TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Garza Turns In Mixed Results In Defeat

The Associated Press

James Shields should pitch one or two innings today before handing off.

ADVERTISEMENT

By MARC LANCASTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 28, 2008

DETROIT - With the division title in hand and most of the regulars getting the night off, Saturday was mostly about Matt Garza getting tuned up for the postseason.

In that regard, the Rays' 4-3 loss to the Tigers produced mixed results.

Garza's arm felt lively after he had been skipped his previous time through the rotation, and his stuff looked about as nasty as Manager Joe Maddon has seen it - particularly his slider and curveball.

"I thought he threw the ball real well," Maddon said. "His stuff was fantastic, actually."

But Garza also felt some rust in his first outing since Sept. 17, saying his pitch selection wasn't as good as he would have liked, and that may be a concern considering his next start likely won't come until a week from today.

Overall, Garza didn't appear concerned. He was disappointed he couldn't rack up his 12th victory after giving up a pair of runs in the fifth inning, his last, that allowed the Tigers to tie the game at 3, but that was about it.

"I'd like to leave with a win, but I felt great," he said.

Jeff Niemann took the loss in three innings of relief after walking the first batter he faced, Gary Sheffield, and watching him come around to score on an Edgar Renteria double. But the big right-hander impressed Maddon by utilizing an impressive curveball to work out of some jams.

The Rays' offense slumbered for the second half of the game, managing to put only one man on base after starter Dontrelle Willis departed one out into the sixth - and that runner came courtesy of Brandon Inge dropping a routine pop-up by Rocco Baldelli in the eighth.

In fact, it was all downhill after the Rays' first two batters of the game reached base against Willis and scored on a Baldelli double to right-center. They let the left-hander off the hook after he needed 35 pitches to escape the first.

Their only offense beyond Baldelli's hit came from Ben Zobrist, who singled, doubled and homered to provide the Rays' other hits on the evening. The last of those, his 11th long ball of the season, put Tampa Bay ahead 3-1.

Zobrist said he is as "surprised as anybody" by his sudden show of power but would have preferred a different outcome.

"It stinks when you don't win," he said, "because that's the name of the game."

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT