Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training Thread

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Final Score: Tampa Bay Rays 7 - 7 Pittsburgh Pirates

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The Rays scored four in the eighth to take a 7-3 lead, but couldn't hold on. RHP Joe Nelson was one out away from closing out the victory when he gave up back-to-back homers, a three-run shot by Pirates prospect Pedro Alvarez, and a solo shot by Jones.

The game remained tie through the 11th, so the Rays end up with a 7-7 tie with the Pirates.

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Today's game was called off due to heavy late-morning rains that soaked the field and flooded the dugouts at Fort Lauderdale Stadium, and the threat of more to come.

The team got back on the bus to Port Charlotte, with manager Joe Maddon and pitching coach Jim Hickey sorting out their plans. James Shields will still start Sunday's game against the Yankees, so it's likely Saturday's pitchers, Andy Sonnanstine and David Price, will work in a minor-league game or a simulated game.

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Rays weather long spring road trips
Tampa Bay players pay their big league dues as away team

Spring Training presents a lot of different wrinkles to the everyday life of a Major Leaguer. Among these is the dreaded road trip.

Hollering "road trip" in the middle of a Major League clubhouse during Spring Training won't get the same enthusiastic response it did in "Animal House" when Flounder, Otter, and company stormed off from the Delta house.

Rays weather long spring road trips | raysbaseball.com: News

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The Rays lineup:
Bartlett, ss
Crawford, lf
Aybar, 3b
Pena, 1b
Burrell, dh
Navarro, c
Zobrist, cf
Gross, rf
Kennedy, 2b
Price, p


The Yankees lineup:
Gardner, cf
Cabrera, lf
Nady, rf
Swisher, 1b
Cano, dh
Ransom, 2b
Berroa, 3b
Pena, ss
Cash, c
Aceves, p

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The big-league game is just starting, but RHP Andy Sonnanstine is already done pitching for Double-A Montgomery, throwing 67 pitches: His line: 4 IP, 6 hits, 1 run/earned, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts.
Also there was another raccoon running around the stands before the game.

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Price was sharp in the first after a leadoff single, helped by C Dioner Navarro throwing out Brett Gardner at second. The Rays loaded the bases in their first, but Pat Burrell and Navarro popped out.

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Price is laboring a bit in the second, allowing a leadoff walk followed by a single. Price struck out Cody Ransom, then got Angel Berroa to ground into a double play.

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Andy Sonnanstine said he struggled with command of all his pitches in Sunday's start for Double-AA at the minor league fields.

Sonnanstine, who gave up six hits and walked two (giving up one run) in four innings, said he physically felt "great" and was encouraged he worked his way out of some jams (thanks to two double plays). He finished with 67 pitches.

He continued to work on his changeup as well.

"The fastball was more erratic than I'd like it to be, I was overthrowing some sliders and breaking balls," Sonannstine said. "Just kind of learning experience."

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OF Matt Joyce had four at-bats in a Triple-A game Sunday, going 0-for-2 with two walks, scoring a run in the first.

He's slated to get some at-bats in the exhibition against the Yankees too.

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RHP James Shields finished up his outing in the Triple-A exhibition, going five innings, giving up two runs on four walks and two hits. Shields struck out five, while throwing 83 pitches.

Shields struggled with his command early on, walking the bases loaded in the first, but seemed to settle in after the first couple innings.

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Price got two quick outs in the third, including a strikeout, before getting into a little bit of a jam. He walked Gardner and then Cabrera reached base when Jason Bartlett couldn't make the play on a slow chopper to short.

But in a good battle with Xavier Nady, who fouled off several pitches, Price got him to fly out to left to end the threat.

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DH Pat Burrell got the Rays on the board with an RBI single in the third, scoring Carlos Pena.

Rays 1, Yankees 0

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Price just finished a quick fourth inning, and has given up just three hits so far.

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The Rays scored two more runs in the fourth on two bases-loaded walks (both coming with two outs). Crawford and Aybar got the walks.

Rays 3, Yankees 0