Monday, October 3, 2011

Tuesday, October 4, 2011, Section C | 

Monday, October 3, 2011

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Monday, October 3, 2011

. Rangers SS Elvis Andrus, top right, and closer Neftali Feliz, center right, are usually the most talked about when it comes to the haul Texas got in the 2007 Mark Teixeira trade with the Braves. But today's Game 4 starter, LHP Matt Harrison, was also part of that deal and arguably has been just as valuable this season. In his first full year in the rotation, the hard-throwing lefty went 14-9 with a 3.39 ERA. Motivated by not making last year's postseason roster and missing the Rangers' World Series run, Harrison sharpened up mentally by reading books such as The Mental ABC's of Pitching. "And that's what really has turned my career around so far this year," he said.

AL Division Series | Game 4, 2:07 today, St. Petersburg TV/radio: TBS; 620-AM, 1040-AM

Rays killer

. Mike Napoli sat in front of his locker at Tropicana Field on Monday night with two big ice bags wrapped around his thighs. The Rangers catcher looked like someone who had just gone 12 rounds in a heavyweight fight. But after four hours of work in Game 3 of the American League Division Series, it was worth it.

Napoli, acquired last offseason from the Angels, was 2-for-3 with a walk and one huge home run in the Rangers' 4-3 win. He also threw out B.J. Upton trying to steal second in the bottom of the eighth inning to thwart a Rays rally attempt. "He's had so many big hits for us,'' Rangers president and CEO Nolan Ryan said. "You shudder to think about where we would be without him.''

With the Rangers trailing 1-0 in the top of the seventh, Napoli hit a towering two-run home run off starter David Price that gave the Rangers the lead. They tacked on two more runs later in the inning and held on.

"He hits balls so high, you don't think they're going to come down,'' Rangers third baseman Michael Young said.

That Napoli was the hero is no surprise. Including that game, he is 11-for-23 with four home runs and nine RBIs in six games played at Tropicana Field this year. "I like hitting here, I know that,'' he said.

. Rays centerfielder B.J. Upton took the blame for throwing a wrench into a potential rally in the eighth inning. Down 4-2 going to the bottom of the eighth, the Rays cut their deficit to 4-3 on Desmond Jennings' second homer of the game.

Upton followed with a walk with no outs then guessed wrong when trying to steal second on a 1-and-2 count to Evan Longoria. The Rangers pitched out, and catcher Mike Napoli cut down Upton.

"I definitely got to run the bases better there,'' Upton said. "It was a perfect pitchout count. I just got to think a little more.''

Napoli credited bench coach Jackie Moore for the pitchout call. "B.J. is fast, and you knew they were going to try to steal down one," he said. "I just had to get my legs under me and make a good throw. Can't rush things there.''

Upton being thrown out stung a bit more when Rangers reliever Mike Adams walked Longoria and then Matt Joyce. Instead of having the bases loaded with no outs, the Rays had runners on first and second with one out. The Rangers then got out of the inning after Johnny Damon and Ben Zobrist struck out.

"It was a great call on their part,'' Rays manager Joe Maddon said about the pitchout. "They beat us in that moment. I have to give them a lot of credit for that. I will not denigrate B.J. at all for that moment. If he's safe, everybody loves it.''

And it's not going to stop the Rays from running today in Game 4, Maddon said.

"We are not going to get timid now,'' he said. "We are not a timid team or group or organization. We're not. They got us. Hats off to them. We'll see what happens next time."

Running wild

. Third baseman Evan Longoria said the Rays weren't quite prepared last year for how the Rangers beat them at their own game in the division series, stealing bases, bunting, etc. Texas stole four bases in Game 5 of that series alone. Monday the Rangers were running again, stealing four bases, including a double steal in the seventh inning. This time Craig Gentry was picked off first base in the third, and Elvis Andrus got caught in a rundown to end the seventh.

Times staff
Monday, October 3, 2011

T he Bucs defensive line was at it again. The unit repeatedly pressured Colts QB Curtis Painter — making his first career start —registering four sacks and leaving him, at times, exasperated. • The pressure began from the outset, when DE Michael Bennett, on the Colts' second series, leaped over a running back and decked Painter. The hit jarred the ball loose, with Bennett recovering at the Indianapolis 32. Bennett picked up his second sack later, while DT Gerald McCoy notched his first and rookie DE Adrian Clayborn his second in as many weeks. The subsequent three sacks each came in the fourth quarter, with the score 17-17 for most of the period. • In the past two weeks, the Bucs have eight combined sacks. All that after they had no sacks and virtually no pressure in the season opener against the Lions.

Hank Jr.'s comments too rowdy for ESPN

. ESPN wouldn't go so far as to ban Hank Williams Jr. forever. But after the singer's comments on Fox News comparing President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler, the network removed his traditional opening song from its telecast of the Bucs-Colts game.

"While Hank Williams Jr. is not an ESPN employee," the network said, "we recognize that he is closely linked to our company through the open to Monday Night Football. We are extremely disappointed with his comments, and as a result we have decided to pull the open from (Monday night's) telecast."

The remark came on the Fox and Friends show Monday morning, as Williams, above, criticized Republican House Speaker John Boehner for playing golf with Obama: "That would be like Hitler playing golf with (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu. Not hardly. In the shape this country is in?" Williams later released a statement: "Some of us have strong opinions and are often misunderstood. My analogy was extreme — but it was to make a point. I was simply trying to explain how stupid it seemed to me — how ludicrous that pairing was. … I have always respected the office of the president."

Some had called for Williams' theme to be dropped permanently from the show.

This time, challenge doesn't work out

. Bucs coach Raheem Morris has said he will throw the red challenge flag for a big enough play, even if it doesn't seem clear he will win it. At the end of the first quarter, he did just that — and lost, costing the team a timeout.

On second and 7 from the Tampa Bay 38, Bucs WR Arrelious Benn appeared to make a tough catch on the right sideline, successfully evading diving Colts DB Terrence Johnson and taking the ball 62 yards for the game's first touchdown. But the score was nullified when Benn was called for an illegal touch after going out of bounds, then being the first one to touch the ball when he came back in play. The penalty ended the first quarter, which meant the Bucs could not call another play, and Morris threw the challenge flag for a review. After looking at the replay, officials upheld the ruling on the field.

