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AL East champion Rays aim to snap two-game skid

Sep 27, 2008 - 10:11 AM Tampa Bay (96-64) at Detroit (73-86) 7:05 pm. EDT

DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Tampa Bay Rays did not get to celebrate their first American League East title on the field, but it did not dilute the accomplishment.

The Rays looks to snap a two-game skid on Saturday against the Detroit Tigers.

The Tigers rained on the Rays' party for a second straight night as Gary Sheffield returned from a four-game suspension and belted a pair of home runs in a 6-4 victory. However, the Rays clinched the AL East later in the night when the Boston Red Sox lost to the New York Yankees.

Tampa Bay is the first AL team in the divisional era to finish with the worst record in its league, then win its division in the following year. Atlanta in 1991 and the Chicago Cubs in 2007 accomplished the feat in the NL.

"It's fantastic, it's wonderful, it's all the superlatives you can gather," manager Joe Maddon told the Tampa Tribune. "I really feel good for everybody, that's what it comes down to. You look at everybody and enjoy everybody's face; to me, that's the most gratifying part of this entire moment."

Matt Garza (11-9, 3.66 ERA) get the ball for Tampa Bay. Garza is 0-2 with a 4.57 ERA in his last four starts. He will try and slow Sheffield, who is one homer away from becoming the 25th member of the 500-club.

"It wasn't something I thought about," Sheffield said. "I didn't try to rush things and let the game come to me."

Detroit, which has lost 12 of 15, sends Dontrelle Willis (0-2, 10.61 ERA) to the hill. Willis is making his third start since rejoining the rotation after being sent to Class AAA Toledo in June. The lefthander was rocked for six runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings of a 10-5 loss to Cleveland on Sunday.