Baseball News:Rays at A’s, seeking a repeat (kind of)
Article Summary:
UPDATE, 4:02: This appears (from bb-ref.com) to be
Article Content:
UPDATE, 4:14: Turns out there were two other times this season Rays used same lineup in back to back games, though against different opponents, so it was three times total before today. The others were 5/12-14, 5/26-27 and 6/11-12.
UPDATE, 4:02: This appears (from bb-ref.com) to be just second time all season Rays have used same lineup in back to back games, also on June 11-12. Further checking underway.
UPDATE, 3:14: It’s a battle of deja vu, as the Rays use the exact same lineup from the night before against A’s pitcher Dallas Braden, who threw a perfect game against the last time he faced the Rays on a Sunday afternoon game in Oakland before the Rays headed to Anaheim.
Rays manager Joe Maddon said he stuck with this lineup because the Rays were facing a lefty again and hinted - as shocking as this may be - he could use it for a third straight day on Monday, vs., ex-Ray Scott Kazmir.
Not much else from Maddon’s pre-game - Joaquin Benoit may not be available again today after throwing 37 pitches on Friday, but Andy Sonnanstine should be after making three consecutive starts. And the Rays officially set the rotation with Wade Davis starting Tuesday and Jeff Niemann on Wednesday.
DEVELOPING: The Rays look to even their series with the A’s today with an unusual look — the same lineup as they used Saturday.
Upton cf,
Bartlett ss,
Crawford lf,
Longoria 3b,
Pena 1b,
Zobrist rf,
Aybar dh,
Rodriguez 2b,
Shoppach c,
Garza p
And for the A’s:
Crisp cf
Barton 1b
Ellis 2b
Cust dh
Kouzmanoff 3b
Davis lf
Powell c
Gross rf
Pennington ss
Braden p
———————