Rays eager to start 'crucial homestand'

The number fluctuated a few times during the Rays' road trip, moving a couple of games in Tampa Bay's favor at one point, but now it's right back where it was coming out of the All-Star break.

The Rays are 61/2 games out of first place as the team that currently holds that position, the Yankees, comes to Tropicana Field to open a three-game set tonight. It's still too early to slap a "must-win" label on the series, but the potential to head into the weekend trailing by either 31/2 or 91/2 after a sweep by one party or another has everyone's attention.

"We can't seem to catch any ground on them, so this will be the best way," Carl Crawford said. "Play them head-up and hope that we can gain some ground that way."

The Rays will have to deal with the Yankees' top three starters, beginning with A.J. Burnett in the opener. A welcome day off will follow the series before Kansas City (which has dropped 11 of 12 after Sunday) visits for four games and the second-place Red Sox for two.

Even after this homestand is complete, the Rays will still have 12 games remaining against the Yankees and Red Sox, but they'd just as soon start making a dent now.

"They all count for something now, especially within our division," said Evan Longoria. "I think we've put ourselves in a good spot - we're not far out and we have a lot of games to play against the teams that are ahead of us."

As Pat Burrell said Sunday, the Rays need to focus on winning series in their effort to close the gap on both teams, and the only way to do that is focus on each game as it comes.

Taken as a whole, though, the opportunity presented by nine consecutive games at the Trop isn't to be taken lightly.

"I think this is a crucial homestand, to be honest, for us," Burrell said. "I think it'll dictate a lot, especially with the trade deadline coming up. If we have a real good homestand - I mean, real good - we're going to be in a good place."

On a roll?

The Yankees have given James Shields more trouble in his career than any other opponent. Entering tonight's start against them, Shields is 1-6 with a 5.73 ERA - his highest ERA against any AL opponent and fewest wins against any team in the division.

But that lone victory is the one he's clinging to. It came in Shields' most recent start against New York, last Sept. 13 in the Bronx. He limited the Yankees to five hits and didn't walk a batter in eight shutout innings. Not a bad building block, even if it is a bit distant.

"You're always as good as your last game against them," Shields said.

Leaning left

LHP Brian Shouse came through his back-to-back rehab outings for Charlotte with no trouble and is "on pace" to be activated from the disabled list today, Maddon said.

The reliever has been sidelined since May 25 with an elbow strain, and his return will give the Rays three left-handers in the bullpen for the first time this season as he joins Randy Choate and J.P. Howell.

The logical countermove would be optioning RHP Dale Thayer back to Durham, but the Rays didn't do it after the game Sunday, thus leaving open the possibility that a spot could be cleared in another fashion.

Marc Lancaster