Watching two games? It's not so easy

. The toughest thing about trying to watch all the local sports on television Monday night was the whiplash. As the Rays' playoff game stretched past 9 p.m. on TBS, ESPN was more than a half-hour into the Monday Night Football game featuring the Bucs and Colts in Tampa, requiring serious channel flipping.

At least TBS's announcers corrected one problem early; after calling the town "Tampa" once, they realized Tropicana Field is in St. Petersburg and kept saying so — conspicuously. The city looked good — lots of lush skyline shots from the Goodyear blimp — but announcers dinged the Trop for a ceiling colored so lightly outfielders couldn't track foul balls.

Monday Night Football was controversial before it started, as ESPN clipped Hank Williams Jr.'s opening theme amid controversy after the singer compared President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler. And former Bucs coach Jon Gruden was relaxed in his hometown, talking up towering young Bucs QB Josh Freeman with ease. (The only minus: Florida rockers Sister Hazel singing the national anthem looking like they just stepped out of a Hooters).

An executive at Tampa's ABC affiliate, WFTS-Ch. 28, said about 50 people complained about the station pre-empting Dancing With the Stars to broadcast ESPN's game, the Bucs' first televised home game in 21 months and first Tampa Monday Night Football appearance in eight years. His advice: program the VCR (or, well, DVR) and enjoy seeing local sports history made.

Barth off the mark

. Bucs K Connor Barth entered 6-of-6 on field goals and 6-of-6 on extra points. That didn't last long. He hit a 46-yard field goal off the right upright in the first quarter. It marked his first regular-season miss since the Seahawks blocked his 44-yard attempt in Week 16 last year.

Quick hits

. Two former Bucs coaches watched the game from a familiar place — Raymond James Stadium. Jon Gruden was an analyst for ESPN's telecast, while Tony Dungy was shown on the stadium's big screen watching from a suite. Dungy also coached the Colts and led them to their first Super Bowl title.

. Many Bucs and Colts players traded in some of their regular accessories, such as towels, socks and armbands, for pink versions to support National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Bucs starters Geno Hayes, Mason Foster, Dekoda Wilson and LeGarrette Blount sported bright pink shoes as well.

Colts DT Foster suffers ugly injury

. It was a moment no player or fan wants to see.

With one minute left in the first half, Bucs QB Josh Freeman dropped back on first and 10 at the Tampa Bay 46. TE Kellen Winslow caught the 5-yard pass, but Colts DT Eric Foster crumbled. Foster was moving forward when DE Tyler Brayton fell on the back of his right leg, causing Foster to fall back with his weight moving in the opposite direction. The result: Foster's right ankle twisted in an unnatural way, and the four-year pro fell in a heap of pain.

The Colts took a timeout as trainers brought out a cart. They immobilized Foster's right leg in a blow-up cast, and he was taken off the field, pounding on his thigh and giving fist pumps to a few players. Foster was taken to a nearby hospital and would stay overnight, the Colts said.

Not quite the best of games for Talib

. As the Bucs' featured cornerback, Aqib Talib has no easy weeks.

Take Monday night, for instance. Three weeks after shadowing Lions standout WR Calvin Johnson all day in the season opener and a week after chasing speedy Falcons rookie Julio Jones for four quarters, Talib got a career-best effort from Colts WR Pierre Garcon, who caught touchdown passes of 87 and 59 yards. While the 59-yarder came via a screen pass on which Talib was blocked, the first of the two scores came in single coverage.

But Talib fought on, nearly intercepting Colts QB Curtis Painter for what could have been a touchdown return.

Penalties pile up against Tampa Bay

. The Bucs' 13-play, 80-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter was out of the ordinary for one reason: It was one of the team's only long possessions without a penalty. Referees flagged the Bucs 14 times for 106 yards, and some of the calls were costly.

An unnecessary roughness penalty on WR Preston Parker killed 15 yards late in the first half. A defensive holding call on CB Aqib Talib gave the Colts a fresh set of downs in the second quarter near their end zone. Two plays later, the Colts scored on an 87-yard pass from QB Curtis Painter to WR Pierre Garcon.

Penalties threatened to derail the Bucs' winning touchdown drive. With 4:51 left, they faced third and inches in Colts territory, but a delay of game penalty pushed them back farther. The Bucs needed a scramble by QB Josh Freeman to avert disaster.

Colts bring pressure

. The Colts didn't have QB Peyton Manning. But they still have DE Dwight Freeney, and unlike Manning, there's nothing wrong with his neck. Freeney gave Bucs LT Donald Penn all he could handle, using his lightning-quick spin move to get by Penn on several occasions, collapsing the pocket at times and flushing Freeman from it at others. On one play, Freeney drew a personal foul on TE Kellen Winslow, who, in a poor effort to block Freeney, grabbed and pulled his facemask. But Freeney had help. Freeman was sacked once each by DEs Jerry Hughes and Robert Mathis.

By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Monday, October 3, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG

Hello hopeless, my old friend. Yes, the Rays are here again.

They are back at the edge of never and the brink of forgotten. They are behind the Texas Rangers in the American League Division Series, and perhaps hours from wasting one of the greatest comeback stories in the game's history.

This time, there is no safety net beneath them. This time, there is no need to keep an eye on the out-of-town scoreboard. This time, there is no chance of reprieve.

For the first time in a season of endless pursuit, the Rays wake up knowing they must win a game or head empty-handed into winter.

As you probably know, this is the end that was forecast for a downsized roster from the time Carl Crawford, Carlos Peña and an entire bullpen fled Tampa Bay.

Only the players who stayed behind never accepted their fate and now, 165 games later, their season has finally devolved into a day-to-day proposition.

"It started in March when nobody thought we could win. It was there in April when we got off to a slow start, and people wrote us off," outfielder Sam Fuld said. "It's definitely something we're accustomed to. We're aware of it. We don't enjoy it necessarily, it just seems like we're in a lot of situations where we're behind the 8-ball.

"And we've shown the ability to play well in all of those times."

Technically, the Rays were facing longer odds when they showed up for work Sept. 4 and were nine games behind the Red Sox in the wild-card race. Based on historical precedent, their odds of a comeback were somewhere between stupid and crazy.

This time, the odds are not stacked to the ceiling. But they might be as high as a catwalk.

In the 16-year history of the division series, the team with a lead after Game 3 has gone on to win 78.3 percent of the time.

