September 20, 2008

Rays' 9=8: Mission accomplished - for now

By Ted Fleming PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- It took 11 years to reach the mountain but the Tampa Bay Rays will be one of the eight teams that will qualify for the 2008 postseason.

Scott Kazmir tossed six scoreless innings and Carlos Pena doubled in a pair of runs as the Rays clinched the first playoff berth in franchise history with a 7-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.

"It's exactly what I thought," said a jubilant Rays' manager Joe Maddon. "I thought about my dad, and there it was (the win). I carry his hat everywhere. It was his last cap. Everything to this is in second place. This (the celebration) will go on all night."

"It's well deserved by that club over there," said Twins skipper Ron Gardenhire. "They play the right way and they battle. They have a lot of good athletes, a lot of talented players. That's why they're winning. So congratulations Tampa Bay."

In front of a rare sellout crowd of 36,048 at Tropicana Field, Joe Mauer lifted a pop-up into foul territory near the third-base dugout.

Rookie sensation Evan Longoria settled under it and squeezed the ball for the out, setting off a raucous celebration.

"I gave the ball to our authenticator," said Longoria when asked what he did with it hoping not to spark a debate over ownership like Doug Mientkiewicz did when the Red Sox won the championship in 86 years. "We'll get it authenticated and see what happens. We'll do whatever the club wants to do."

The next step for Tampa Bay (92-61) is to win the American League East. It currently leads the Boston Red Sox (90-64) by 2 1/2 games with nine to play.

Kazmir (12-7) was sharp from the start, striking out four through the first two innings en route to his 12th win of the season. The ace lefthander would depart with a 6-0 lead after six frames, allowing five hits while walking one and striking out five.

"I was expecting to stay in longer," said Kazmir. "But I think when it comes to the postseason it will be a little different. Hopefully I get stretched out a little more."

Dioner Navarro paced the Tampa Bay's offensive attack with three hits and an RBI.

The Rays struck first only because the rings that hang over the field gave Pena a second life with two outs in the third inning. A foul pop clipped a ring hanging near the catwalks at Tropicana. Twins backstop Joe Mauer made the catch, but the ball was ruled dead.

Pena stroked a double two pitches later to right-center field to off Twins starter Kevin Slowey (12-11) to put Tampa Bay on top, 2-0.

"That's what happens with a good team," said Perez. "In this game you need a lot of luck. Good teams get a lot of luck."

The Rays tacked on three more in the fifth on RBI from Longoria, Navarro and Rocco Baldelli to make it a 5-0 contest.

Rookie Fernando Perez, the team's minor league Player of the Year, launched his third homer to left - a solo shot off reliever Denys Reyes - to push it to 6-0 in the sixth.

"We got our hits and we swung the bats better," Maddon continued. "But it's still about pitching and defense. You are able to win games like that because of starting pitching."

Grant Balfour and J.P. Howell each tossed a scoreless inning before Troy Percival ran into trouble in the ninth, but lefthander Trever Miller came on to record the final two outs and give the Rays the win ... and playoff spot.

"I don't know all the facts and all the history but I know we haven't been here ever, so it's a big thing," said Longoria. Now we have to worry about winning the AL East and bringing this home."