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9/9 Game Thread: Jays at Rays

Sunday, September 9th - St. Petersburg, FL
1:40 PM (EDT)


Toronto Blue Jays
Vernon Wells cf
Reed Johnson lf
Alexis Rios rf
Frank Thomas dh
Matt Stairs 1b
Troy Glaus 3b
Aaron Hill 2b
Greg Zaun c
John Macdonald ss

Pitching: Jesse Litsch, RHP


Tampa Bay Rays

Akinori Iwamura 3b
Carl Crawford lf
Carlos Pena 1b
B.J. Upton dh
Delmon Young cf
Brendan Harris 2b
Jonny Gomes rf
Dioner Navarro c
Josh Wilson ss

Pitching: James Shields, RHP


After a heartbreaking loss last night in which A.J. Burnett was again deprived of a much-deserved win, the Jays try to at least salvage the series win over Tampa.

Jesse Litsch, whose ERA has crept above 4, opposes James Shields, who has been one of the better Tampa pitchers so far this season. Shields' peripherals are fantastic (174/24 K/BB) and it is likely that only Tampa's horrendous defense (last in MLB in defensive efficiency) has prevented him from an even more impressive looking season.

Sparky gets the start in left today, as Stairs takes first for Overbay, who has been brutal for the past couple of weeks. B.J. Upton, the hero of last night off the bench, returns to the starting lineup as DH after fouling a ball off his foot on Friday.