If that doesn't scare you enough, the last 14 teams that have been behind in this situation have all failed to win the necessary two in a row. In fact, the great majority don't even force a Game 5. You have to go back to 2003 to find the kind of comeback the Rays seek.

"We're used to having our backs against the wall," said designated hitter Johnny Damon, who was on that 2003 Red Sox team that pulled off the feat. "The playoffs aren't supposed to be easy."

Chances? The Rays had plenty on Monday.

In the seventh and eighth innings, Fuld, Damon, Sean Rodriguez, and Ben Zobrist came to the plate with runners in scoring position and failed to get a hit.

They had the tying run on base in each of the final three innings and failed to get the ball out of the infield in five different at-bats.

Decisions? They might have botched a few.

Keeping J.P. Howell on the postseason roster when he had neither the confidence nor the effectiveness of his pre-surgery form could turn out to be a choice that will haunt a franchise well beyond October. Keeping Elliott Johnson as a pinch-runner instead of Dan Johnson as a pinch-hitter might also cost them dearly.

Yet, in the end, this is probably as it should be.

The Rays may have been good enough to somehow win 91 games in the regular season, but they are certainly not good enough to blow past talented teams.

There is a reason they were 4-5 against Texas in the regular season. Just as there was a reason they were 1-6 against Detroit, and lost nine of their first 14 against the Yankees.

As good as the starting pitching has been, as magnificent as the defense can look, the Rays have neither a bullpen nor an offense that can match up with the big boys.

That means, on most nights, their effort has to be perfect. Their execution has to be close to flawless. That means they cannot afford to run into outs on the bases, their relievers cannot afford to give up walks and their 3-4-5 hitters cannot go 1-for-10.

"It's a simple formula: Forget today, play ball," Howell said. "We've done that before, let's get it going again."

So now, the season is being put in the right hand of a 24-year-old rookie from Iowa. And why should it be any different?

The Rays survived as long as they have by taking chances, by having faith and by running more rookies onto the field than ever.

This time, baby-faced Jeremy Hellickson is being asked to resuscitate a season down to its final breaths.

"Believe me, this thing is not over," manager Joe Maddon said. "You have seen what we have done over the last month."

This is true. You have seen it. You have applauded it, marveled over it and maybe even prayed for it. And now today, you ask for it to continue.

Just one more day of hope.

John Romano can be reached at romano@sptimes.com.

Times wires
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

DETROIT — Delmon Young hit a tiebreaking homer in seventh inning off another former Ray, Rafael Soriano, and Justin Verlander struck out 11 in eight gritty innings to lead the Tigers to a 5-4 victory over the Yankees on Monday.

Jose Valverde stopped a New York rally for the second straight night, whiffing Derek Jeter with two on to close it out, and Detroit took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five American League Division Series, pushing the Yankees to the brink of elimination.

Verlander and New York ace CC Sabathia were back on the mound after their series-opening matchup at Yankee Stadium was halted after only 11/2 innings.

While Sabathia didn't make it through the sixth Monday, Verlander was still hitting 100 mph on the stadium radar gun in the eighth.

Valverde took over in the ninth, and another dramatic ending followed. The All-Star closer, who was perfect in 49 save chances this season, walked two and got a warning-track flyout before striking out Jeter to end it.

Trailing by four in the ninth on Sunday, the Yankees scored twice against Valverde before he got Robinson Cano to ground out with two on to close out a 5-3 victory in Game 2.

After two games in New York that took three rainy days to finish, Comerica Park was dry Monday. The Yankees managed two quick runs off Verlander in the first, but the 24-game winner settled down. He appeared to be laboring at times, allowing four runs, six hits and three walks, but he stayed in for 120 pitches and Detroit produced just enough offense.

Brett Gardner tied it for the Yankees with a two-run double in the seventh, but Young answered with a line drive that barely cleared the wall in rightfield to give the Tigers a 5-4 lead.

It was reminiscent of Young's homer in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium, which came before a downpour Friday night that forced that game to be suspended and knocked both Verlander and Sabathia out for a couple of days.

Valverde, who threw 34 pitches in a non-save situation Sunday, was back for the ninth a day later. He had playfully declared the series was "over" after Game 2, and the Yankees nearly made him eat his words, but Jeter struck out swinging with runners at first and second.

Tigers 2, Yankees 1

Game 1: Yankees 9, Tigers 3

Game 2: Tigers 5, Yankees 3

Monday: Tigers 5, Yankees 4

Tonight, 8:37: Yankees (Burnett, 11-11, 5.15) at Tigers (Porcello, 14-9, 4.75)

Thursday, 8:37: Tigers (Fister, 11-13, 2.83) at Yankees (TBA) *

All games on TBS. * If necessary

By John C. Cotey, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

TAMPA — So, there you are.

You, the guy with a wife and two kids trying to figure out how to stretch a dollar and deciding the time was now.

You, and your college buddy, deciding this one might be too good to miss.

You, and you, and yes, even you in the Joe Jurevicius jersey.

Welcome back.

Monday night, you came, you saw, and now we're all wondering — you coming back?

It wasn't exactly the spine-tingling four-quarter performance everyone was hoping for from the Bucs, or even expecting.

It wasn't quite a smashing return to television, where the Bucs used to get on Monday Night Football more than once a decade.

It wasn't the kind of game that sends fans right to the ticket window afterward. Or even next week.

But it was another, dare I say, thrilling Bucs win, the team's 13th in its past 20 games, and the first in front of a full pirate ship of fans.

Like more than a few Bucs wins lately, it was three quarters of uneven play, mistakes, holding penalties and dropped passes, and then one glorious quarter of Josh Freeman lunging and LeGarrette Blount lumbering.

Did the Bucs make the most of their moment in the spotlight? That depends on the patience of fans and viewers.

But inside Raymond James Stadium, the first three maddening hours of Monday's game felt a lot better than it looked from your living room.

It was a sellout. It was festive. It was loud.

From your living room, an old episode of Chopped on your DVR was probably awfully tempting.

The Bucs were facing a winless Indianapolis team that didn't have Peyton Manning. The expectations for a decisive, impressive win in front of a national audience mostly unfamiliar with them were high.

In Manning's place started Curtis Painter, who this past week was the center of a debate: Who is the worst starting quarterback in the NFL?

Considering that the likes of Drew Stanton, Trent Edwards, Chris Redman and Kellen Clemens have beaten the Bucs the past few seasons, that Painter was able to color the Bucs blue for much of the game shouldn't have been a big surprise.

The Colts offense moved the ball enough. Struck for a couple of long touchdowns.

On a night devoted to the past and the present, this could be labeled only disappointing.

After all, though Hank Williams Jr. may not be allowed to sing it anymore, all the Bucs' rowdy friends were here on Monday night, at Raymond James Stadium, for the first time since 2003.

As for the Bucs fans finally returning to RayJay, they looked like the ones who were there that Monday night eight years ago when Manning broke their hearts in a 38-35 loss. They filed through turnstiles in a sea of red No. 40 jerseys, and No. 99 jerseys, and No. 55 jerseys, and No. 24 jerseys, and yes, even a No. 83 jersey.

Tony Dungy was in the house. Derrick Brooks waved to fans. Jon Gruden called the game on television.

The whole gang was back together.

If there was hope this moment might reignite something in Tampa Bay, that the Bucs would seize on the magnitude of the moment, that they would blow Indianapolis out and blow you away, that didn't happen until the fourth quarter.

Freeman stayed on his feet long enough for a crucial first down with a few minutes remaining in a tie game.

The next play, Blount blew through the line for a 35-yard score.

Bucs 24, Colts 17.

The defense held. The offense converted a fourth down.

The clock, which had been stuck on 2003 all night, ticked off the final few seconds.

Fans will remember the first half, the dropped passes and interceptions, the stalled drives and that the Bucs didn't do what everyone thought they would.

But even more, they'll remember the final minutes. They'll remember the Bucs salvaging a less-than-perfect night perfectly, again.

Monday night, you came, you saw, and now we're all wondering — you coming back?

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

TAMPA — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waited nearly eight years for a Monday Night Football game at Raymond James Stadium and the youngest team in the league was going to leave an impression.

So against the Indianapolis Colts, the baby Bucs proved they would grab, push, shove and fight.

And that was just what they did after the whistle.

Overcoming more than a football field in penalties, the Bucs also showed a sellout crowd and national television audience their will to win and flair for the dramatic.

Quarterback Josh Freeman extended all 6 feet, 6 inches of his body for a key first down and two plays later running back LeGarrette Blount exploded for a 35-yard touchdown run with 3:15 remaining in the game to give the Bucs a 24-17 win over the Peyton Manning-less Colts.

It was the ninth comeback victory in which the Bucs have trailed by 10 points or more since 2008, the most in the NFL during that span.

"You want to go in every week and play a spot-free football game, but that's rarely how it goes," Freeman said. "I think we showed a lot of people that regardless of penalties — we didn't turn the ball over — but whatever the adversity, we continue to play four quarters and persevere. That's kind of our makeup, that's how we've been getting it done."

With their first three-game winning streak since 2008, the Bucs (3-1) maintained a first-place tie with the New Orleans Saints in the NFC South.

The Colts fell to 0-4 for the first time since 1998, Manning's rookie season.

Blount bludgeoned the underbelly of the Colts defense, rushing for 127 yards and a touchdown.

"LeGarrette was huge, just huge for us," Freeman said. "Like I said, when we get the big fella rolling, he's tough to deal with. LeGarrette got a seam, and he's such a tremendous athlete, he's tough to deal with."

Freeman passed for 287 yards and a touchdown. But what the third-year pro from Kansas State did with his legs was nearly as impressive. Before the final kneel down, he rushed five times for 28 yards and a TD while picking up several key first downs.

"I don't like to run, but I'm kind of good at it," Freeman said. "It's whatever it takes to win."

Like many of the Bucs wins, this one wasn't pretty. Tampa Bay was penalized 14 times for 106 yards.

Colts quarterback Curtis Painter, making his first NFL start for injured starter Manning and backup Kerry Collins, threw touchdown passes of 87 and 59 yards to receiver Pierre Garcon.

But the Bucs defense came up big, sacking Painter four times — two by Michael Bennett and one apiece by Gerald McCoy and Adrian Clayborn.

"We tried to treat this like any other game," cornerback Ronde Barber said. "The nation got a chance to see who some of our young rush men are. That's going to showcase those guys a little bit. Obviously, Free(man) got a chance to shine and he did and LeGarrette, it's nice having that kind of threat in your backfield. Nobody wants to hit that dude at the end of games."

The Bucs tied it at 17-17 when Freeman hit receiver Preston Parker on a 13-yard touchdown, the first of Parker's career.

The Colts had a good chance to take the lead, McCoy sacked Painter to force a 43-yard field goal attempt that Adam Vinatieri missed left with 11:38 to play.

Freeman and the Bucs have been prone to slow starts and Monday was no exception. Tampa Bay entered the game having scored one offensive touchdown in the first quarter, in the opener against Detroit.

The Bucs trailed 10-0 in the second quarter. They failed to take advantage of a short field after Michael Bennett sacked Painter, stripped him of the ball and recovered the fumble at the Indianapolis 32-yard line. The scoring chance ended when Conner Barth hit the right upright on his 46-yard field goal attempt.

Freeman and the offense got cranked up in the second quarter. Facing first and 20 at the Tampa Bay 9, Freeman hummed a dart for 44 yards to Arrelious Benn. After three more completions, including an 11-yarder on third down to Mike Williams, Freeman scored his second rushing TD in as many games with a 1-yard sneak.

The Bucs had a chance to tie before the half. Operating the two-minute drill, Freeman used five completions to move from the Tampa Bay 29 to the 12. But facing third and 2 with no timeouts, Freeman was sacked by Robert Mathis with 17 seconds remaining. The Bucs ran the field goal team onto the field with time running out and Barth's 37-yard attempt was good. But the Bucs had 12 men on the field and the half ended.

The Bucs tied it at 10 by taking the second half kickoff and driving close enough for Barth to connect on a 46-yard field goal.

Painter made his first NFL start and looked sharp early on. He completed passes to Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark on third down to move the chains and set up a 45-yard field goal by Vinatieri for a 3-0 lead.

It was the Bucs' first Monday Night Football game at Raymond James Stadium since 2003 and their past collided with their present.

Two former Bucs coaches were in the house — Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden, who called the game for ESPN. Former Bucs quarterbacks Trent Dilfer and Steve Young hosted Monday Night Countdown and former quarterback Shaun King attended.

"We'll take it," Barber said. "We never felt like we were going to do anything but win this week. They have some talent on that team, we knew that. … Take away their two big plays, and this was a dominant performance by our defense. We'll take ugly."

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

TAMPA — Obscured in USF's 44-17 loss to Pittsburgh on Thursday night was another breakout performance by freshman DT Elkino Watson, who had eight tackles, two for loss, including his first career sack.

Watson leads the Bulls with 6.5 tackles for loss, most in the nation for a true freshman at any position. He also has 26 total tackles, a high number for an interior lineman and fourth on USF's defense behind the three starting linebackers.

"I just go out and work hard, don't take any days for granted and keep working on what the coaches tell me to fix," Watson, a 6-foot-2, 288-pound Miami native, said last month. "I get a lot of reps with the 1s (starters), a lot with the 2s and sometimes I go with the 3s to stay in game shape. I keep going and going, so when game time comes, it's a lot easier than it is in practice."

Entering the season, USF hoped to replace the production of senior Terrell McClain, a third-round draft pick of the Panthers. At least statistically, Watson has done that, amassing more tackles and tackles for loss in his first five games than McClain (24, 4.5) did in all of last season. He's pushing starters Cory Grissom and Keith McCaskill for minutes and seems a lock to start next season after McCaskill graduates.

Watson was a signing-day steal (he chose USF over hometown Miami) and he has lived up to the high expectations from recruiting services. Coach Skip Holtz listed him Monday among the bright spots in Thursday's loss, and one of the few on defense.

"I was really pleased with Elkino Watson … as a true freshman, he has a chance to really be a special player on the defensive line," Holtz said.

THIS AND THAT: If Holtz wants to make a change on defense, it could be senior DE Patrick Hampton, who has zero tackles for loss despite starting all five games. His backups have had better success, with sophomore Julius Forte having four tackles for loss, senior Claude Davis three and junior Anthony Hill, a converted tackle, getting two. … USF women's soccer has played overtime in its past seven matches. The Bulls (5-4-4) have two wins and three ties out of those seven. There are two key dates this weekend, Friday against Connecticut and Sunday against Providence in the final home matches of the regular season. … The men's soccer team (5-2-2) leads the Big East in goals per game and has individual scoring leaders as well in junior Dom Dwyer, a London native who has seven goals in nine games, and freshman Wesley Charpie of Tarpon Springs, who has four assists entering Tuesday's game at Florida Gulf Coast. … With Bulls football playing Thursday and having a bye week ahead, the Bucs worked out on USF's practice fields Friday night in preparation for Monday's win against the Colts.

Greg Auman can be reached at auman@sptimes.com and at (813) 226-3346. Check out his blog at tampabay.com/blogs/bulls and follow him at Twitter.com/gregauman.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

BRANDON — Brett Connolly earned the right to stay, at least for now.

That was the bottom line for the Lightning, which Tuesday reduced its roster to the maximum 23 players by sending Dana Tyrell to AHL Norfolk.

The move means Connolly, 19, who had a team-best three goals in the preseason and tied for the lead with five points, gets to prove he can play in the NHL.

It is basically a nine-game tryout. That is how many games the right wing can play before he must be sent back to juniors or the clock starts on his three-year, $2.7 million contract.

"It's exciting," said Connolly, the No. 6 overall pick of the 2010 draft. "It's every kid's dream to play in the NHL, but I still have to prove myself."

The innocent bystander is Tyrell, 22, who last season played 78 games for Tampa Bay, came to camp in the best shape of his career and whom general manager Steve Yzerman agreed did nothing to lose his spot.

He simply did not need waivers to be sent to the minors.

"I have no doubt that he's disappointed," Yzerman said. "But we want to see Brett Connolly. He's earned the right, and the things he does on the ice is a need that we have, so we want to see him play."

The Lightning has seven defensemen on its roster, not including Mattias Ohlund (knee), who is on injured reserve, and minor-league defenseman Scott Jackson, also on IR and who eventually will be sent to AHL Norfolk.

That means the team could keep 14 forwards with two goalies. Of the 15 remaining forwards on the roster, only Tyrell did not need waivers, which gave bubble players Mattias Ritola, Blair Jones and Tom Pyatt a break.

"It's definitely tough that it's (the business) as well as your play," Tyrell said. "It's definitely motivating. Everything that happens along your journey is just another thing that makes you want to prove yourself."

POSITIVE NEGATIVES: Monday's MRI exams showed no structural damage to Ohlund's knee or C Dominic Moore's back, coach Guy Boucher said.

Ohlund will miss at least Friday's opener at Carolina. Moore, who left the ice midway through Tuesday's practice (something Boucher said was planned), is expected to play.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG

The preference would have been for champagne, of course, sprayed wildly around the room. Instead, the Rays gathered in the quiet Tropicana Field clubhouse after the 4-3 playoffs- and season-ending loss, sipping Charbay and Johnny Walker Blue Label whiskey from small plastic cups.

They had done so earlier this season, on the April 6 flight to Chicago after they lost their first five games, manager Joe Maddon telling them they would finish as the best team ever to start that way.

With the season finally over Tuesday afternoon, Maddon stepped in front of them again to make another toast, joking about how prophetic he turned out to be. And amid the frustrated faces, the blank stares and some moist eyes, they realized as they raised their cups how amazingly much they actually accomplished.

"It's hard to leave here upset," infielder Sean Rodriguez said. "What we did was nothing short of a miracle."

The pain of being eliminated — in just four games, in front of their home (though not sold-out) crowd, by the Rangers for a second straight year — was evident throughout the clubhouse, strewn with equipment bags for the trip back to Texas they would not be making.

"Heartbreaking," ace pitcher James Shields said. "Just heartbreaking. … It just kind of came to a crashing halt there, and that's a shame."

"I'm kind of disgusted," centerfielder B.J. Upton said. "It's just sad it had to end this way."

Having come back from what became an 0-6 then 1-8 start, from nine games out of the wild card on Sept. 4, from seven runs down in the eighth inning of Game 162, winning the AL wild card in the wildest way possible, the Rays felt certain they were destined to keep playing for a while.

"Nobody likes to go home," third baseman Evan Longoria said. "When you come in here after a game like today when you know the season is over and you've got to pack up your locker and say bye to everybody for the winter, it's just not a good feeling."

The end, in a way, came fittingly, with the Rays struggling for offense much of the afternoon then trying for another dramatic comeback and falling just short.

Down 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2 — primarily due to Adrian Beltre having the seventh three-homer game in postseason history — the Rays closed to 4-3 in the ninth and had the tying run on first with one out. But Matt Joyce popped up and Desmond Jennings hit a ground ball that forced pinch-runner Elliot Johnson at second to extinguish their final hope.

"We felt like 'til the very end we were going to pull it out," DH Johnny Damon said. "We just didn't want our Cinderella ride to be over yet."

"I guess," Longoria said, "that was our ninth life."

After winning the opener in Texas, the Rays seemed to be positioned well, but then they lost three straight — by a total of four runs. The Rangers shut down the Rays' key hitters — Upton and Longoria were 0-for-13 with nine strikeouts in Games 3 and 4 — and flexed just enough muscle.

"We just didn't see this early exit coming," Upton said. "We didn't think they could beat us twice at home."

Maddon acknowledged that it felt like a premature ending but said he was filled with pride given what they did and how they did it: becoming the first AL team to make the postseason after starting 0-6, and the first in the majors to do so after being nine games out in September, winning 91 games along the way despite all the players they lost from last year's team.

"I do believe we could have gone further," Maddon said, "but I'm really pleased with where our players took us this year."

Executive vice president Andrew Friedman was similarly conflicted.

"In the moment, it's extremely painful for all of us," he said. "We have such an amazing group of guys with such resolve, with such fight all year long. Nine innings every night; we saw it in these last two games. It's a really special group to be a part of. I'm sure once we get out of the moment we'll reflect back and really appreciate what we accomplished. But being in the moment, it's really difficult to do that."

As they gathered in the clubhouse for the last time, they listened to principal owner Stuart Sternberg thank them for the efforts, then to Maddon remind them of their accomplishments.

"We did a lot of things that weren't expected of us, with a lot less than most," Longoria said. "And that's something we could be pretty proud of."

Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@sptimes.com.

Eduardo A. Encina, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

TAMPA — When former USF goalkeeper Jeff Attinella signed his first pro contract with FC Tampa Bay in the offseason, he did so knowing he'd likely open the season as the backup to starter Daryl Sattler.

But after Sattler went down with a season-ending knee injury in the fourth game of the season, Attinella was thrust into the spotlight.

Now he will be the club's starting goalkeeper moving forward.

Three days after its season-ending 1-0 playoff loss to Minnesota, FC Tampa Bay made several roster moves Tuesday, notably exercising the 2012 option on Attinella's contract and announcing it does not plan to offer Sattler, a free agent, a deal for next season.

Attinella, a Countryside High grad who played club soccer for the Clearwater Chargers, posted five shutouts in 22 starts this season as a rookie.

FC Tampa Bay also exercised one-year options on leading scorer Mike Ambersley, defender and team captain Frankie Sanfilippo and midfielder Keith Savage. They join defender Andres Arango, defender J.P. Rodrigues and midfielder Tsuyoshi Yoshitake, who are already signed for next year, on the 2012 roster.

The club declined one-year options for midfielder Chad Burt, a Northeast grad, as well as defender Yendry Diaz, who missed the entire season with a knee injury, and forward Warren Ukah. Two players on loan from MLS teams, goalkeeper Evan Newton (Houston) and defender Kwame Watson-Siriboe (Chicago) will return to their clubs. FC Tampa Bay also met with defender Daniel Scott Monday to discuss a contract offer.

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

GAINESVILLE — It is certainly not the way Florida coach Will Muschamp would have scripted the story, given a choice, but in football you don't always have control over what happens.

How you handle the adversity is something else.

Which is where the Florida Gators are this week as they prepare to play No. 1 LSU Saturday afternoon in Baton Rouge.

The No. 17 Gators have been dealt a bad hand. They are coming off a 28-point loss to Alabama. They are without starting quarterback John Brantley, who injured an ankle late in the second quarter last week and will not play this week. They are down to two freshmen and a redshirt sophomore at quarterback — two of whom have never taken a snap in a college game.

Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis said Jeff Driskel has a slight edge because he has taken some snaps this season, but Jacoby Brissett and Tyler Murphy will also get a chance to earn the start.

"We have our work cut out for us, but I think it's a great opportunity for our football team," Muschamp said. "I told the team, football is a tough deal. If you don't play as well as you would have liked to have played, you have to wait a week to play. It's not like basketball where you go out and play the next night. You have to get that taste out of your mouth and there's no better opportunity than going to Baton Rouge to play LSU."

Opportunity — and tremendous challenge — for a team that faced adversity for the first time and didn't fare well. Leading into the Alabama game, Florida was among the SEC's best rushing teams led by seniors Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey. Against Alabama, the two combined for 8 of Florida's 15 yards. Now UF faces the nation's No. 3 rushing defense.

"We just have to come out and work harder," Demps said.

Part of that work lies with the Gators' offensive line, which was manhandled against Alabama.

"We obviously struggled a bit and need to get better," left tackle Chaz Green said. "Everybody is taking it upon themselves to get better."

LSU is on a 13-game winning streak at Tiger Stadium, and its most recent loss in Death Valley was 13-3 to then-No. 1 Florida in 2009. The Tigers also have won seven straight SEC games at home. But LSU coach Les Miles said Brantley's loss doesn't mean the loss of Florida's offense.

"Their offense is dangerous," Miles said. "I don't put too much stock in their game against a strong and talented Alabama team. I recognize that there are players at every position that are talented and well coached. It is going to be a great matchup in Tiger Stadium."

That might be just coachspeak for Miles, but it's a sincere sentiment from the Gators, who insist they still have hope.

"I don't have any doubt at all, I've got the most confidence in this team," Green said. "We've had one bump in the road. We've still got all of our goals to get to Atlanta (for the SEC title game) — they are still out there, it's still possible. I have the utmost confidence in our team."

"That's motivation for us this week to get better, then go out to Louisiana and take care of business," guard Jon Halapio said.

Last year the Gators' loss to Alabama started a three-game skid and the players have since acknowledged that confidence and team chemistry waned.

Muschamp doesn't envision that happening this season.

"I expect us to respond very well," he said. "We have a bunch of prideful guys. Obviously, we didn't play as well as we would have liked the other night, but … we will respond well."

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

TAMPA — The NFL's quarterbacks have been put on notice.

Anyone who witnessed the Bucs' first nationally televised game of the Raheem Morris era likely walked away knowing Tampa Bay's defensive front is a handful.

And those not convinced could ask Colts quarterback Curtis Painter, who was battered by the Bucs — they registered four sacks for the second straight game.

While we might not yet be seeing the rebirth of the dominant Tony Dungy-Monte Kiffin defenses of the late '90s, the Bucs are getting back to their roots, winning with defense and opportunistic offense. Perhaps the best news is that there's tremendous room for growth in linemen such as Michael Bennett, Gerald McCoy and Adrian Clayborn, who the Bucs feel are only going to improve.

"I am fired up about those young guys, and they are getting better and better," Morris said. "We go out there each week, and I can see improvement."

Bennett had two sacks against the Colts, while McCoy and Clayborn had one each. Nearly as crucial was consistent pressure on Painter; the Bucs (3-1) tallied six quarterback hits, their most this season.

The pressure is coming from a variety of sources.

While rookie linebacker Mason Foster had been instrumental in rushing the passer in the first three games, left defensive end Bennett took center stage Monday. McCoy, who has been clogging the middle of the defense, got his first sack.

Seven players have at least one of the Bucs' 10 total sacks.

"The thing about us up front, we love when another guy gets (a sack)," McCoy said. "That's why we're a unit. When somebody else gets there, we all go crazy. That's what we want to do. That's why I was the first one to run over there (after Clayborn's sack). It was like, 'Man, let's keep it going. Let's get some more.' You build off that, and it makes the game fun.

"Coach says it takes all four, and it definitely does. We did that (Monday), and we all got our fair share. Everybody eats."

With all members of the defensive line having proved they can beat single blocks, there is a constant threat of a pass rush. Take Bennett's two sacks. He proved he can win one-on-one matchups, even when his path to the quarterback isn't a straight line.

On his first sack, Bennett leaped over running back Joseph Addai, who was attempting to undercut the oncoming rusher.

"I just saw the block, and I was like, 'Man, I need to make one of those Troy Polamalu plays,' " Bennett said, referencing the Steelers' All-Pro safety, "and I just jumped over him and stripped the ball."

The Bucs' much-improved pass rush affects more than the opposing quarterback. The pressure has, essentially, changed the complexion of games.

Tampa Bay had its widest margin in time of possession Monday, holding the ball 39 minutes to the Colts' 21 minutes. That's, in part, because the Bucs kept up the pressure on Painter and took advantage of pass-rush opportunities that forced low-percentage throws and, ultimately, punts.

Another result of the intensified pressure: The Bucs can use frequent man-to-man coverage in the secondary, freeing up an extra defender to stop the run.

"I'm really just enjoying the moment and enjoying what those guys are doing up front," Morris said. "And hopefully it will translate into more wins and a better football team at the end of the day."

By Rob Gorta, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

What's hot: The past two weeks have been the best redfishing of the year. Reds are showing up in my "secret" spots, places that have had little to no action the past three or four years.

What to look for: I have spots to fish on a low tide and a high tide. Low tide spots can be the most difficult to find. When the water gets too low for the fish on the flats, you have to figure out where they move to. I watch the school's movement and which direction they fall off the flat. After years of watching schools of fish, I have developed a theory of their movements and where they are going based on the tide. Figure that out, and you'll have a "secret" spot. The last time I hit my low tide spot it yielded numbers of fish that I haven't seen in years.

Great catch: Dell Dameron, Mike Wilson and Alan Higbee went out the day the first cold front of the fall was forecast to move through. From the first cast to the last, more than six hours of fishing, they landed 54 redfish and a ton of sea trout.

Captain Rob Gorta can be reached at (727) 647-7606 or visit captainrobgorta.com.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

BRANDON — The Lightning has more than enough depth on the blue line to handle any emergency, defenseman Brett Clark said.

And wouldn't you know it, two days before the season opens, Tampa Bay has one.

Mattias Ohlund, with a painful right knee, is on injured reserve and will miss at least Friday's opener at Carolina.

"You never replace a guy like that," Clark said of the big Swede, who last season averaged 18:43 minutes of ice time and was a mainstay on the penalty kill. "Everybody will step up and contribute a little more."

Sounds easy enough, but coach Guy Boucher's take is a bit more ominous. Not only will the remaining defensemen log more ice time, but roles and responsibilities will change, perhaps putting players in situations in which they are not familiar.

"It's going to make the rest of our defense swallow more than what they have done in the past," Boucher said Tuesday at the Ice Sports Forum. "Very often when you take guys out of their roles and give them too much to chew on, it becomes difficult."

That is why, Boucher added, "We're looking for guys to develop fast."

Victor Hedman, for example, will be elevated to the first pairing with Eric Brewer, with whom he will face opponents' top lines. The pairings of Clark and Matt Gilroy and Pavel Kubina and Marc-Andre Bergeron will have their chances to go after the second lines.

There is an opening on the penalty kill.

Talk all you want about how Lightning goaltender Dwayne Roloson, at 41 the league's oldest player, may or may not hold up this season, the defense — with Ohlund out for "nobody knows how long," Kubina said — has as many questions, if not more, to answer.

"It's a lot of responsibility on everybody," Kubina said. "But you prepare the same for every game, and you go and do your job if you're playing against the first line or checking line. I don't think it's more pressure. It's an opportunity for everybody."

"It's the same for all the NHL teams," Bergeron said. "Every single one has obstacles to face."

Dealing with injuries isn't new for this group. Ohlund missed last season's first eight games because of his knees. Randy Jones, now with the Jets, missed the final 16. Mike Lundin, now with the Wild, missed 13.

Having Brewer, last season's trade-deadline acquisition, from the start of the season will help add stability. Still, it will be interesting to see how newcomers Gilroy and Bruno Gervais, who likely will start as the No. 7 defenseman, handle the added responsibility while adapting to Tampa Bay's system.

Gilroy especially has to tame his offensive instincts, though Boucher noted his improvement during training camp.

"Right now," Boucher said, "we're looking for guys to do more on defense."

"Some of us are going to get different roles," Clark said, "and different ice times and playing against different players. You have to be ready from the get-go."

That's how to handle an emergency.

Damian Cristodero can be reached at cristodero@sptimes.com. Follow him on Twitter at @LightningTimes.

