Ben Zobrist

Boston relief pitcher Franklin Morales drilled Luke Scott in the leg. To which Scott took exception, and it didn't take long for the dugouts to empty, the bullpens to unfill, the heart rates to explode. Afterward, Rays manager Joe Maddon took to ...  

Joe Maddon is no stranger to the limelight. We aren't sure if the Rays manager has any experience with the paparazzi, but considering this impromptu photo shoot, he sure does handle the attention well. The close-quarters photographs were taken by a fan who ...  

Benches cleared in the top of the ninth inning of last night’s Rays-Red Sox game after Franklin Morales hit Luke Scott in the leg ... just directing the ball at his leg.” Maddon doesn’t expect any carryover when the two teams meet up ...  

Bleacher ReportJoe Maddon: A 'weak, cowardly effort' on the Sox's partWEEI.comBy WEEI Rays manager Joe Maddon said after Friday night's bench-clearing altercation that the whole situation was brought about by the Red Sox. Tempers flared in the top half of the ninth inning at Fenway Park on Friday night with the Rays leading a ...The world according to Joe MaddonBoston.comJoe Maddon: Tampa Bay Rays Manager Has Strong Words for Boston Red...  

BOSTON -- Manager Joe Maddon didn't hide the fact that he believed Red Sox coaches were behind the benches-clearing scuffle in the ninth inning on Friday, which prompted Sox manager Bobby Valentine to respond on Saturday. After Friday's 7-4 win ...  

It was back to elementary school on Tuesday for Ben Zobrist of the Tampa Bay Rays ... a 10-year-old who enjoys pitching and playing third base on his Little League team. Ryan also plays soccer, likes to read and is active in Cub Scouts.  

In today's edition of Rays Roundup: Joe Maddon is furious about Luke Scott getting hit-by-pitch in ninth inning of Friday's game against the Red Sox, Matt Joyce hits his second grand slam in a week, outfielder Brandon Guyer needs season-ending ...  

But manager Joe Maddon lifted Shields after a one-out double by Jose Bautista, and Edwin Encarnacion knocked reliever Joel Peralta's fourth pitch over the left-centerfield wall to make it 4-2. They looked like they had a chance to win it in the ...  

The Toronto Blue Jays continued to struggle against the Tampa Bay Rays in 2012 by dropping a series 2-1 at Tropicana Field to start a late-May road swing.  

"You take 'em all," manager Joe Maddon said. "You talk about winning ugly, but in the end they're all kind of beautiful, actually." Having lost two straight and four of six, and looking bad in doing so, the Rays (26-18) now have a chance in ...  

Talk about an interesting strategy by Rays manager Joe Maddon. Carlos Pena, your prototypical cleanup hitter, will be leading off in Monday's night's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Pena currently does sport a .353 OBP, but even that is not enough to ...  

ST. PETERSBURG/CINCINNATI -- Tampa Bay's Carlos Pena broke out of a form slump to hit a three-run homer during a five-run fourth inning which set up the Rays' 8-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon moved Pena up from ...  

Drew Sutton: That’s where the Moneyball is. The Rays lineup Wednesday is classic Joe Maddon. For the second straight game, Carlos Pena is batting leadoff for the Rays. In the same lineup, Drew Sutton is hitting cleanup ...Maddon has taken the former laughingstock of baseball to the playoffs three of the past four years and currently sits with the third-best record in the American League. And he utterly refuses to follow some boilerplate lineup...  

Carlos Peña broke a slump with a monster home run, but the Tampa Bay Rays committed two more errors, including the first ever by Ben Zobrist as a right fielder.Matt Moore was outstanding for four innings, then fell apart in the fifth.What appeared to be a laugher of a game needed Fernando Rodney's help in the ninth inning.But, a win is a win and the Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 8-5, on Tuesday in front of 12,307 at Tropicana Field to snap...  

The Rays have Sean Rodriguez on the ballot at shortstop and Ben Zobrist at second base, along with: Carlos Pena at 1B, Evan Longoria at 3B, Jose Molina at catcher, Luke Scott at DH, and Desmond Jennings, B.J. Upton and Matt Joyce in the outfield.  

Slumping Carlos Pena hit a three-run homer during a five-run fourth and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-5 on Tuesday night. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon moved Pena up from the middle of the lineup to the leadoff spot in an attempt to help ...  

Joe Maddon laughs at 'conventional' lineupsCBSSports.com (blog)By Matt Snyder | Senior Baseball Blogger Pena is a first baseman with a .215 batting aveage, 55 strikeouts in 44 games, only 26 career stolen bases (in 1270 games) and good power. Conventional wisdom would say that leadoff is the absolute last place to ...and more »  

To call Joe Maddon's managerial style a little unorthodox would be an understatement. The Tampa Bay Rays skipper has become well known for his continual tinkering with the line-up, defensive shifts and he's even gone so far as to call for an intentional ...  

Carlos Peña broke a slump with a monster home run, but the Tampa Bay Rays committed two more errors, including the first ever by Ben Zobrist as a right fielder. Matt Moore was outstanding for four innings, then fell apart in the fifth.  

ST. PETERSBURG -- Rays manager Joe Maddon isn't afraid to shake up the lineup, and he did so again Tuesday. His latest move was to bat first baseman Carlos Pena in the leadoff spot and move Ben Zobrist to the fourth spot. Pena said he's open to ...  

Slumping Carlos Pena hit a three-run homer during a five-run fourth and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-5 on Tuesday night. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon moved Pena up from the middle of the lineup to the leadoff spot in an ...  

Maddon shuffles lineup, bats Pena firstMLB.comPETERSBURG -- Rays manager Joe Maddon isn't afraid to shake up the lineup, and he did so again Tuesday. His latest move was to bat first baseman Carlos Pena in the leadoff spot and move Ben Zobrist to the fourth spot. Pena said he's open to the idea ...  

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Slumping Carlos Pena hit a three-run homer during a five-run fourth and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-5 on Tuesday night. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon moved Pena up from the middle of the lineup to the leadoff spot ...  

There aren't many players in baseball like Ben Zobrist. Sure, lots of players will hit roughly the same number of homers and drive in roughly the same number of runs and steal roughly the same number of bases, but few, if any, will do it with the defensive prowess of Zobrist. He's a gold glove caliber second basemen and an above average right fielder. He's also started at least one game at every position besides pitcher and catcher...  

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. Struggling Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Carlos Pena said when he saw the lineup card with his name at leadoff: “I thought it was a joke at first.” But there’s a reason Joe Maddon is AL manager of the year. In Pena’s third at ...  

Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon moved Pena up from the middle of the lineup to the leadoff spot in an attempt to help him break out of an offensive funk. Pena, who snapped an 0 for 18 slide on his sixth homer of the season, entered Tuesday hitting just  

Toronto Blue Jays' Colby Rasmus (L-R), Brett Lawrie and Jose Bautista celebrate a 6-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays during a MLB American League baseball game in St. Petersburg, Florida May 21, 2012. REUTERS/Steve Nesius ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. - Tropicana ...  

I am a huge fan of the art of managing a major league team. Specifically, I am a huge fan of Joe Maddon and how he operates day in and day out. As we read in Jonah Keri's The Extra 2%, Joe Maddon came to Tampa from the Angels with a theory of how baseball should be played. He was brought to St. Petersburg for that purpose - to teach and guide the young players through the development phase and turn them into fundamentally sound...  

Rays manager Joe Maddon has noticed the difference in Johnson's play. "The biggest thing I'm loving is he's organizing his strike zone for the first time," Maddon said. "The other night in Toronto, against [Brandon] Morrow, runners in scoring ...  

Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered, Carlos Pena ended an extended slump with two doubles and two RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays held on to beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-8 Sunday and avert a three-game sweep.  

As puckish Gary Thorne asked yesterday…“Ho can Ben Zobrist be hitting under .200 yet leading the league in walks? I don’t get it!” (underaware Jim Palmer relentlessly set him straight…) Ben Zobrist drove in three runs, including an eighth-inning solo homer that proved to be the difference, as the Tampa Bay Rays held on to beat the Baltimore Orioles, 9-8, in the finale of a three-game series at Camden Yards. Elliot Johnson went deep in front of...  

BALTIMORE - Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered, Carlos Pena ended an extended slump with two doubles and two RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays held on to beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-8 Sunday and avert a three-game sweep. James Shields earned his ...  

Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon complimented the Orioles at the end of last year for how hard they played and the way they opened the door for the Rays to get back to the playoffs. He was equally complimentary of the way the Orioles have ...  

TORONTO (AP) Cesar Ramos got his first career win after replacing the injured Jeff Niemann, and Ben Zobrist homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1 on Monday night. Luke Scott and Sean Rodriguez each had two RBIs for the Rays, who ...  

TORONTO -- The Tampa Bay Rays celebrated a win and suffered lost another player on Monday night. Cesar Ramos got his first career victory after replacing the injured Jeff Niemann, and Ben Zobrist homered as the Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1.  

TORONTO (AP) - The Tampa Bay Rays celebrated a win and suffered lost another player on Monday night. Cesar Ramos got his first career victory after replacing the injured Jeff Niemann, and Ben Zobrist homered as the Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1.  

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered, Carlos Pena ended an extended slump with two doubles and two RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays held on to beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-8 Sunday and avert a three-game sweep.  

TORONTO (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays celebrated a win and suffered the loss of another player on Monday night. Cesar Ramos got his first career victory after replacing the injured Jeff Niemann, and Ben Zobrist homered as the Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1.  

TORONTO -- The Tampa Bay Rays celebrated a win and suffered another lost player on Monday night. Cesar Ramos got his first career victory after replacing the injured Jeff Niemann, and Ben Zobrist homered as the Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1.  

FILE - Toronto Blue Jays' Carlos Delgado hits a three-run home run to center during first-inning AL action against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in Toronto, in this Sept. 25, 2003 file photo. Blue Jays' Frank Catalanotto and Vernon Wells scored on the hit.  

BALTIMORE, May 13 (UPI) -- Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist hit back-to-back homers and each had three hits Sunday in the Tampa Bay Rays' 9-8 slugfest win over Baltimore. Johnson and Zobrist's consecutive solo shots came in the eighth inning and ...  

TORONTO - Cesar Ramos got his first career win after replacing the injured Jeff Niemann, and Ben Zobrist homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1 on Monday night. Luke Scott and Sean Rodriguez each had two RBIs for the Rays ...  

The Tampa Bay Rays celebrated a win and suffered lost another player on Monday night. Cesar Ramos got his first career victory after replacing the injured Jeff Niemann, and Ben Zobrist homered as the Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1. The celebration was ...  

TORONTO - Cesar Ramos got his first career win after replacing the injured Jeff Niemann, and Ben Zobrist homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1 on Monday ...  

Rays manager Joe Maddon tweaked his batting order Wednesday. Shocker, right? The debut drew rave reviews as the Rays rolled to a 12-2 victory against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Led by Ben Zobrist, who returned to the No. 2 spot in an effort to set a ...  

On Beavan: Acquired from Texas in the Cliff Lee deal, Beavan, 23, is a control freak ... Rays manager Joe Maddon was amused to hear of the Mariners' journey and figured former Ray John "Mikey" Jaso, now with Seattle, had to be involved.  

Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered, Carlos Pena ended an extended slump with two doubles and two RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays held on to beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-8 Sunday and avert a three-game sweep. James Shields earned his sixth win for the Rays ...  

TORONTO | Cesar Ramos got his first career win after replacing the injured Jeff Niemann, and Ben Zobrist homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1 on Monday ...  

Manager Joe Maddon was trying to shock Peña out of another horrendous slump that stretched to 0-for-18 before his three-run blast extended the Rays' lead to 6-0. "Just trying to give him a different outlook on the day," Maddon said.  

