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Timely Hits Support Jackson, Bullpen

The Associated Press

Toronto Blue Jay Alex Rios ducks out of the way of a ball thrown by Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Edwin Jackson during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto.

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By MARC LANCASTER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 31, 2008

TORONTO - The mood in the Rays' clubhouse before Wednesday's game was decidedly mellow, with a string of Bob Marley tunes wafting from the speakers in place of the usual hip-hop selections.

While they were upbeat as the final installment of a seven-game trip loomed, the Rays didn't seem inclined to get too worked up about anything. That attitude prevailed once the game began, embodied mostly by Edwin Jackson getting himself into and out of trouble with assistance from his supporting cast.

By the time it was finished, the Rays had eked out a 3-2 victory that ensured a relaxing flight home with visions of Jason Bay dancing in their heads and a 4-3 road trip in the books.

The Rays didn't score more than five runs in any game in Kansas City or Toronto, but they allowed more than four runs only once. That stinginess gave them their first winning trip against American League opposition this year; they won five out of six at Florida and Pittsburgh in late June.

"If I had one thing in the back of my mind before we left, it was just to win the road trip somehow, come back with a better than .500 record," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "You're always looking for those little growth moments; that may be one."

Jackson had a growth moment in every inning he pitched Wednesday. The starter once known for his propensity to let innings snowball out of control locked it down after surrendering a couple of first-inning runs on a two-out Lyle Overbay homer.

Toronto would move at least one runner into scoring position in each of the next four innings - including putting a man on third with nobody out in both the fourth and fifth innings - but Jackson didn't budge. He escaped danger after Adam Lind tripled leading off the fourth with a foul pop to third and a grounder to first, then navigated the fifth on a grounder back to the mound and a strikeout of Overbay.

"It wasn't easy by any means," Jackson said. "It was being aggressive and making good pitches when I needed them. Definitely a tough position, but it's just one of those things you have to work through."

His ability to do so was indicative of the progress he has made this season in keeping his focus when things go poorly.

"He showed us what he was made of," Carl Crawford said.

Once the fifth inning was in the books, Jackson turned his 3-2 lead over to the bullpen. J.P. Howell, Grant Balfour, Dan Wheeler and Troy Percival each tossed a scoreless inning as the relief corps came together exactly as Maddon drew it up.

Combine another stellar pitching effort with some timely hitting - a two-out RBI triple by Crawford in the first, a leadoff homer by Carlos Pena in the fourth, and Eric Hinske scoring the tiebreaker on a Gabe Gross double-play groundout - and the Rays again found a way.

They have won three of four series since the All-Star break and split the other, leaving behind the skid that had many questioning their long-term chances.

"We're definitely starting to get back in the flow of things, and once again it's been pitching and defense and timely hitting," B.J. Upton said. "That's the way it's been all year besides those seven days."

Jackson got a good laugh after the game about how he picked up two victories on the road trip in a pair of five-inning starts. Earlier in the season, he pitched 15 scoreless innings in a couple of starts and had nothing to show for it even though the Rays won both games.

That's baseball, though, and the Rays seem to be back to getting the job done by whatever means necessary.

"That's the way we're going to have to win our games," Jackson said. "We're going to have to go out and take them, whether it's pitching or offense or defense."

Reporter Marc Lancaster can be reached at (813) 259-7227 or mlancaster@tampatrib.com.

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