By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Rays vs. Blue Jays
When/where: 6:40 tonight; Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg
TV/radio: Fox Sports Florida; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)
Starting pitchers:
RAYS:
RH Jeff Niemann (1-3, 5.60)
Blue JAYS: RH Brandon Morrow (0-1, 3.97)
Tickets: $9-$210 at Tropicana Field box office, Ticketmaster, raysbaseball.com, team store in Tampa, $3 surcharge within five hours of game.
Watch for …
Standing tall: Niemann is coming off a confidence-building outing in Minnesota, where he allowed 1 run over 7 IP and got his first win. He is 3-2, 4.99 in five starts vs. the Blue Jays.
Tough task: Morrow is incredibly tough on the Rays, though not quite as much April 23 (10 K in 51/3 IP) as his August 2010 start (17 K, 1 H in 9 IP). He is making just his third start due to a DL stint (elbow). Overall he is 2-2, 1.95 in nine games vs. the Rays.
Key matchups
Rays vs. Morrow
Reid Brignac 0-for-10
B.J. Upton 1-for-20
Ben Zobrist 2-for-13
Blue Jays vs. Niemann
Edwin Encarnacion 0-for-6
Adam Lind 8-for-21, HR
Juan Rivera 1-for-4
On deck
Thursday: vs. Jays, 1:10, Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (3-3, 3.95); Jays — Ricky Romero (2-3, 3.00)
Friday: at O's, 7:05, Sun Sports. Rays — James Shields (2-1, 2.14); O's — Zach Britton (5-1, 2.63)
Saturday: at O's, 1:10, Ch. 13. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (2-2, 4.31); O's — Jeremy Guthrie (1-4, 3.00)
Sunday: at O's, 1:35, Sun Sports. Rays — Wade Davis (3-2, 2.77); O's — Brad Bergesen (0-3, 4.88)
Marc Topkin, Times staff writer
Tweet of the day
@DAVIDprice14: my flip into home was my best FIFA celebration … the front flip roll with the "shoootteerrr" fingers … MARCUS
From LHP David Price, "correcting" an @SPTimesRays tweet describing his entertaining trot after a batting practice thusly: "flips bat, cartwheels around 1st + 2nd, slides into 3rd, somersaults across plate."
Quote of the day
"The Babe's back in town."
Manager Joe Maddon on the return of No. 3-wearing Evan Longoria
New (old) face at the Trop
Former Devil Rays All-Star closer Roberto Hernandez was in a Rays uniform — with his old No. 39 — the first of occasional appearances as an adviser to the bullpen crew. "I told him any time you can get out here, I want you to come out and just walk around and talk to the guys and impart some of your knowledge," manager Joe Maddon said. "I just want him to go out and interact."