Texas Rangers V. Tampa Bay Rays Live Streaming American and National League Baseball Radio Commentary with Review Schedule Power Ranking Roster June 1, 2011. Evan Longoria is finally starting to look comfortable at the plate for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Longoria looks to continue swinging a hot bat and lead the Rays to back-to-back wins for the first time in three weeks in Wednesday's series finale against the Texas Rangers.
The three-time All-Star was batting .209 with two homers just five days ago, but appears to be finally getting on track.
Longoria hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning, and the Rays (29-25) beat the Rangers 5-4 on Tuesday. Longoria was back in the cleanup spot after three games hitting leadoff, a move designed to help him work out of an offensive funk.
"When you start building back that confidence you haven't had, it makes it easier," said Longoria, 7 for 14 with two homers, three RBIs and five walks in his last four games. "To get those results, and get back into the four-spot and have an opportunity to help the team win a game and come through, it just adds to your confidence."
Matt Joyce and Sean Rodriguez also hit home runs for the Rays, who have homered in a season-high six straight games after going a season-worst four consecutive games without hitting one.
Texas (29-26), meanwhile, failed to hit a home run Tuesday after clobbering 15 in its previous four games. Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz were 1 for 8 Tuesday after combining for six RBIs in the previous three games -- all wins.
Joyce's homer was his ninth for Tampa Bay, which hasn't won consecutive games since a three-game run from May 11-13. Joyce is hitting a major league-best .370 and led all batters with a .414 average in May.
"You just see the ball well sometimes," the right fielder said.
Tuesday's win snapped a four-game losing streak to the Rangers at Tropicana Field. Texas, which won Monday's series opener 11-5, also won all three in St. Petersburg to beat Tampa Bay in five games in last season's AL division series.
David Price (6-4, 3.54 ERA) squared off against Cliff Lee in Games 1 and 5, losing both. The Rays staff ace recorded a 4.97 ERA while striking out 14 over 12 2/3 innings.
Hamilton and Michael Young were a combined 1 for 14 against Price in last season's playoffs, but Cruz and Ian Kinsler were 6 for 12 with one homer and one double.
Price hasn't had any better luck against the Rangers in the regular season, going 0-2 with a 7.45 ERA in four starts.
Price is hoping to build on one of his best starts after allowing four hits while striking out a career-high 12 in seven innings in Friday's 5-0 win over Cleveland. The left-hander had yielded five runs in each of his previous two outings.
The Rangers counter with Colby Lewis (4-5, 3.90), who permitted six runs -- all in the first two innings -- and seven hits in Friday's 12-7, 14-inning loss to Kansas City. After the shaky start, the right-hander, who was 2-1 with a 1.17 ERA in his previous three outings, retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced and was lifted after the seventh inning.
Lewis pitched well against Tampa Bay in Game 3 of the ALDS, scattering two hits and five walks in five scoreless innings, but the Rays rallied for a 6-3 win. That was Lewis' first start against Tampa Bay since 2003.
Longoria looks to continue swinging a hot bat and lead the Rays to back-to-back wins for the first time in three weeks in Wednesday's series finale against the Texas Rangers.
1:10 PM ET, June 1, 2011
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Gameday MatchupThe season started badly for Longoria, who left Tampa Bay's second game with a strained left oblique muscle and spent one month on the disabled list.
Texas Tampa Bay
W-L 29 - 26 29 - 25
Night 18-18 18-14
Grass 28-25 12-8
Current Streak L1 W1
Last 10 6-4 4-6
The three-time All-Star was batting .209 with two homers just five days ago, but appears to be finally getting on track.
Longoria hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning, and the Rays (29-25) beat the Rangers 5-4 on Tuesday. Longoria was back in the cleanup spot after three games hitting leadoff, a move designed to help him work out of an offensive funk.
"When you start building back that confidence you haven't had, it makes it easier," said Longoria, 7 for 14 with two homers, three RBIs and five walks in his last four games. "To get those results, and get back into the four-spot and have an opportunity to help the team win a game and come through, it just adds to your confidence."
Matt Joyce and Sean Rodriguez also hit home runs for the Rays, who have homered in a season-high six straight games after going a season-worst four consecutive games without hitting one.
Texas (29-26), meanwhile, failed to hit a home run Tuesday after clobbering 15 in its previous four games. Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz were 1 for 8 Tuesday after combining for six RBIs in the previous three games -- all wins.
Joyce's homer was his ninth for Tampa Bay, which hasn't won consecutive games since a three-game run from May 11-13. Joyce is hitting a major league-best .370 and led all batters with a .414 average in May.
"You just see the ball well sometimes," the right fielder said.
Tuesday's win snapped a four-game losing streak to the Rangers at Tropicana Field. Texas, which won Monday's series opener 11-5, also won all three in St. Petersburg to beat Tampa Bay in five games in last season's AL division series.
David Price (6-4, 3.54 ERA) squared off against Cliff Lee in Games 1 and 5, losing both. The Rays staff ace recorded a 4.97 ERA while striking out 14 over 12 2/3 innings.
Hamilton and Michael Young were a combined 1 for 14 against Price in last season's playoffs, but Cruz and Ian Kinsler were 6 for 12 with one homer and one double.
Price hasn't had any better luck against the Rangers in the regular season, going 0-2 with a 7.45 ERA in four starts.
Price is hoping to build on one of his best starts after allowing four hits while striking out a career-high 12 in seven innings in Friday's 5-0 win over Cleveland. The left-hander had yielded five runs in each of his previous two outings.
The Rangers counter with Colby Lewis (4-5, 3.90), who permitted six runs -- all in the first two innings -- and seven hits in Friday's 12-7, 14-inning loss to Kansas City. After the shaky start, the right-hander, who was 2-1 with a 1.17 ERA in his previous three outings, retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced and was lifted after the seventh inning.
Lewis pitched well against Tampa Bay in Game 3 of the ALDS, scattering two hits and five walks in five scoreless innings, but the Rays rallied for a 6-3 win. That was Lewis' first start against Tampa Bay since 2003.
