Tampa Bay Rays move closer to playoffs – MLB Update
The Tampa Bay Rays chances to make post-season has increased after they overpowered their strongest rival Boston Red Sox 9-2 in the first outing of the most important four-game series of the 2011 regular season.
The Rays shortened their wild-card journey to just three games after they gave a tough time to the Red Sox. The Rays snatched their 83 win in the season and it takes them nearer to the Red Sox 86 wins. American League’s East club has made a perfect comeback
in a crucial situation as they are in a race to make it into the postseason.
Manager Joe Maddon was enjoying the pleasures of winning the opener. His words added value to the Rays achievement.
"It's one game, one game, and it's great to get the first one like we did," manager Joe Maddon said. "And we can move to tomorrow, but it's about Friday night now. Tonight was about Thursday. Tomorrow's about Friday. Let's win tomorrow night's game and move
on from there."
The Rays 83 wins are the real danger for the Red Sox, who have been in a struggling position for the last eight games. Boston made success in only one of their last eight games and have made only three in the month of September.
The Rays on the other hand, has made a promising comeback in the month of September. Tampa Bay has lost only four of their last fourteen games in a regular season closing month.
It was a valuable win as the Rays have lost the last two of their three game-series against the Baltimore Orioles. Rays were facing criticism from fans and experts after having dropped to a relatively weak club.
Maddon believe his club can get into the playoffs if bullpen keep this type of gritty performances in the coming games.
"We have to be confident going out there," Damon said. "If we surrender a couple of games to them, it just puts us in a deeper hole.”
Although the Rays are in high spirits, Maddon knows that his club still has to look at the performance of the Los Angeles Angels, who are just one game short from them.
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