TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Rays Staff A Hand Full Of Aces

ADVERTISEMENT

By TONY FABRIZIO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 17, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - The Rays may not have a true ace on their pitching staff, but Andy Sonnanstine has pitched like one under the glare of a pennant race spotlight.

He's helped Tampa Bay record two potentially crucial victories against the Boston Red Sox: 4-2 in 14 innings last Wednesday at Fenway Park and 2-1 Tuesday night at Tropicana Field.

"These last two games he's pitched is the best I've seen him," Rays manager Joe Maddon said after the Rays retook a one-game lead in the American League East over Boston.

"He even had a shutout in Yankee Stadium last year [allowing one unearned run in eight innings], which was pretty good, but I still think the last two games were the sharpest."

Although Sonnanstine didn't get the victory in either outing against Boston, he pitched a combined 13 innings without allowing an earned run. He kept his team close.

Grant Balfour, J.P. Howell and Dan Wheeler combined for three shutout innings of relief Tuesday, and Wheeler picked up the win when Dioner Navarro delivered a game-winning RBI single against a drawn-in outfield in the bottom of the ninth.

Against the Red Sox this season, Sonnanstine is 0-0 with an 0.00 earned-run average, allowing two unearned runs and seven hits while striking out seven and walking five. He also has not allowed an earned run in his last 16 innings pitched.

"He's done great all year," said Boston's Josh Beckett, the winningest pitcher in the majors from 2005-2007, but the loser in Tuesday night's tight contest. "He doesn't walk anybody. He pounds the strike zone with four different pitches – five, actually, if you count his slider backup up sometimes. He's done a great job."

Sonnanstine's strong performance came the night after Scott Kazmir, the Rays' most touted pitcher, was clobbered for nine runs in three innings in a 13-5 loss.

Getting a rebound victory helped the Rays put the thumping into perspective – that is, it only counted for one loss. The Rays still have a chance to take two of three from Boston for the second time in two weeks tonight.

Boston's offensive explosion Monday night, including six home runs, didn't seem to play on Sonnanstine's mind.

"They're a good-hitting ball club," he said. "Once they put together a rally, it seems like it makes their hitters more comfortable. I tried to do everything I could to make them uncomfortable."

Catcher Dioner Navarro said Sonnanstine kept himself out of trouble by getting ahead in the count.

"He throws a lot of strikes," he said. "The way he thinks, either he's going to get them, or they're going to get him. He did a great job tonight."

Less talked about than some of the Rays other starters because he doesn't have the blistering fastball, Sonnanstine is nonetheless tied with James Shields for the team lead in wins at 13-7. His ERA is 4.33, tied with Edwin Jackson's, but higher than that of the other starters.

All five of the Rays starting pitchers have double-digit wins, and Maddon won't designate any of them as the ace.

"I'm really not into the semantics of ace or no ace," he said. "I just like the idea that we've got a bunch of guys we can count on. We've got guys that pick other guys up when something doesn't go well."

But Maddon is a believer in Sonnanstine.

"People keep expecting him to not do well because he doesn't throw 92 mph," Maddon said. "Andy has always been a winner. It speaks to an inner confidence. It speaks to the fact he knows he belongs here and he pitch well on a consistent basis."

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT