By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Today: off
Up next: at Indians, 7:05 p.m. Tuesday, Progressive Field, Cleveland
TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)
Probable starting pitchers:
RAYS: RH Andy Sonnanstine (0-0, 2.19) ORIOLES: RH Josh Tomlin (4-1, 2.43)
On deck
Wednesday: at Indians, 7:05, Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (4-3, 3.26); Indians — Jeanmar Gomez (0-1, 4.91)
Thursday: at Indians, 12:05, Sun Sports. Rays — James Shields (3-1, 2.01); Indians — Justin Masterson (5-0, 2.25)
Rehab note of the day
LHP J.P. Howell worked one inning of scoreless relief in a rehab appearance at Triple-A Durham on Saturday night, allowing one hit. Manager Joe Maddon said Howell is on schedule to rejoin the Rays around May 15. "His next time out he's going to go back-to-back days," Maddon said. "He's going to get three days off and then he's going back-to-back. His velocity was up to 86, which is really a good sign. All the other pitches worked well off 85-86 with him. Furthermore, he's picked off two runners, which I have no idea how that happened."
Quote of the day
"I don't even know if I even had a hit on Mother's Day, to be honest with you."
B.J. Upton, after going 2-for-4 with a pink bat Sunday, before being reminded A's LHP Dallas Braden threw a perfect game against the Rays on Mother's Day in 2010
Auction item of the day
Rays DH Johnny Damon wore pink Puma spikes in Sunday's game that he will auction to raise money for the charitable foundation of Tracy Galvin, the sister of Rays relief pitcher Adam Russell who was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer in August. "What can you say about that guy?" Russell said of Damon, right. "I've only known him for a couple months and he's going to auction off his shoes and donate them to my sister's foundation. That just shows what a great guy, what an unbelievable teammate he is, and I don't have the words to express how much I appreciate what he's doing."