Tampa Bay Rays weekly report

The Rays opened the week on May 6 with a 4-3 win over the New York Yankees. Grant Balfour (1-0) picked up the win after the Rays' bullpen failed to hold a three-run lead. Carlos Pena hit his 12th homer of the season in the top of the 10^th inning to give the Rays a win.

On May 7, the Rays completed a two-game sweep of the Yankees with an 8-6 win. Evan Longoria continued to be the terror of American League pitching with a pair of home runs, including one after Carl Crawford's ninth-inning shot that put the Rays ahead. Brian Shouse (1-0) was the winning pitcher.

On May 8, James Shields fell to 3-3 as the Rays lost 7-3 to the Boston Red Sox. Staked to a three-run lead, Shields gave up two homers in the Sox's five-run sixth inning. Shields gave up 10 hits and five earned runs in six innings of work, walking one and striking out seven.

On May 9, Scott Kazmir improved his record to 4-3 as the Rays pounded the Red Sox 14-5. Evan Longoria hit his 11th homer in the first and followed with a two-run double in a six-run fifth as the Rays' 17-hit attack put down the Red Sox. The Rays also rallied for five runs in the sixth frame. Kazmir pitched five innings, giving up eight hits and three earned runs, walking three and striking out two.

On Sunday, the Rays lost a close one, 4-3, to the Red Sox. Matt Garza struck out six over seven solid innings, but left with the game tied, and the bullpen gave up the go-ahead run in the eighth and Rex Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon struck out the side in the ninth to keep the Rays from catching up. Brian Shouse (1-1) took the loss.

On Tuesday, the Rays lost the first game of a two-game series against the Baltimore Orioles 7-5. Andy Sonnanstine (1-4) was staked to an early four-run lead but could not hold on and was lifted after two innings, giving up nine hits and seven earned runs. Evan Longoria continued to terrorize AL pitching with his league-leading 45^th RBI.