David Price is putting together a Cy
Young-caliber season for the Tampa Bay Rays, but all he is concerned
with is the team's win column.
Price looks
to become the majors first 17-game winner Tuesday night when the Rays
continue their series against the Kansas City Royals.
Price (16-4, 2.39 ERA) is tied for the major league lead in wins and his ERA tops the AL.
The left-hander is 8-0 with a 1.72 ERA over his last 11 starts. He
allowed three hits and struck out eight in seven innings of a 7-0 win
over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday.
"I'm not worrying about any individual numbers or anything like that,"
Price said. "I'm just trying to help us every five days get to the
postseason, and we'll take it from there."
Price, who has a 1.82 ERA at home, will face Kansas City for the first
time since a relief appearance in 2010. He's also made two starts
against the Royals, allowing three runs and nine hits over 13 innings.
He'll be looking to help the Rays (68-54) win their sixth straight.
After a weekend sweep of the Angels over the weekend, they won Monday's
series opener 5-1.
Jeremy Hellickson
pitched seven strong innings, Jeff Keppinger homered and Desmond
Jennings had a double, a triple and an RBI.
"It all started with the pitching," manager Joe Maddon said. "I think (Hellickson) set the tone. He was sharp."
The Rays have won 12 of 14 with strong offense as well as pitching,
averaging 6.1 runs while posting a 2.29 ERA during that stretch, which
has coincided with Evan Longoria's Aug. 7 return from the disabled list.
The surge has pulled them within four games of the AL East-leading
Yankees - the closest they've been since late June.
Tampa Bay continues to get healthier, as designated hitter Luke Scott
(strained right oblique) expected to rejoin the team Tuesday. Scott,
who was placed on the disabled list July 21, was hitting .225 with 12
homers and 45 RBIs before the injury.
While the Rays continue to roll, Kansas City (54-67) failed to
capitalize on the momentum from a weekend sweep of Chicago. The Royals
scored 18 runs and hit .340 in that three-game series, but managed seven
hits Monday while grounding into two double plays.
"We're playing well, but it's a tough place to play and they're
playing very, very well," manager Ned Yost said. "Their starting
pitching's outstanding."
Alcides Escobar
had an eight-game hitting streak snapped as he went 0 for 4 including a
double-play grounder in the series opener. He had gone 7 for 9 with
three doubles, a homer and five runs scored in a sweep of the Rays in
June.
Royals starter Luke Hochevar (7-11, 5.24), who will try to avoid a third straight loss.
Hochevar bounced back in his last outing after giving up seven runs
at Baltimore on Aug. 10, but didn't get any run support. He allowed
three runs and four hits - two homers - in seven innings of a 3-0 loss
to Oakland on Thursday.
The right-hander
is 2-2 with a 5.72 ERA against Tampa Bay, but pitched a seven-hitter in
an 8-0 victory over the Rays on June 25, his lone complete game of the
season and his second career shutout.