BALTIMORE — Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered, Carlos Pena ended an extended slump with two doubles and two RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays held on to beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-8 Sunday and avert a three-game sweep. James Shields earned ...  

The Tampa Bay Rays held on for a 9-8 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in an entertaining encounter between the American League East's top two teams on Sunday. Ben Zobrist and Elliot Johnson hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth to put Tampa Bay out of ...  

TORONTO — Cesar Ramos got his first career win after replacing the injured Jeff Niemann, and Ben Zobrist homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1 on Monday night. Luke Scott and Sean Rodriguez each had two RBIs for the Rays, who have ...  

It was a day without Evan Longoria, of course, and also B.J. Upton and, for a while, Ben Zobrist. Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon scrambled to field a team, playing Jeff Keppinger at third base against a right-handed pitcher even though ...  

"When he initially got hit, he kinda went back to his haunches a bit," Rays manager Joe Maddon said after the game. "He came out and just was not 100 percent right. I was not comfortable sending him back out there." Stephen Vogt replaced Molina ...  

ST. PETERSBURG -- The way manager Joe Maddon sees it, the Rays have the ability to run out one of the best defensive outfields in baseball every day, whether it's Ben Zobrist or Matt Joyce roaming around right field. The Rays had to mix and ...  

Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered, Carlos Pena ended an extended slump with two doubles and two RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays held on to beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-8 Sunday and avert a three-game sweep. James Shields earned his sixth win for the Rays ...  

What exactly is plate discipline? Go ahead, give us your definition. You could likely ask ten different baseball fans what their definition of plate discipline is and you could very well receive ten different answers. A little over a year ago, when I was just realizing that plate discipline was not the same as patience, I asked three different scouts that I had contact with to kindly define plate discipline for me. I received...  

BALTIMORE — And to think manager Joe Maddon said after Friday's game that the Rays were making too many mistakes. Saturday they went out and performed sheer folly, committing a team-record-tying five errors — including three in one inning ...  

I wrote a few times about my rebuilding strategy in my AL-only 4 x 4 keeper league as I took over a team and felt the best way to compete in this league was to trade all of my productive hitters and pitchers for prospects in an attempt to compete in 2013 and beyond. I also wrote about a huge deal I made last Sunday here. The rebuilding continued early last week as I made a few more deals on Wednesday: The first deal i made was also a big one...  

BALTIMORE -- Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered, Carlos Pena ended an extended slump with two doubles and two RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays held on to beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-8 Sunday and avert a three-game sweep. James Shields earned ...  

Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered, Carlos Pena ended an extended slump with two doubles and two RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays held on to beat the Orioles 9-8 Sunday and avert a three-game sweep at Camden Yards. James Shields earned his sixth win for ...  

If his recent starts are any indication, Brandon Morrow could be on his way to making the ... holding on for a 9-8 victory at Baltimore to avoid a three-game sweep. Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered and Carlos Pena had two doubles and two RBIs to ...  

Ben Zobrist drove in three runs, including an eighth-inning solo homer that proved to be the difference, as the Tampa Bay Rays held on to beat the Baltimore Orioles, 9-8, in the finale of a three-game series at Camden Yards. Elliot Johnson went deep in ...  

The Rays lost yesterday. That's not good. Instead of dwelling on that fact, let's take a look at some news surrounding our most beloved team. Injuries Luke Scott continues to suffer from a mild left hamstring injury. The designated hitter received a cortisone shot Monday but said the muscle was still sore Tuesday. It's unknown when he'll return to the lineup, but the cold weather in both Detroit and Boston wouldn't seem to help...  

The rash of offensive flubs that manager Joe Maddon said Friday were an "infestation" spread to the defense Saturday as the Tampa Bay Rays tied a team record with five errors in a 5-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. "We're just not playing our game," Maddon said.  

I've been told by some TV financial 'analysts' that a Bull Market is a good thing. It's associated with increasing investor confidence. Well, I was anything but confident in the (Durham) Bull Market the Rays threw out in the lineup today. Remember, like, a week ago, when the Rays lineup began to look downright scary? Everyone was clicking, even Ben Zobrist was turning his slow start around. Well, flash forward to today and...  

Out Ben Zobrist flied out to left. None on with one out and B.J. Upton due up. Out B.J. Upton fouled out to first. None on with two outs and Matt Joyce due up. Double Matt Joyce singled to pitcher, advances to second on Henderson Alvarez's throwing error.  

Cesar Ramos got his first career win after replacing the injured Jeff Niemann, and Ben Zobrist homered and the Tampa Bay ... Toronto has lost six of nine following a season-long four-game winning streak. ... The Rays placed OF Desmond Jennings ...  

The Tampa Bay Rays were nursing a one-run lead when manager Joe Maddon pulled starter Jeremy Hellickson and turned to Joel Peralta to get the final out in the seventh inning. Nick Johnson was at the plate for the Baltimore Orioles, and Maddon loved the matchup.  

BALTIMORE -- The Tampa Bay Rays were nursing a one-run lead when manager Joe Maddon pulled starter Jeremy Hellickson and turned to Joel Peralta to get the final out in…Click to Continue »  

Tampa Bay 9, Baltimore 8: Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered to back James Shields (6-1) and the visiting Rays. Ex-Tiger Fernando Rodney got his 10th save. Texas 13, Los Angeles 6: Nelson Cruz hit a grand slam, and Josh Hamilton drove in ...  

the Orioles still ended the three-game series with a one-game lead over Tampa Bay atop the AL East standings The Rays went up 3-0 in the second inning on No. 9 hitter Elliot Johnson’s run-scoring single, followed by a two-run double by Ben Zobrist.  

BALTIMORE — Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered, Carlos Pena ended an extended slump with two doubles and two RBIs, and Tampa Bay held on to beat Baltimore. James Shields earned his sixth win as the Rays snapped a three-game skid with their second win ...  

RAYS 7, BLUE JAYS 1 TORONTO (AP) — Cesar Ramos got his first career win after replacing the injured Jeff Niemann, and Ben Zobrist homered in Tampa Bay's win over Toronto. Luke Scott and Sean Rodriguez each had two RBIs for the Rays, who have won two ...  

Tampa Bay outscored the Mariners 15-10 in the four-game series at Tropicana Field in large part because Seattle (which tried  an all-lefty lineup card Thursday, the first time the Mariners have tried that since since 1983), went 4-for-23 (.174 BA) with runners in scoring position, left 29 batters stranded and whiffed 46 times.  

There were a number of good articles in the local papers this weekend. I particularly enjoyed this piece by Roger Mooney on Fernando Rodney, as I hadn't read much on Rodney yet this year. He certainly seems like an eccentric character, and go figure, he's a goofball. Joe Maddon is already planning on having a "Rodney Day" at the Trop where they give away hats with askew logos. Oh, and his official team nickname is apparently...  

The Rays will send Big Game James Shields (5-1, 3.23 ERA) to the mound, looking to steal one victory in the series and stop a three-game slide by Joe Maddon's club. In 10 career starts at Camden Yards, the righty is 5-1 with a 3.44. Baltimore ...  

The Rays won it all right, although it was anything but easy. Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered, Carlos Pena ended an extended slump with two doubles and two RBIs, and Tampa Bay squeezed past the Orioles 9-8 Sunday to avert a three-game sweep.  

The pen picked up the slack for Joe Maddon, however, holding the Jays to three hits and one run over eight innings. Wade Davis was also used for two innings, combining with Cesar Ramos to get it to the bullpen regulars for the final three innings.  

The Seattle Mariners apparently took some time to explore the inner upper workings of Tropicana Field on Tuesday. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times shared photo evidence of the event, an event which the SB Nation Tampa Bay staff has lovingly annotated for the ease of the reader: Clearly, as we can see irrefutably here, the Mariners are up to something. Something nefarious. Should the Tampa Bay ...  

Joe Maddon says he's narrowed his choices down to two young pitchers: Alex Cobb and Chris Archer are the likely candidates to fill the void left in the Rays' rotation created by Jeff Niemann's injury, according to Rays manager Joe Maddon.  

Uhh, yeah…but it’s not 1999 anymore either. Joe Maddon has never been one to adhere to conventional wisdom for the sake of adhering to conventional wisdom, which leads to the topic of the Rays’ No. 2 spot in the batting order. Right now there is a good chance that either Luke Scott or Carlos Pena will fill the second spot in the batting order. Using either of the sluggers in the second spot runs counter to conventional wisdom, a fact that...  

Encarnacion fell into the seats to catch B.J. Upton's foul popup in the first, and left fielder Rajai Davis threw out Ben Zobrist at the plate to end the third with a strong one-hop throw to catcher Jeff Mathis. Having helped keep the Rays off the ...  

The Tampa Bay Rays got three hits Tuesday night. They scored three runs. They won again. The Rays scored two in the first inning and another in the third to defeat the Seattle Mariners, 3-1, in front of 9,972 fans at Tropicana Field.  

When the Rays hosted the Yankees on opening weekend, the Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon aggressively shifted fielders, frustrating visiting hitters with a strategy that is unorthodox but successful.  

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 1 (UPI) -- Matt Joyce paced Tampa Bay with a first-inning RBI triple and a solo homer Tuesday, boosting the Rays to a 3-1 victory over Seattle. Ben Zobrist drew a one-out walk off Hector Noesi (1-3) in the bottom of the ...  

How is your team doing? Check the status of every division. And so, after the Rays bungled their way to a 5-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night, manager Joe Maddon didn't have to dig deep to come up with an explanation for the defeat.  

SAN DIEGO -- Dodgers infielder Adam Kennedy and Rays manager Joe Maddon struck up a friendship during the six-year stretch (2000-2005) when Maddon served as manager Mike Scioscia's bench coach with the Angels and Kennedy was the club's second baseman.  

It was just 2008 when the Tampa Bay Rays took their turn beating up on the American League East, turning a losing franchise into a perennial contender. That was the year Joe Maddon had launched the “9=8” management style that brought the ...  

Most men wear suits and ties when they give an important speech. But Joe Maddon isn't one to do things the conventional way. Today, he spoke to the Tampa Chamber of Commerce wearing a bib. But in true Maddon style, his eccentric ways are for the greater good.  

"You can't hang your heads," said Nick Markakis, who had three RBIs. "It's a good game all around." Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered for the Rays, who snapped a three-game skid. Carlos Pena ended an extended slump with two doubles and two RBIs.  

The Tampa Bay Rays got three hits Tuesday night. They scored three runs. They won again. The Rays scored two in the first inning and another in the third to defeat the Seattle Mariners, 3-1, in front of 9,972 fans at Tropicana Field.  

May 8, 2012 - There's a funny Twitter feed called The Times Is On It, basically mocking The New York Times for being late to the party on a lot of stories (for example, being an unpaid intern can be a real drag). In fairness, while the Times ...  

BALTIMORE — The Tampa Bay Rays were nursing a one-run lead when manager Joe Maddon pulled starter Jeremy Hellickson and turned to Joel Peralta to get the final out in the seventh inning. Nick Johnson was at the plate for the Baltimore Orioles ...  

It seems everyone is copying Joe Maddon and the Rays these days with themed road trips. Thursday alone had the Cardinals donning "tacky tuxedos" and the Mets went to Canada wearing hockey jerseys (one Maddon used last year for the Rays). So here's this ...  

"Probably will not go in that direction," manager Joe Maddon said Tuesday. The reason, Maddon said, is Davis is doing well in the bullpen. He's getting ready quicker, he's handling right-handers and left-handers, controlling the running game and ...  

He came out for the second and started to warm up, but exited after a conference with the team trainer and manager Joe Maddon. Five relievers combined to pitch the final eight innings with Cesar Ramos (1-0) getting his first career win after ...  

Hammel, O's aim for another defeat of Blue JaysFox NewsHammel, a 10th-round pick of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2002, debuted with the team in 2006 and made 73 appearances through 2008, including 28 starts. He was traded to Colorado at the outset of the 2009 season and spent three seasons with the Rockies, ...and more »  

Tampa — Baby showers and album releases seem to go together for Julianna Zobrist. When she posed for the cover of her first CD, "The Tree," the wife of Tampa Bay Rays utility player Ben Zobrist was eight months pregnant with son Zion. And when she ...  

ARLINGTON, Texas — Josh Hamilton is among the most dangerous players at the plate right now. He leads the American League in home runs, RBIs, total bases and slugging percentage. So it makes sense that Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon opted to ...  

Felix has had no-hit stuff from the very beginning ... and the ball rolled away from him. Ben Zobrist stayed at third instead of trying to score, so the failed catch didn't matter, but had Ben Zobrist scored, we might've heard all about how ...  

TORONTO -- Manager Joe Maddon had Ben Zobrist hit in the two-hole on Wednesday against the Blue Jays. Zobrist, who started in right field, entered the game batting .216, but had an on-base percentage of .370 with eight walks in 11 games. Maddon said he ...  

TORONTO – Luke Scott hit a grand slam, Ben Zobrist added a two-run homer and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 12-2 Wednesday night. Matt Joyce and Sean Rodriguez added solo shots for Tampa Bay, which had not homered more than ...  

Ben Zobrist had three hits, including a triple ... The Rays return home today, and James Shields will greet King Felix and the Seattle Mariners at 7:10. For more Rays analysis, visit our affiliate at DRaysBay. *Rodney shoots an invisible ...  

TORONTO — Luke Scott hit a grand slam, Ben Zobrist added a two-run homer and the Tampa Bay ... David Price (2-1) rebounded from a poor outing at Boston last Friday to improve to 10-2 in 14 career starts against Toronto. The left-hander allowed two ...  

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Jeremy Hellickson overcame early struggles to pitch six effective innings, Ben Zobrist homered, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 on Wednesday night. Hellickson (3-0), who held Los Angeles hitless in six ...  

TORONTO -- Alex Cobb and Chris Archer are the likely candidates to fill the void left in the Rays' rotation created by Jeff Niemann's injury, according to Rays manager Joe Maddon. Maddon wouldn't tip his cap as to who out of the two is the ...  

ST. PETERSBURG -- The big infield shift normally is reserved for big-hitting pull hitters in baseball, guys like David Ortiz and Ryan Howard. But Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon is a proponent of moving his defenders to one side of the infield in ...  

“You never handle your luggage in The Show; somebody else carries your bags.” For road life as a major leaguer, those are Crash Davis’ perks of paradise in “Bull Durham.” Mark Cunningham/MLB/Getty ImagesJoe Maddon is watching what his ...  

Home plate umpire Dan Bellino, left, watches as Texas Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba, center, fights off a collision with Tampa Bay Rays' Ben Zobrist (18) at the plate in the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, April 29, 2012, in Arlington ...  

Gomes, who spent six seasons with Tampa Bay from 2003-08, hit his fifth home run of the season off reliever Joel Peralta (0-1) to stop the Rays' six-game winning streak. Carlos Pena, Ben Zobrist and Elliot Johnson all homered as Tampa Bay ...  

Upton's hit scored Zobrist and gave the Rays a 4-0 lead. "The home run was big," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "(Longoria) had a pretty good night." After Hamilton's RBI grounder in the first, Tampa Bay picked up a run in the third on Chris ...  

DETROIT, April 11 (UPI) -- Ben Zobrist's go-ahead, two-run single capped a ninth-inning rally Wednesday that lifted the Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-2 victory over Detroit. Tigers starter Justin Verlander (0-1) carried a 2-0 lead into the ninth but ...  

An evening after what Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon called an unusually emotional game for ... That helped Murphy, who got a good jump, run down Elliot Johnson's sliced liner. The next out was pure hustle. Murphy dashed backward and leaped into the fencing ...  

ARLINGTON, Tx. Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon said after Friday's win that he once again considered walking Texas Rangers center fielder Josh Hamilton intentionally with the bases loaded during the frantic eighth inning.The situation never presented ...  

Rafael Soriano moved up to the eighth-inning spot in the Yankees' reorganized bullpen and immediately gave up a triple to Ben Zobrist. Zobrist scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-3 but Soriano struck out the side. Mark Teixeira had an RBI double ...  

A two-strike bunt? Foul it off and it goes down as a strike out. Inning over. Scoring threat over. Rays manager Joe Maddon called for the bunt. Surprised? "It shouldn't at this point," Elliot Johnson said. It was Johnson who bunted during that ...  

TORONTO — Cesar Ramos got his first career win after replacing the injured Jeff Niemann, and Ben Zobrist homered ... He last played in the majors with Texas in 2010.  

Rafael Soriano moved up to the eighth-inning spot in the Yankees' reorganized bullpen and immediately gave up a triple to Ben Zobrist. Zobrist scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-3 but Soriano struck out the side. Mark Teixeira had an RBI double ...  

Gomes, who spent six seasons with Tampa Bay from 2003-08, hit his fifth home run of the season off reliever Joel Peralta (0-1) to stop the Rays' six-game winning streak. Carlos Pena, Ben Zobrist and Elliot Johnson all homered as Tampa Bay ...  

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., April 6 (UPI) -- Ben Zobrist drove in the tying run and then scored the game winner in the ninth inning Friday in the Tampa Bay Rays' 7-6 win over the New York Yankees. Carlos Pena then singled to left center, driving in ...  

Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his third save. ARLINGTON, Texas — John Jaso had an RBI single with two outs in the ninth to cap a three-run rally off new Texas closer Joe Nathan. Jaso, the No. 9 hitter playing his first game this season ...  

But League couldn't hold the lead, giving up a leadoff double to Luke Scott, and a two-out, game-tying single to B.J. Upton. Then, in the 12th, League walked Ben Zobrist with one out, and gave up a single to Carlos Pena that moved Zobrist to second.  

It was his fourth home run of the season. Ben Zobrist walked, and Jeff Keppinger and B.J. Upton followed with singles. Upton's hit scored Zobrist and gave the Rays a 4-0 lead. After Hamilton's RBI grounder in the first, Tampa Bay picked up a run ...  

TORONTO – The Tampa Bay Rays have seen Blue Jays righty Brandon Morrow at his best. They didn't see that on Wednesday night. Luke Scott hit a grand slam, Ben Zobrist added a two-run shot and the Rays hit four homers in a 12-2 win over the ...  

The score was 2-2 with one out in the bottom of the 12th when Ben Zobrist drew his third walk of the game ... In the 11th, Jesus Montero muscled Wade Davis’ low and outside pitch into the right-field stands for his fourth homer, putting Seattle ahead ...  

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jeremy Hellickson overcame early struggles to pitch six effective innings, Ben Zobrist homered, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 on Wednesday night. Hellickson (3-0), who held Los Angeles hitless in ...  

Matt Joyce, who was 2-for-14 in his career before the game against Morrow, hit two doubles and a homer against the right hander. Ben Zobrist, who entered the game 3-for-21 in his career against Morrow, started the scoring with a two-run blast in the first.  

ST. PETERSBURG, FL—Saying he finds the defensive positioning that has been standard in baseball for well over 100 years "staid" and "primitive," Rays manager Joe Maddon revealed Monday he is deep in the process of creating an exciting new ...  

Bleacher ReportA's vs. Mariners in Japan: 7 Best MLB Games Played Outside US and CanadaBleacher ReportSince then, the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now "Rays") faced off in Japan in 2004, and Oakland "hosted" the Boston Red Sox on the other side of the Pacific Ocean in '08. But those weren't the first times the MLB has played games outside ...  

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Los Angeles Angels' failure to get timely hits wasted a strong start by C.J. Wilson and resulted in another loss. Jeremy Hellickson overcame early struggles to pitch six effective innings, Ben Zobrist homered, and the ...  

BOSTON –– They are known for their quirky personalities. They are known for their creative managing styles. They are known to savor the spotlight, soaking up each moment that cameras are rolling. In many ways, Bobby Valentine and Joe Maddon ...  

TORONTO - The Tampa Bay Rays have seen Blue Jays righty Brandon Morrow at his best. They didn't see that on Wednesday night. Luke Scott hit a grand slam, Ben Zobrist added a two-run shot and the Rays hit four homers in a 12-2 win over the ...  

Manager Joe Maddon said McGee had "probably his best combination of velocity and location" of the season. "By far," McGee agreed. "I located on both sides of the plate with my fastball really well, and my velocity was consistent each inning I went out.  

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — David Price beat Texas for the first time in 10 career starts and the Tampa Bay Rays won 5-2 Sunday night, becoming the first team to take a series from the Rangers this season. Ben Zobrist had three hits and an RBI, and Price ...  

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — David Price beat Texas for the first time in 10 career starts and the Tampa Bay Rays won 5-2 Sunday night, becoming the first team to take a series from the Rangers this season. Ben Zobrist had three hits and an RBI and Price ...  

They have an opportunity to earn a four-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners as they play Thursday afternoon at Tropicana Field. Jeff Niemann takes the hill for the Rays on Thursday looking to improve his 1-3 record with a 3.86 ERA on the year.  

#joemaddon The Rays like to have fun, and nothing screams fun like booty shorts. For the Rays' pregame workout on Saturday, the entire team decided to don short pants, because they're a bunch of guys! Hanging out together! Showing a little thigh! More »  

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Jeremy Hellickson gave his team a chance, and the struggling Ben Zobrist responded with a big hit. Hellickson overcame early struggles to pitch six effective innings, Zobrist stopped an 0-for-17 slide with a home run, and the Tampa ...  

RAYS 4,TIGERS 2 DETROIT (AP) — Ben Zobrist hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the ninth inning, and Tampa Bay scored four runs in the ... people looking to make a few extra bucks through real estate investments. Be very careful "who" you invest with ...  

Williams allowed two runs and five hits ... but the end result is we need to start playing better baseball," Trumbo said. Ben Zobrist and Matt Joyce drove in the other Rays' runs. Matt Moore gave up three runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings.  

Joe Maddon tries to stay one step ahead of the crowd. Competing against the deep-pocket New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, he is looking for an edge that shrinks a little each year. "Teams are doing to us what we've been doing to them," the ...  

TORONTO — The Tampa Bay Rays have seen Blue Jays righty Brandon Morrow at his best. They didn’t see that on Wednesday night. Luke Scott hit a grand slam, Ben Zobrist added a two-run shot and the Rays hit four homers in a 12-2 win over the ...  

CTV.caBlue Jays 7, Rays 5ESPNPORT CHARLOTTE, FL - MARCH 23: Manager Joe Maddon #70 of the Tampa Bay Rays talks with the media just prior to... Associated Press PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- David Price used his curveball in a game for the first time this spring, taking another step ...Blue Jays rally for 7-5 victory over RaysBoston.comall 213 news articles »  

DETROIT | Ben Zobrist hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the ninth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays scored four runs in their final at-bat to beat Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers 4-2 on Wednesday. The Tigers (4-1) lost for the first time ...  

Scott Baker gave up a grand slam to Ben Zobrist and a two-run homer to Elliot Johnson in his return from an injury, and Minnesota lost, 10-4, to the Tampa Bay Rays today. FORT MYERS, Fla. — Scott Baker gave up a grand slam to Ben Zobrist and a ...  

Price had more than enough run support, Ben Zobrist hitting a two-run blast in the first while Matt Joyce and Sean Rodriguez homered in the sixth where Tampa Bay went ahead 6-2. It was a tough day for Toronto (6-5) starter Brandon Morrow ...  

