By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Rays at Tigers
When/where: 1:05 today; Comerica Park, Detroit
TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)
Starting pitchers
RAYS: RH Andy Sonnanstine (0-2, 4.21)
TIGERS: RH Brad Penny (4-4, 4.45)
Watch for …
Sonny's day: Sonnanstine makes his fourth start in place of injured RHP Jeff Niemann and has shown just modest improvement, going 0-1, 6.08. He is 1-1, 6.08 in two starts against the Tigers, both in 2008.
Penny lane: Penny's second stint in the AL has thus far gone better than with Boston in 2009, though his walks are up. Penny, engaged to Dancing with the Stars performer Karina Smirnoff, is 2-4, 5.45 in seven games against the Rays.
Key matchups
Rays vs. Penny
Johnny Damon 0-for-6
Casey Kotchman 2-for-6
B.J. Upton 1-for-9
Tigers vs. Sonnanstine
Miguel Cabrera 3-for-7
Victor Martinez 2-for-11
Jhonny Peralta 2-for-8, HR
On deck
Thursday: Off
Friday: vs. Indians, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (5-4, 3.89); Indians — Josh Tomlin (6-1, 2.41)
Saturday: vs. Indians, 4:10, Sun Sports. Rays — James Shields (5-2, 2.00); Indians — Carlos Carrasco (3-2, 5.16)
Lightning fan of the day
Rays manager Joe Maddon is doing what he can to support the Bolts, sporting his Lightning cap during batting practice and taping a video message to be shown tonight at the St. Pete Times Forum. Not only does Maddon like what the Lightning has done and how it has done it but who it is doing it against: "Let's go be beat Boston. There's nothing more fun for anybody from Tampa Bay than it is to beat Boston. So they have that opportunity to take it back from 3-2 right now and do it." Maddon, of course, has experience, ousting the Red Sox en route to the 2008 World Series. "It's kinda nice — especially in a playoff moment."
Date of the day
OF Matt Joyce today will pass Jason Bartlett (2009) for the latest date a Ray has led the league in hitting.