Riggans surgery, rotation changed, game tonight

Backup C Shawn Riggans is having surgery on his right knee in St. Petersburg today and will be sidelined at least two weeks. Riggans has an infection in the bursa sac; just called up Michel Hernandez is likely to be the primary backup.

The Rays have also changed their pitching rotation, flip-flopping James Shields and Matt Garza in the order. That way, Garza will pitch Friday in New York and Shields will be moved back to Saturday. The idea is to give Shields an extra day's rest, to split up Graza and Edwin Jackson in the rotation and to have Shields available to pitch in the Sept. 23 doubleheader at Baltimore.

The result is that Shields won't pitch against Boston next week at the Trop, and Garza won't face his former Twins teammates.

Also 3B Evan Longoria is talking about taking a full batting practice Friday and said it was "possible" he could be in the lineup that night. He said his previously fractured right wrist felt "great" after taking 30 swings at balls thrown by trainer Ron Porterfield.

Tonight's lineups, as the Rays, after Tuesday's emotional win, seek to win a series in Fenway Park for the first time since 1999:

RAYS
Iwamura, 2B
Johnson, LF
Pena, 1B
Floyd, DH
Aybar, 3B
Hinske, RF
Navarro, C
Gross, CF
Bartlett, SS
Sonnanstine, P

RED SOX
Ellsbury, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Youkilis, 1B
Bay, LF
Lowell, 3B
Kotsay, RF
Lowrie, SS
Varitek, C
Beckett, SP

Comments

[cg]

pena = clutch

[joeknowsbaseball]

Mr. September awakens...Good Night Seattle...uh, Boston!

[Go Rays!]

there's Troy

[Go Rays!]

Timlin = MVP

[M]

Go Rays

YOU DA MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bobby]

Don't get too excited yet - Percival is coming in - surely he can hold a 3 run lead

[Go Rays!]

My direct deposit goes in at midnight...time for a beer

[Brian J]

That a baby Pena!!!

[Scott G]

Yes!! I love the emotion Pena plays with!

[M]

BOOM........OUTA HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Real Tim]

Pena!!!

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Scott]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[Go Rays!]

He capped it off!!! I totally called it!!!!

[Go Rays!]

AAAAHHHHHHH

[Go Rays!]

Aki should have tried to score from first...our only hope.

[Brian J]

Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!Bunt!!!

[Scott]

too bad that we have a RISP....automatic out!

[Go Rays!]

Cap it off Pena

[Go Rays!]

Okay I totally called it

[Go Rays!]

Time for an Aki knock

[Scott]

Doesn't Timlin live in Clearwater in the off-season?

[Go Rays!]

we've taken out Timlin before

[Scott]

Timlin's ERA is 5.56. NOW IS THE TIME!!

[Scott]

hey, that's a legit gripe. That DP was a killer.

[Go Rays!]

I think after the 13th inning, the strike zone should double in size.

[zeke]

Speaking of getting something off their chest.. If freakin Ortiz can sacrifice, why the hades can't Maddon utilize it when he has men on 1st and 2nd, nobody out and a fast kid (Perez) at the plate who has clearly stated that he loves to bunt and practices it all the time. Nope, the genius that is Maddon has him swing away and we all know what usually happens. I get so ticked off at the constant refusal to sacrifice but now when I think about it, we probably couldn't have got them home anyway. sorry for the gripe, didn't realize what I was saying..as someone earlier said, if someone doesn't go deep, we had best hope for walks and then another walk or hit batter to score. another thing I just discovered--I have no nails left on my left hand..

[Tim]

1st & 2nd no outs and Perez at the plate ... and we don't bunt ?????!!!!!!!!!
If we happen to pull this game out of our butts , it will be a miracle ...

[Scott]

unbelievable...

[M]

Maybe we can walk someone home!!!!!!

[Scott]

Dear God,

Can we have just one hit tonight with a runner on 2nd or 3rd?

Amen.

[Mark]

SEPTEMBER BASEBALL!

[Scott]

why are we pitching to Youkilis?

[Mark]

Same old story... I would say Pena needs to be moved from the 3 spot, but..... nobody is hitting good enough to replace him, and nobody is hitting at all. This is so pitiful to watch good pitching performances show for nothing.

[Tim]

Ok.. this game is so boring I'm going to bed ............ just kidding ...

[Scott]

Screw the RISP, let's just have a HR.

[Scott]

Let's end this thing now.

[Sam]

Hey those of you complaining about Sonny pitching. Cant you remember Ryan Rupe or Victor Zambrano.
I think we are fortunate to have the team we have this year. Ill take Sonny over guzman anytime.

[Tim]

Can we not get ONE hit with a man in scoring position ??????!!!!!!!!!
0/11 so far ...

[Tim]

Stats where wrong, now I think it is 2-29 with RISP...pretty bad.

[Tim]

Need to break this 1-27 with RISP streak.

[Richard]

Aki has to learn to make sure of the out at second and then try to get the out at first. If he does that we're celebrating a 1 to 0 victory instead of hoping for an extra inning win. He blew 2 tonite.

[Brian Johnson]

This team is going to win the World Series, I can feel it.

Are You Ready?

LETS GO RAYS!!

[chux2]

Dear Buc,
Well, you were certainly right about Sonny. He was just horrible tonight. All those guys he fooled into taking a third called strike, well that was just luck. I would never start a guy who gives up one run. And, he outpitched Josh. Anomaly, for sure..

[Bill]

Why sacrifice bunt when the Rays can't hit with runners in scoring position? Better to give the at bat and a chance at a dinger if we aren't going to hit with RISP.

[Alex]

Bring back DiFelice!!

[Angus Young]

Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie, Oi Oi Oi!!!

Absolutely right. You have got to bunt Perez with Pena and Zobrist on 3rd and 2nd. Then you have to bunt Aki with Bartlett on 1st in the 9th. We have got to be able to bunt or it will be a very short playoff run. Unbelievable.

[Dear Joe Maddon]

Have you EVER heard of a SACRIFICE BUNT??????????? Man on 2nd in the 8th inning, with no outs, and the fastest man on the earth at the plate, and your not letting him bunt??? two bunts there scores a run, and we probably win the game. What the hell is the problem?????????????????

[Go Rays!]

sorry...still giddy after last night's win

[Go Rays!]

Facts of Life: The Motion Picture.
Youk as Natalie, Pretty Boy Papelbon as Blair, Pedroia as Tooty, Lowell as Jo, and Francona as Mrs. Garrett.