

The left-hander owns a unblemished record against Toronto as evidenced by his 6-0 mark and 1.93 ERA in seven career starts.

McDonald came in the game at second base as a replacement for an injured Jayson Nix, who exited the game in the second inning with a left knee injury after a collision at second base with Rays infielder Sean Rodriguez. X-rays were negative but Nix is scheduled to undergo an MRI.

"I'm just sore. I don't feel very good walking around, but we'll see," Nix said on the team's site. "The knee is really bothering me. I have some pain in the middle of my leg, but the knee is the biggest problem right now."

Jose Bautista went 3-for-3 with four runs scored, a home run and finished a single shy of the cycle. Adam Lind drove in two runs in a winning effort, as the Jays won for the second time in three games.

Blue Jays right-hander Brandon Morrow will make his 2011 debut today and was activated from the disabled list following Wednesday's 6-2 loss to the New York Yankees. Morrow has been sidelined due to inflammation in his right elbow.

Morrow made 26 starts last season and compiled a 10-7 record with a 4.49 earned run average, and lost his final outing of the season on Sept. 3 at the Yankees. He was 5-0 in seven starts before losing in the Bronx. Morrow will face the Rays for the ninth time in his career and is 2-1 with two saves and a 1.42 earned run average in eight games (4 starts).

Tampa Bay won 10 of the 18 meetings with Toronto last season and is 24-13 in the last two seasons in this series.