Rays limp home
After losing the finale of a long and eventful road trip, the Tampa Bay Rays are finally heading home.
There won’t be much time to rest. A nine-game homestand opens Monday with three against the AL East-leading New York Yankees. After four games against Kansas City, the Rays play two against the Boston Red Sox, who lead the AL wildcard race.
“This is a crucial homestand,” Rays slugger Pat Burrell said. “I think it will dictate a lot, especially with the (July 31 trade) deadline coming up. If we have a real good homestand, I mean real good, we’re going to be in a good place.”
Scott Rolen hit a three-run home run and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Tampa Bay 5-1 Sunday, handing Rays rookie Jeff Niemann his first loss in his last six decisions.
The Rays finished 6-4 on a road trip that began after the All-Star break and included both a perfect-game defeat to Chicago’s Mark Buehrle and the biggest comeback in team history, overturning an eight-run deficit in Saturday’s 10-9, 12-inning win.
Blue Jays rookie left-hander Brett Cecil got the win Sunday, allowing one run and four hits in seven innings. Cecil (4-1) walked three and struck out seven. Brandon League pitched the eighth and Jason Frasor finished in the ninth as the Blue Jays won for just the second time in nine games against the Rays.