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By JEFF MEZYDLO, STATS Senior Writer
May 18, 7:21 pm EDT
Neither the Tampa Bay Rays nor the Oakland Athletics were expected to be hanging around the top of their respective divisions at any point in 2008.
Almost two months into the season, however, they’ve been two of the majors’ biggest surprises as they open a three-game series Monday night in Oakland.
Tampa Bay (25-19) has never finished with a winning record in 10 seasons, but entered its weekend series at St. Louis atop the AL East standings. The Rays, though, head to Oakland one game back of first-place Boston after losing 5-4 on Sunday to drop two of three to the Cardinals and lose just their second series in their last eight.
“We’re not a finished product yet, but I do like the determination,” Rays manager Joe Maddon told the team’s official Web site.
Oakland (24-21), meanwhile, is 1 1/2 games behind the AL West-leading Los Angeles Angels despite trading away players like Dan Haren, Nick Swisher, and veteran Mark Kotsay in the offseason. The A’s, though, lost 5-2 at Atlanta on Sunday to finish 2-7 on a road trip that included stops at Texas and Cleveland.
“We should be embarrassed to go 2-7 on this road trip,” Oakland’s Mike Sweeney said. “We’re a better team than that.”
Tampa Bay went 6-4 against the A’s in 2007, winning two of three at Oakland last April.
On Sunday, the Rays blew a 3-0 lead and fell for the second straight game. Carl Crawford homered and B.J. Upton had two hits with an RBI, but Tampa Bay pitchers walked 10 batters, including eight in the last three innings.
Crawford and Upton combined to go 11-for-27 with a homer and five RBIs in the series with St. Louis. Upton hit .390 with five homers and 12 RBIs against Oakland in 2007.
The Rays’ James Shields (4-3, 3.05 ERA) looks to avoid a third straight losing decision on the road when he takes the ball. The right-hander allowed two runs and six hits in 7 1-3 innings, but took the loss as Tampa Bay fell 2-1 to the visiting New York Yankees on Wednesday.
“I felt like I pitched good enough to win,” said Shields, who is 1-2 with a 6.10 ERA away from home, but 2-1 with a 4.05 ERA against Oakland. “Games like this are pretty tough.”
The A’s, meanwhile, turn to Joe Blanton (2-6, 3.69) to help them get back on track. Blanton gave up a pair of solo home runs and two other hits in seven innings of Oakland’s 2-0 loss at Cleveland on Wednesday. The hard-luck right-hander has allowed no more than two earned runs in each of his last four starts.
“I try not to think about it as discouraging,” Blanton told the A’s official Web site. “The people who count, the people around here, they know how you’re pitching.”
Blanton is 2-3 with a 6.06 ERA in seven starts against Tampa Bay.
On Sunday, Bobby Crosby homered for Oakland, which pounded out 11 hits, but stranded 11 men, including runners at third base in the second, sixth, seventh and eighth innings. It was the sixth time on the trip the A’s were held to two or fewer runs.
Despite the team’s offensive struggles, Crosby has hit safely in eight straight games, batting .375 (12-for-32) during that span. His only hit in three at-bats versus Shields was a solo home run.
May 18, 7:21 pm EDT
Neither the Tampa Bay Rays nor the Oakland Athletics were expected to be hanging around the top of their respective divisions at any point in 2008.
Almost two months into the season, however, they’ve been two of the majors’ biggest surprises as they open a three-game series Monday night in Oakland.
Tampa Bay (25-19) has never finished with a winning record in 10 seasons, but entered its weekend series at St. Louis atop the AL East standings. The Rays, though, head to Oakland one game back of first-place Boston after losing 5-4 on Sunday to drop two of three to the Cardinals and lose just their second series in their last eight.
“We’re not a finished product yet, but I do like the determination,” Rays manager Joe Maddon told the team’s official Web site.
Oakland (24-21), meanwhile, is 1 1/2 games behind the AL West-leading Los Angeles Angels despite trading away players like Dan Haren, Nick Swisher, and veteran Mark Kotsay in the offseason. The A’s, though, lost 5-2 at Atlanta on Sunday to finish 2-7 on a road trip that included stops at Texas and Cleveland.
“We should be embarrassed to go 2-7 on this road trip,” Oakland’s Mike Sweeney said. “We’re a better team than that.”
Tampa Bay went 6-4 against the A’s in 2007, winning two of three at Oakland last April.
On Sunday, the Rays blew a 3-0 lead and fell for the second straight game. Carl Crawford homered and B.J. Upton had two hits with an RBI, but Tampa Bay pitchers walked 10 batters, including eight in the last three innings.
Crawford and Upton combined to go 11-for-27 with a homer and five RBIs in the series with St. Louis. Upton hit .390 with five homers and 12 RBIs against Oakland in 2007.
The Rays’ James Shields (4-3, 3.05 ERA) looks to avoid a third straight losing decision on the road when he takes the ball. The right-hander allowed two runs and six hits in 7 1-3 innings, but took the loss as Tampa Bay fell 2-1 to the visiting New York Yankees on Wednesday.
“I felt like I pitched good enough to win,” said Shields, who is 1-2 with a 6.10 ERA away from home, but 2-1 with a 4.05 ERA against Oakland. “Games like this are pretty tough.”
The A’s, meanwhile, turn to Joe Blanton (2-6, 3.69) to help them get back on track. Blanton gave up a pair of solo home runs and two other hits in seven innings of Oakland’s 2-0 loss at Cleveland on Wednesday. The hard-luck right-hander has allowed no more than two earned runs in each of his last four starts.
“I try not to think about it as discouraging,” Blanton told the A’s official Web site. “The people who count, the people around here, they know how you’re pitching.”
Blanton is 2-3 with a 6.06 ERA in seven starts against Tampa Bay.
On Sunday, Bobby Crosby homered for Oakland, which pounded out 11 hits, but stranded 11 men, including runners at third base in the second, sixth, seventh and eighth innings. It was the sixth time on the trip the A’s were held to two or fewer runs.
Despite the team’s offensive struggles, Crosby has hit safely in eight straight games, batting .375 (12-for-32) during that span. His only hit in three at-bats versus Shields was a solo home run.