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Rays try to end slide, regain first place

Jul 18, 2008 - 10:11 AM Toronto (47-48) at Tampa Bay (55-39)

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- The Tampa Bay Rays were arguably the biggest surprise of the first half, even though they appeared to run out of gas prior to the All-Star break.

The Rays will try to snap a seven-game losing streak on Friday when they face the Toronto Blue Jays.

Tampa Bay fell out of the top spot in the American League East Division on Sunday, suffering a 5-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians. The Rays are hoping the four-day vacation will have them primed to erase the half-game deficit to the Boston Red Sox atop the division and end their longest losing streak this season.

James Shields (7-6, 3.83 ERA) will be called upon to get the Rays back on track. Shields had allowed five runs in 20 1/3 innings during a three-game win streak that was snapped in his last start. The 26-year-old righthander surrendered five runs and 10 hits in six innings en route to a 5-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians last Friday.

Despite the poor outing, Shields appears determined to bounce back.

"I think it's an important game," Shields said. "You want to start the second half off strong. ... We're just going to try and keep winning series in the second half."

A.J. Burnett (10-8, 4.96) counters for the Blue Jays, who are actively shopping the oft-injured righthander.

Burnett increased his trade value during his last start, allowing just one run - a solo homer to Jason Giambi in the ninth inning - and six hits in 8 1/3 frames, walking only one while striking out eight during Sunday's 4-1 victory over the New York Yankees.