The return to offensive futility continued Monday in Tampa, where another outstanding effort from starter Felix Hernandez went for naught ... In the 12th, League issued a one-out walk to Ben Zobrist, followed by a single from Carlos Pena.  

Manager Joe Maddon said Jennings was being evaluated and didn't know whether he would be available for Tuesday night's game in New York against the Yankees. Maddon said he believed Jennings was hurt during a first-inning slide, when he scored ...  

And so, after the Rays bungled their way to a 5-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night, manager Joe Maddon didn’t have to dig deep to come up with an explanation for the defeat.  

TORONTO — Luke Scott hit a grand slam, Ben Zobrist added a two-run homer and the Tampa ... Price is 4-0 in five career starts at Rogers Centre. Rays reliever Wade Davis worked 1 2-3 innings, Joel Peralta struck out two in the eighth and ...  

Verlander was quickly relieved by Daniel Schlereth who walked the second batter he faced, loading the bases. Jose Valverde relieved Schlereth after he face just two batters, but Ben Zobrist singled to right field and plated two more runs giving ...  

"He picked up a real big-league save there with five outs. That was spectacular," manager Joe Maddon said. "Hats off to Joel Peralta. Everything else that happened well or good tonight, it was all about him. He permitted us to win the game."  

CBC.caDavid Price pitches into sixth inning in Tampa Bay's 7-5 loss to TorontoWashington PostThe left-hander pitched into the sixth inning during the Tampa Bay Rays' 7-5 exhibition loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night. “David was really good,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “I was very pleased. He had a good fastball, ...Final Score: Toronto 7, Tampa Bay 5CANOEall 170 news articles »  

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Jeremy Hellickson gave his team a chance, and the struggling Ben Zobrist responded with a big hit. Hellickson overcame early struggles to pitch six effective innings, Zobrist stopped an 0-for-17 slide with a home run, and ...  

Luke Scott hit a two-run home run and drove in three as the Tampa Bay Rays took a 6-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in Grapefruit League play. Elliot Johnson went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored while Ben Zobrist also drove in a run for the Rays.  

"I think Matt does that every year about this time," manager Joe Maddon said. "We did that last year, put him in the 3 hole and he responded well. It was a really nice day for him." Joyce helped Matt Moore win for the first time this season.  

Starter Tony Watson pitched two perfect innings, striking out two. Matt Moore gave up one run on three hits in a six-inning start for Tampa Bay. Joe Molina hit a three-run double in the seventh to score Evan Longoria, Ben Zobrist and Jose Tabata.  

Christian rock was played before, during and after the sermon, ending with a concert by Julianna Zobrist, wife of Tampa Bay Ray Ben Zobrist. But for the children, the egg drop was the thing. Emerging from the scrum was 3-year-old Amanda Custin ...  

FORT MYERS - Scott Baker gave up a grand slam to Ben Zobrist and a two-run shot to Elliot Johnson in his return from an injury, and the Minnesota Twins lost to the Tampa Bay Rays 10-4 Monday. Baker has been out with elbow tendinitis that flared ...  

DETROIT — Ben Zobrist hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the ninth ... sixth inning that included a two-run shot by Alejandro De Aza off Dan Wheeler. De Aza opened the game with a single and scored during Chicago's four-run first against Justin ...  

After starting a 10-day, 10-game road trip with a three-game sweep of Detroit and a dramatic, extra-inning win at Toronto, the Mariners (11-14) have squandered four in a row, the latest a 3-1 snoozer Tuesday to Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field in a ...  

Johnson couldn't come through in two opportunities with a ... We've worked pretty hard to get to this point," manager Joe Maddon said. "We've talked about it a lot. We try to anticipate things in advance, and I think we've done a good job ...  

Manager Joe Maddon downplayed the accomplishment of winning his 500th game with the Rays, saying the credit should go to the players. "Honestly, until (VP communications) Rick Vaughn brought it up a couple days ago, I had no clue this was going on,'' Maddon said.  

BOSTON -- Manager Joe Maddon claimed his 500th win with the Rays thanks to their 1-0 victory over the Red Sox on Monday afternoon. "Honestly, until [it was called to my attention], I had no idea this was going on," Maddon said. "It really speaks ...  

Better baseball players make you a lot smarter manager ... His 100th win came in the middle of the 2007 season. No. 400 came Sept. 24, 2010, against the Mariners at Tropicana Field. "Congratulations to him. That's pretty cool," Evan Longoria ...  

So when manager Joe Maddon discusses the Rangers, he gives them their due, but he does not place them on a pedestal. "They're a really good team, just like we are," Maddon said. "They're off to a really good start. We've had some really good ...  

If the first two games of the season are any indication, some of his teammates may have a similar issue. Rays manager Joe Maddon has moved his infield into various positions in both of the Rays’ wins, including last night’s 8-6 victory over the Yankees ...  

Minnesota: Scott Baker, who has been dealing with tendinitis in his pitching elbow, allowed a grand slam to Ben Zobrist and a two-run homer to Elliot Johnson in 2 2/3 innings of a 10-4 loss to Tampa Bay in Fort Myers, Fla. New York Mets ...  

Normally Joe Maddon likes to get his players "wet," or into games, quickly after joining the team. But Allen has not yet been used in three games entering Wednesday night's contest against the Angels. Maddon explained why. "I'd love to," the ...  

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Scott Baker gave up a grand slam to Ben Zobrist and a two-run shot to Elliot Johnson in his return from an injury, and the Minnesota Twins lost to the Tampa Bay Rays 10-4 Monday. FORT MYERS, Fla. – Scott Baker gave up a ...  

The Express Times - LehighValleyLive.comRays confident they have what it takes to play deep into OctoberWashington PostYou certainly won't upset Joe Maddon's confident bunch. There may be teams with more star power and money, but none enters 2012 with loftier expectations than the Rays, who have earned postseason berths three of the past four seasons despite one of the ...Lafayette College alum Joe Maddon gives an assist to Leopards baseball...  

