Twins 2 - 7 Rays
Final
  for this game

Rays on verge of making history

Sep 20, 2008 - 10:12 AM Minnesota (83-71) at Tampa Bay (91-61) 3:55 pm. EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- The Tampa Bay Rays are one win away from the unthinkable - a postseason berth.

The Rays aim to secure the franchise's first playoff appearance on Saturday when they host the Minnesota Twins, who are also in the thick of a pennant race.

Baseball's biggest surprise, Tampa Bay is in the midst of a Cinderella season, having gone from the outhouse to the penthouse. The Rays lost 96 games last season, but have stormed to the top of the American League East.

One sign that the Rays may truly be a team of destiny: they were the beneficiaries of the first reversal using instant replay. Carlos Pena had a two-run double changed to a three-run homer after a four-minute, 10-second review on Friday as Tampa Bay rolled to an 11-1 victory.

"It seemed like a long time (waiting), but I'm glad they went and checked it," said Pena, whose drive to right field was originally ruled a double due to fan interference. "I thought it was a home run. You don't want to go home with a doubt."

The Rays hold a 1 1/2-game lead over Boston (91-63) in the American League East and can clinch at least a wild-card spot with a win. They can also clinch with a loss by both the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees.

"It's very exciting to be in this position," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "To get to the postseason is great, but we still have goals to win the East and have the best record in baseball. We don't want to be satisfied yet."

Fittingly, ace Scott Kazmir (11-7, 3.50 ERA) has the chance to help the Rays make history. Kazmir has been the face of the franchise since being acquired from the New York Mets in 2004.

The lefthander will try and shake off a terrible start in which he allowed nine runs and six hits in three innings of a 13-5 loss to Boston on Monday.

The Twins, who trail the White Sox (85-68) by 2 1/2 games in the AL Central, counter with Kevin Slowey (12-10, 3.66). Slowey is 5-2 with a 2.54 ERA in his last eight starts.








  • AL
    FINAL
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
    - - - - - - - - - - - -
    MINNESOTA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 7 0
    TAMPA BAY 0 0 2 0 3 1 1 0 x 7 11 2 (FINAL)

    BATTERIES: MIN - KEVIN SLOWEY, DENNYS REYES (5TH), MATT GUERRIER (7TH) AND JOE
    MAUER
    TAM - SCOTT KAZMIR, GRANT BALFOUR (7TH), J.P. HOWELL
    (8TH), TROY PERCIVAL (9TH), TREVER M

    Sep 20 7:24 PM


  • AL
    AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
    GROUND OUT BY ALEXI CASILLA SCORED CARLOS GOMEZ.
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, D SPAN ON THIRD, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 2
    TAMPA BAY 7 TOP, 9TH
    DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J MAUER (.329, 2-FOR-4)

    Twins 2, Rays 7  Top 9, 0 OutsSep 20 7:24 PM


  • AL
    AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY DENARD SPAN SCORED BRENDAN HARRIS.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, D SPAN ON SECOND, C GOMEZ ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 1
    TAMPA BAY 7 TOP, 9TH
    DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: A CASILLA (.293, 1-FOR-3, BB)

    Twins 1, Rays 7  Top 9, 0 OutsSep 20 7:17 PM


  • AL
    AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
    SOLO HOME RUN BY CLIFF FLOYD (11) TO RIGHT WITH 1 OUT IN
    THE 7TH OFF MATT GUERRIER.
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 0, TAMPA BAY 7
    DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: D NAVARRO (.293, 3-FOR-3, RBI)

    Twins 0, Rays 7  Bot 7, 0 OutsSep 20 6:38 PM


  • AL
    AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
    SOLO HOME RUN BY FERNANDO PEREZ (3) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN
    THE 6TH OFF DENNYS REYES.
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 0, TAMPA BAY 6
    DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: A IWAMURA (.277, 1-FOR-2, BB)

    Twins 0, Rays 6  Bot 6, 0 OutsSep 20 6:14 PM


  • AL
    AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
    BASES LOADED WALK TO ROCCO BALDELLI SCORED EVAN LONGORIA.
    SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, R BALDELLI ON FIRST, D NAVARRO ON SECOND, C
    FLOYD ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 0
    TAMPA BAY 5 BOTTOM, 5TH
    DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: E HINSKE (.245, 1-FOR-2)

    Twins 0, Rays 5  Bot 5, 0 OutsSep 20 5:59 PM


  • AL
    AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY DIONER NAVARRO SCORED CARLOS PENA.
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, D NAVARRO ON FIRST, C FLOYD ON SECOND, E
    LONGORIA ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 0
    TAMPA BAY 4 BOTTOM, 5TH
    DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: G GROSS (.255, 0-FOR-2)

    Twins 0, Rays 4  Bot 5, 0 OutsSep 20 5:55 PM


  • AL
    AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
    DOUBLE BY EVAN LONGORIA SCORED JASON BARTLETT.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, E LONGORIA ON SECOND, C PENA ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 0
    TAMPA BAY 3 BOTTOM, 5TH
    DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: C FLOYD (.277, 1-FOR-2)

    Twins 0, Rays 3  Bot 5, 0 OutsSep 20 5:50 PM


  • AL
    AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
    DOUBLE BY CARLOS PENA SCORED ERIC HINSKE AND AKINORI
    IWAMURA.
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, C PENA ON SECOND, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 0
    TAMPA BAY 2 BOTTOM, 3RD
    DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: E LONGORIA (.280, 0-FOR-1)

    Twins 0, Rays 2  Bot 3, 0 OutsSep 20 4:57 PM
  • 5
    roots
    mammoth Added 5 roots

    Twins vs. RaysSep 20 10:43 AM

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