TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Shields Wins 14th As Rays Take Opener, 5-2

ADVERTISEMENT

By MARC LANCASTER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 24, 2008

BALTIMORE - The Rays inched closer to completing the next item on their final-week checklist Tuesday night, picking up an individual milestone to boot.

In rallying to defeat the Orioles 5-2 in the opener of a doubleheader, the Rays cut their magic number to clinch the AL East title to three and saw a victorious James Shields grab a piece of team history.

The win was Shields' 14th of the season, tying Rolando Arrojo's club record that has endured since the franchise's inaugural season. That mark looked as if it might continue to stand alone this year after Andy Sonnanstine missed out on his six chances to tie it and Shields couldn't convert in his first crack at it last week, but it was finally equaled Tuesday.

"It means a lot," Shields said. "I've worked hard enough to where I think I'm going to be able to get to this point on a consistent basis."

Manager Joe Maddon lined Shields up to start the opening game of the doubleheader a couple of weeks ago specifically because he hoped his workhorse would help the bullpen by going seven or eight strong innings.

Shields did his part, mostly cruising through seven innings and allowing the only two runs scored by the Orioles in the opener on one swing. That two-run homer by Lou Montanez in the second inning was enough to put Baltimore ahead 2-0, but it didn't hold up once the Rays' bats heated up later in the game.

The bottom of the batting order did most of the work, with all of the Rays' runs scored by the guys hitting in the sixth through ninth spots. No. 8 and No. 9 hitters Jason Bartlett and Fernando Perez did much of the heavy lifting, combining to go 6-for-7 and reach base seven times in eight trips to the plate - with a sacrifice bunt by Perez the only exception.

Naturally, they had some help from the woeful Orioles. Starter Garrett Olson ushered home the Rays' first run with a wild pickoff throw that nestled behind the tarp down the right-field line. That scored Dioner Navarro from third and moved Bartlett up to second. He didn't stay there long, coming around to tie the game 2-2 on a double by Perez.

A Bartlett double the following inning brought home Navarro to give the Rays the lead for good, and they would tack on a run each in the seventh and eighth innings as more fans began to trickle into Camden Yards in the midst of the doubleheader.

"The beginning of the game lacked a little bit of energy," Maddon said. "Makeup game, 5:00 start, not many folks there - you've got to create your own juice at that point. But our guys stayed with it."

Shields acknowledged the strange vibe, saying he didn't have the usual adrenaline flowing and "it didn't feel like a normal game."

But he didn't show any ill effects, benefiting from a big 3-6-1 double play that got him out of the fifth inning leaving a man stranded on third, and watching Ben Zobrist end the fourth by throwing Omir Santos out from left field as he tried to stretch a single into a double.

Though he is scheduled to start the regular-season finale Sunday in Detroit, Shields might not get a chance to break Arrojo's record outright. There's a chance the Rays could pull Shields from the start to let him rest up for the playoffs, and even if he does get the ball, Maddon indicated it probably would be a tune-up that lasts only a few innings.

Of course, that's assuming the Rays have the division title in hand by then. It's getting closer by the day.

"We can taste it," Shields said. "We're not done yet."

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

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT