Star Of The Game: Rays' Bullpen Last season, it was one of the most motley crews ever assembled in major-league history (6.16 ERA, worst since the 1950s). This season, the Rays' bullpen has been strictly lights out. Scott Kazmir, despite early pitch-count troubles, got into the sixth inning. From there, it was closed out by Grant Balfour, J.P. Howell and Chad Bradford. In two playoff games, Tampa Bay relievers have retired 18 of 23 batters (61/3 innings, one run allowed on a homer, no walks, nine strikeouts). "They don't have a legit closer, and I see they have lefty, righty, lefty in the bullpen," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "That's why they have the brightest men I've seen in the game right now." ...more

October 4, 2008

The Tampa Bay Rays are heading to Chicago on a high note after Friday night's 6-2 victory against the White Sox at Tropicana Field. Akinori Iwamura's two-run homer provided the lead, Scott Kazmir got the victory, the bullpen closed it out and the Rays took a two-game lead in the best-of-five American League Division Series. Game 3, the potential Rays' clincher, is Sunday afternoon at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field. ...more

October 4, 2008

Tampa Bay's 6-2 triumph over Chicago put the Rays a win away from reaching the ALCS. ...more

October 3, 2008

Forget the Alamo. Remember Elliot Johnson. We know there's a body of water in Minnesota named Lake Itasca and that it's the source of the mighty Mississippi. But where, oh, where did this amazing Rays season begin? ...more

September 30, 2008

BOSTON – Almost stammering with excitement, the remnants of a celebratory shaving cream pie still clinging to his shirt and his ears, Jason Hammel summed up what transpired the past three evenings at Fenway Park rather succinctly. ...more

September 11, 2008

The most significant road trip in Rays franchise history continues in Boston, where the Rays have yet to beat the defending World Series champions this season. ...more

September 8, 2008

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner. An emphatic winner. The Rays clinched their first plus-.500 record in their 11-year history Friday night with an exclamation mark, showing off pitching and hitting in lambasting the Baltimore Orioles 14-3 at Tropicana Field. ...more

August 30, 2008

The Rays couldn't do anything at the plate once Halladay departed, and some late Toronto runs sealed a 6-2 victory for the Blue Jays. ...more

August 27, 2008

The way Troy Percival looked after Thursday's game, with his right leg encased in a thigh-to-ankle brace and crutches necessary to navigate the clubhouse, it appears likely he'll be back on the disabled list sometime today. ...more

August 15, 2008

Carlos Pena was wrapping up a thought about driving home the winning run Sunday on a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the 10th inning when he stopped himself, as if to take it all in mentally. ...more

August 3, 2008