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Cardinals, Rays to meet in interleague rubber game

May 18, 2008 - 2:29 PM Tampa Bay (25-18) at St Louis (25-20) 2:15 pm EDT

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) - Two of the biggest surprises in baseball this season, the Tampa Bay Rays visit the St. Louis Cardinals in an interleague rubber match on Sunday.

The first team in the American League since the 1937 Philadelphia Athletics to finish with the worst record in the league the year before and make it all the way to the best record on May 18 of the following campaign, the Rays have been on a roll of late - taking eight of their last 10 games.

But the Cardinals bashed their way to an extra-inning, 9-8, win on Saturday when Ryan Ludwick's second homer of the day gave them a walk-off win in the tenth. Albert Pujols also homered for St. Louis, which nearly squandered a 7-3 advantage.

Tampa Bay pounded out 18 hits in the setback but ran into five outs on the basepaths.

St. Louis was picked near the bottom of the NL Central this season but has thrived do to performances from unexpected contributors like Ludwick and Sunday's starter, Kyle Lohse (3-2, 4.91 ERA).

Signed during spring training to a bargain one-year contract, Lohse was expected to provide a veteran presence to a rotation that featured Adam Wainwright and a slew of converted relievers. But Lohse was outstanding to start the season, going 3-0 with a 2.36 ERA in his first six starts.

The righthander has fallen on hard times recently, however, going 0-2 while allowing 19 runs in 17 combined innings over his last three outings.

The Rays will counter with righthander Edwin Jackson (2-3, 3.47). The 24-year-old has not earned a win since April 10 despite tossing 15 scoreless innings over his last two starts - taking no decisions against the Blue Jays and Yankees.