Times wires
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

BOSTON — Tim Thomas won the Vezina Trophy, the Conn Smythe Trophy and the Stanley Cup last season, everything he could, it seems, except the job as the Bruins' No. 1 goalie.

"We have two No. 1s," coach Claude Julien said Tuesday.

Julien said he will start the season with Thomas and Tuukka Rask sharing time as the starter.

"We don't think of ourselves as No. 1 and No. 2," said Thomas, who ran off with the No. 1 job last season and earned honors as the playoff MVP and the NHL's top goalie. "If the team's on a roll and both goalies are winning, obviously you play both goalies."

Thomas was No. 1 to start the 2009-10 season, but a bad hip hindered him in the second half, and by the time the playoffs came, Rask had the starting job.

Last season Rask struggled down the stretch while Thomas got stronger, getting 35 wins in 55 starts, a 2.00 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage that is a modern record. He was even better in the playoffs, with a 1.98 GAA and a .940 save percentage that improved to .967 in the Stanley Cup final. Rask didn't play in the postseason.

Rangers: Controversial agitator Sean Avery was put on waivers after losing the final roster spot to fellow forward Erik Christensen. "I don't want to keep on shoveling dirt over Sean Avery, but we have better players than Sean Avery right now," coach John Tortorella said, then added, "I guess I just did shovel some."

game highlights: The Ducks' Corey Perry, last season's top goal scorer and league MVP, scored twice and assisted on Ryan Getzlaf's winner in overtime in a 4-3 win over Jokerit at Helsinki, Finland, in Anaheim's final preseason game. … Kings All-Star defenseman Drew Doughty, who sat out most of the preseason as a restricted free agent before agreeing to a deal Thursday, got his first game action in a 5-4 win over Hamburg in Germany in Los Angeles' preseason finale. "It wasn't too difficult for me to get in the flow," he said.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Wednesday, October 5, 2011, Section C | 

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

TAMPA — LeGarrette Blount's ability to break tackles is enabling the Bucs to hold onto leads and close out games.

For the second straight week, the Bucs were able to drive then run out the clock using their 250-pound running back.

Blount rushed for 127 yards and scored the winning touchdown on a 35-yard run with 3:15 left in the 24-17 victory over the Colts on Monday night.

A week ago, Blount had 21 yards on six carries in the final four minutes of the 16-13 win over the Falcons. Against the Colts, Blount rushed nine times for 72 yards in the fourth quarter.

"We embrace the four-minute drill," coach Raheem Morris said. "That's where you want to be in football games, especially when you got a great offense, and we're working our way to becoming a great offense. … We did not make a smart decision at the end of the (first) half there; that's why we couldn't get off our field goal.

"But to get better and better throughout the game, to finish the way we finished, is what I want and what I like."

Blount, who rushed for 1,007 yards as a rookie, recorded his first 100-yard rushing day of the season and fifth of his career.

"I feel like I should have had a 100-yard game by now," Blount said. "My offensive line has been awesome, so there were a few plays that I left on the field the last few games and could have had a 100-yard game, but I'm happy that we got it out of the way."

QB Josh Freeman said he is proud of the improvement Blount has made in his desire to become a complete back. Blount also caught one pass for 14 yards.

"LeGarrette, he's been grinding," Freeman said. "He's been turning himself into the complete back. You see him getting out in the check downs, catching some and being involved in more than just the base run game. I think that's a testament to him and the type of person he is.

"We challenged him going in the last offseason, and, even without the organized offseason, he still found time to study. He called me up, we went over things, and he got ready to go. I'm really proud of his progression."

Parker's place: WR Preston Parker is becoming a bigger part of the Bucs offense. Playing for injured slot WR Sammie Stroughter, Parker scored his first career touchdown against the Colts. He finished with five catches for 70 yards and a score.

"Preston's huge," Freeman said. "He scored a touchdown this week. The Minnesota game, we couldn't have gotten it done without him. He had a number of big plays (Monday night) and did really well within the running game — going out, digging out a linebacker, safety — or in the passing game, catching balls and getting yards. He's great for us."

Odds and ends: For the second straight week, the Bucs recorded four sacks and allowed less than 100 yards rushing. The Colts finished with 62 yards on 18 carries (3.4 average). Three of the sacks came in the fourth quarter. … The Bucs earned a double-digit comeback win for the ninth time since 2008, the most in the NFL during that time.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — Rays third baseman Evan Longoria had entered the past two games at Tropicana Field in a groove offensively, saying he couldn't have felt more comfortable.

After all, his 20 homers after the All-Star break were among the best in the majors, and that included the historic wild-card clinching walkoff blast against the Yankees last week.

But Longoria and the rest of the lineup was shut down by the Rangers in the Rays' past two losses, continuing their perplexing seasonlong struggles at the Trop.

Longoria was 0-for-7 with five strikeouts in Games 3 and 4 of the American League Division Series and his only hit in the final three games was a three-run homer in Game 2.

The three-time All-Star wasn't alone, as the Rays 2-3-4 hitters went a combined 1-for-20 with 11 strikeouts in the past two.

"In the end, it really came down to us offensively not doing anything," Longoria said. "It's tough when, the whole year, we've really struggled to score runs at home. … I don't mind taking the blame for it. I expect to play better in situations like this. But (Tuesday), it just wasn't meant to be."

Longoria and centerfielder B.J. Upton, each of whom had a hot September, continued by going 7-for-17 in Games 1 and 2 in Texas as the Rays racked up 15 runs. But the duo was 0-for-13 with nine strikeouts in the next two, and the team mustered six runs.

"I just didn't hit the ball," Longoria said. "They pitched well. You hear the phrase, 'good pitching beats good hitting' all the time. Well, they made their pitches when they needed to. I don't really feel like there's anything that myself or anybody in this clubhouse has to hang their heads about. We all did our preparation and we all went out there as ready as we could be. Sometimes you get beat."

On Monday, Rangers right-hander Colby Lewis handcuffed the Rays, holding them to one hit through six innings to pick up his fourth postseason victory. Left-hander Matt Harrison followed suit Tuesday, tying a career high with nine strikeouts in just five innings.

"It seems like they were hitting their spots, in and out, up and down," said designated hitter Johnny Damon, who was 1-for-8 the past two games. "They weren't leaving much stuff over the middle of the plate. That's why they were successful and why they've been able to shut us down the past couple games."

Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@sptimes.com.