Guardians 5 - 2 Rays
Final
  for this game

Streaking Rays go for sixth straight win

Aug 4, 2008 - 1:26 PM Cleveland (48-62) at Tampa Bay (66-44) 7:10 p.m. EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- The last time the Tampa Bay Rays played the Cleveland Indians, they were limping home to the All-Star break. Three weeks later, the Rays are playing like a different team.

Tampa Bay aims to win its sixth consecutive game when it hosts Cleveland in the opener of a three-game series on Monday.

The Rays, who are coming off a sweep of the Detroit Tigers, were outscored, 31-8, over a four-game span by the Indians, which sent Tampa Bay into the All-Star break on a seven-game losing streak.

But since then, Tampa Bay is 11-5, helping the Rays take a three-game lead over the Boston Red Sox (64-48) atop the American League East. The Rays have never won more than 70 games in a season and already have equaled last season's win total.

To keep the momentum going, however, Tampa Bay will have to deal with the AL's All-Star starter, Cliff Lee (14-2, 2.58 ERA), who will be on the mound Monday for the Indians.

The lefthander is coming off a rare rough outing, as he gave up six runs over five innings in Cleveland's 14-12 loss to Detroit on Wednesday. He pitched six scoreless innings in his only start against Tampa Bay on July 11.

The Rays counter with Matt Garza (9-6, 3.56), who outdueled Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay in his last outing. The righthander is coming off his first career shutout, when he yielded just five hits in Tampa Bay's 3-0 victory over Toronto on Tuesday.

Garza allowed seven runs over five innings in his last start against the Indians on July 12.








  • AL
    FINAL
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
    - - - - - - - - - - - -
    CLEVELAND 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 5 8 1
    TAMPA BAY 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 8 1 (FINAL)

    BATTERIES: CLE - CLIFF LEE, RAFAEL PEREZ (8TH) AND KELLY SHOPPACH
    TAM - MATT GARZA, JASON HAMMEL (6TH), AL REYES (9TH)
    AND DIONER NAVARRO

    HOME RUNS: CLE - ASDRUBAL CABRERA (

    Aug 4 10:13 PM


  • AL
    AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY KELLY SHOPPACH SCORED JHONNY PERALTA.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, K SHOPPACH ON FIRST, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 5
    TAMPA BAY 2 TOP, 8TH
    DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: R GARKO (.240, 0-FOR-3)

    Guardians 5, Rays 2  Top 8, 0 OutsAug 4 9:51 PM


  • AL
    AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
    TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY DAVID DELLUCCI (10) TO RIGHT WITH 2 OUT
    IN THE 5TH OFF MATT GARZA SCORED FRANKLIN GUTIERREZ.
    CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 4, TAMPA BAY 2
    DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: B FRANCISCO (.271, 0-FOR-1, BB)

    Guardians 4, Rays 2  Top 5, 0 OutsAug 4 8:56 PM


  • AL
    AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY AKINORI IWAMURA SCORED WILLY AYBAR AND GABE
    GROSS.
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, A IWAMURA ON FIRST, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 2
    TAMPA BAY 2 BOTTOM, 4TH
    DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: B UPTON (.268, 0-FOR-1, BB)

    Guardians 2, Rays 2  Bot 4, 0 OutsAug 4 8:40 PM


  • AL
    AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
    SOLO HOME RUN BY ASDRUBAL CABRERA (3) TO RIGHT WITH 0 OUT
    IN THE 3RD OFF MATT GARZA.
    CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 2, TAMPA BAY 0
    DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: G SIZEMORE (.275, 0-FOR-0, BB)

    Guardians 2, Rays 0  Top 3, 0 OutsAug 4 8:04 PM


  • AL
    AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
    DOUBLE BY KELLY SHOPPACH SCORED JHONNY PERALTA.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, K SHOPPACH ON SECOND, 0 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 1
    TAMPA BAY 0 TOP, 2ND
    DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: R GARKO (.243, 8 HR, 50 RBI)

    Guardians 1, Rays 0  Top 2, 0 OutsAug 4 7:36 PM

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