--CF B.J. Upton continues to show signs of coming out of his slump, notching his first homer of the season, a walk-off shot to lead off the ninth, and his second three-hit game in a span of three nights.
--LF Carl Crawford returned to the Rays lineup on Friday after leaving Wednesday's game, and sitting out Thursday, because of a bruised right shoulder. Crawford showed no hesitancy, going 2-for-4 and stealing two more bases. --INF/OF Ben Zobrist homered for the second straight night and has hit 11 in his last 33 games going back to last Sept. 25. In the last two seasons, he has 19 homers in 275 at-bats.
--LHP Scott Kazmir continued his first-inning struggles by allowing two more runs, and now has a 12.38 ERA in his eight first-innings, and 5.67 in his other 33 1/3 innings.
--RHP Lance Cormier tossed 2 2/3 shutout innings to lower his ERA 2.17 while leading the majors with 29 relief innings.
MEDICAL WATCH:
DH Pat Burrell (stiff neck) did not play May 12-14, and he won't be back before May 17.
LF Carl Crawford (bruised right shoulder) left the May 13 game, and he didn't play May 14. He was back in the lineup May 15.
RHP Chad Bradford (right elbow surgery in February 2009) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He is scheduled to start a rehab assignment in mid-May, aiming for a late May return to the Rays.
RHP Jason Isringhausen (right elbow surgery in September 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 31. He began a rehab assignment with Class AA Montgomery on April 20. He was scratched from his first scheduled appearance for Class AAA Durham on April 30 because of a mild abdominal strain, but he began pitching for Durham on May 3.
C Shawn Riggans (right shoulder tendinitis) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 10. He began a rehab assignment with Class AA Montgomery on May 5 before experiencing a setback. He will rest the shoulder until early June before resuming rehab work.
OF Fernando Perez (dislocated left wrist) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He is projected to miss four or five months because further exams showed ligament damage as part of the injury he suffered March 10. The Rays hope he will return in time to play regular-season games.
ROTATION:
RHP James Shields
LHP Scott Kazmir
RHP Matt Garza
RHP Andy Sonnanstine
RHP Jeff Niemann
BULLPEN:
RHP Troy Percival (closer)
RHP Dan Wheeler
RHP Grant Balfour
LHP J.P. Howell
LHP Brian Shouse
RHP Joe Nelson
RHP Lance Cormier
CATCHERS:
Dioner Navarro
Michel Hernandez
INFIELDERS:
1B Carlos Pena
2B Akinori Iwamura
SS Jason Bartlett
3B Evan Longoria
INF Willy Aybar
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Carl Crawford
CF B.J. Upton
RF Gabe Gross
DH Pat Burrell
OF Gabe Kapler
OF/INF Ben Zobrist