Following two outs, Joyce and Ben Zobrist walked to ... Rays' next at-bat made it 4-0. New York finally got on the board in the fourth. Granderson hit a two- out single, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Jones' single to left.  

Manager Joe Maddon hinted there could be some changes coming today or Wednesday to the roster, which otherwise appeared set with OF Jeff Salazar getting the final spot.   Asked about changes, Maddon replied, "Not yet,' then said executive VP Andrew Friedman was working on several possibilities, both internal and external. "We're thinking about some things,'' Maddon said. "Later today, maybe ...  

Joe Maddon is not that superstitious. Maddon’s worry is now a bit of a concern as the otherwise loaded Rays have to deal with two early-season injuries to a pair of outfielders — B.J. Upton (back, expected to be out for a couple of weeks) and Sam Fuld ...  

Rays manager Joe Maddon said Wednesday that Sean Rodriguez will get most of the playing time at shortstop. Reid Brignac and Elliot Johnson will also get playing time, likely against right-handers, but Maddon said it will not be a strict platoon. Rodriguez ...  

I received an advanced copy of the newest edition of HBO's "Real Sports" and as I wrote about the other day in the print version of The Morning Call, the town of Hazleton is featured quite prominently in the feature on Tampa manager Joe Maddon.  

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Joe Maddon has never been one to adhere to conventional wisdom for the sake of adhering to conventional wisdom, which leads to the topic of the Rays' No. 2 spot in the batting order. Right now there is a good chance that ...  

The buzz was high and fast when Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon showed up at spring training in Port Charlotte in February. And it had nothing to do with the Rays' chances in 2012. What's with the hair? It wasn't the first time the free ...  

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Before Thursday's game against the Phillies, Rays manager Joe Maddon said Elliot Johnson needed to tap into his power source a bit more. "The big thing with Elliot is we just try to get him more offensively to become contact ...  

FORT MYERS | Wade Davis is still a starting pitcher. Manager Joe Maddon made that point several times Tuesday, and Davis said that's how he still views himself. But Davis will at least begin this season in the bullpen, and as a long reliever at ...  

DETROIT — Ben Zobrist hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the ninth ... Evan Longoria then tied the game at 2 with a single to left on Verlander’s 104th and final pitch. ■ Blue Jays 3, Red Sox 1 TORONTO —Ricky Romero outdueled Jon ...  

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Rays manager Joe Maddon talked at length before Thursday's 8-6 win against the Pirates about James Shields' positive effect on the organization since his arrival on the Major League scene in the 2006 season. Selected by Tampa ...  

Ben Zobrist doubled to lead off Monday's game against the ... When Zobrist's first home run of the spring landed, the Rays had a 4-0 lead. In the third, Elliot Johnson added a two-run homer, giving the appearance -- at least for an afternoon ...  

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Jeff Keppinger was in the No. 2 spot in the batting order on Thursday, and Rays manager Joe Maddon said he might use Keppinger in that role often this season. Maddon praised Keppinger for his ability to put the ball in play ...  

Another day, another lineup for manager Joe Maddon. Saturday's lineup was interesting in that SS Sean Rodriguez, who earned the starting job, didn't start; 2B Jeff Keppinger, signed to hit lefties, started against Yankees RHP Hiroki Kuroda ...  

Rays manager Joe Maddon said Wednesday that Sean Rodriguez will get most of the playing time at shortstop. Reid Brignac and Elliot Johnson will also get playing time, likely against right-handers, but Maddon said it will not be a strict platoon.  

Rays manager Joe Maddon said Wednesday that Sean Rodriguez will get most of the playing time at shortstop. Reid Brignac and Elliot Johnson will also get playing time, likely against right-handers, but Maddon said it will not be a strict platoon.  

JUPITER, Fla. -- Joe Maddon learned something about Wade Davis on Tuesday. "The moral of the story," Maddon said, "is to hit him in the foot hard with a blunt object before he goes out to pitch." That's because everything seemed to click for ...  

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Monday morning, Joe Maddon said that the Rays' lack of offense in spring training was somewhat worrisome. Monday afternoon, the Rays scored seven times in the first three innings against the Twins, and ended up winning 10-4.  

After the Rays' 7-6 walkoff victory Friday night, Rays manager Joe Maddon quickly pointed out to reporters—and to his Twitter followers—the difference between spring training and the regular season. Maddon likes to use the word "thick" as a ...  

Tampa — ST. PETERSBURG Ben Zobrist said he found Carlos Peña in the Rays dugout Friday afternoon shortly after Peña's first inning grand slam and, well, stated a bit of the obvious."It's only downhill from here," Zobrist said he told Peña.  

Manager Joe Maddon said after the game the 25-year-old Hellickson was doing fine. Maddon had been optimistic earlier, saying Hellickson was not bleeding and did not lose consciousness. Hellickson is scheduled to start Saturday at Boston ...  

It was a day without Evan Longoria, of course, and also B.J. Upton and, for a while, Ben Zobrist. Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon scrambled to field a team, playing Jeff Keppinger at third base against a right-handed pitcher even though Keppinger is here to hit lefties and hasn't played third base in three years.  

Ben Zobrist hit a grand slam and Elliot Johnson added a two-run homer to help lead ... "Today was a good day for the offense to get going a little bit," Zobrist said. "We haven't been scoring as many runs as we would have liked.  

BALTIMORE - Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered, Carlos Pena ended an extended slump with two doubles and two...  

TORONTO -- Luke Scott hit a grand slam, Ben Zobrist added a two-run homer and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 12-2 Wednesday...  

Tampa Bay, trailed 3-1 in the middle of the fourth inning, but pulled within one after Ben Zobrist went deep to center field in the bottom half of the inning.  

Luke Scott hit a grand slam, Ben Zobrist added a two-run homer and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 12-2 on Wednesday night.  

DETROIT - Ben Zobrist hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the ninth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays scored four...