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Rays Snag Classic Victory, 1-0 Over Blue Jays

The Associated Press

Tampa Bay's Carlos Pena, right, high-fives a bat boy after hitting a fourth-inning home run off Toronto's David Purcey.

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By TONY FABRIZIO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 28, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Rays manager Joe Maddon called it "a classic kind of game."

Surely the Rays' 1-0 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night had the makings and a September-October feel.

It had stout starting pitching by Matt Garza, perfect work by two relievers and tremendous defense, including a game-ending, wall-crashing catch by recent minor-league call-up Justin Ruggiano in left field.

Carlos Pena, a catalyst in the Rays' second-half excellence, accounted for the only run with one swing of the bat. His first-pitch home run in the fourth inning spoiled an unexpectedly strong effort by lefty rookie David Purcey.

The Rays, with Boston ratcheting up the pressure in the American League East race, avoided their first three-game losing streak in the second half. They stayed 31/2 games ahead of the Red Sox, who pounded New York 11-3.

"They're all about wins right now," said Maddon, whose team is 25-12 since the All-Star break and reached 80 wins. "We just have to be able to play with this level of emotional intensity nightly, and we have.

"I don't really have to goad them along right now. They get it. Carlos and Cliff Floyd have really stepped up in that regard, taking command of the group."

Garza (11-7), who had complete-game shutouts in two of his previous five starts, contributed 7 2/3 innings to this masterpiece. Grant Balfour and Dan Wheeler (ninth save) retired the four batters they faced.

The combined shutout came against a Jays club that hit .299 with 51 extra-base hits and had outscored its opponents 80-44 in the previous 13 games.

And it came on a night when Purcey (2-5) set career highs with 11 strikeouts and eight innings of work in his first meeting against the Rays.

"Their guy came in walking a lot of guys and not striking out a lot of guys, and he was spectacular," Maddon said. "Garza was amazing also."

But not in pregame warm-ups. Shawn Riggans, who drew the start at catcher so Dioner Navarro could rest sore hamstrings, noted that Garza wasn't sharp before taking the mound.

"In the bullpen today, I would say it was probably one of his worst warm-ups," Riggans said. "I've only caught him four or five times, but he really wasn't pinpoint in the bullpen. But he gets in the game and he's such a competitor that that's all out the window."

Garza's effort might have been for naught if not for Ruggiano robbing Rod Barajas of an extra-base hit with two outs and none on in the bottom of the ninth. Ruggiano, who leaped to make the catch and bounced off the wall, also made Maddon look smart.

For the inning, Maddon moved Ruggiano into left field in place of utility man Ben Zobrist, who had made two excellent running catches in the corner earlier in the game. Gabe Gross replaced Ruggiano in right.

"Ruggiano is an outfielder," Maddon said. "Ben had a very good game in left field tonight. But he's not an outfielder, and there are certain plays where, if you're not an outfielder, you're not comfortable. So we just wanted to get it back to all outfielders."

Garza's bid to go the distance ended with two outs in the eighth. A walk to Alex Rios brought a visit to the mound from Maddon, and an ensuing walk to Vernon Wells brought Maddon back to make a switch.

Balfour came on to get one of the big outs of the night, striking out Adam Lind. Wheeler was perfect in the ninth.

Reporter Tony Fabrizio can be reached at afabrizio@tampatrib.com or 813-259-7994.

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