Andy Sonnanstine

The Tampa Bay Rays added outfielders Justin Ruggiano and Brandon Guyer on Thursday when rosters expanded for the season's final month. Both were in the starting lineup for Thursday night's series finale against the Texas Rangers. Guyer played right field and batted sixth and Ruggiano was in the No. 8 slot as the designated hitter. Ruggiano was activated from the 15-day disabled DL, where he had been since Aug. 10 because of bursitis in his left knee. Guyer was being recalled from Triple-A Durham for the third time this season.

Elliot Johnson hit an RBI single with one out in the 12th inning, giving the Tampa Bay Rays a 3-2, comeback victory over the Seattle Mariners on Monday night. Playing before a crowd of just 9,458 — smallest at Tropicana Field since September 2007 — the Rays twice rallied from one-run deficits before winning it against Brandon League (0-2), who failed to hold a 2-1 lead the Mariners took on Jesus Montero's homer in the 11th. J.P. Howell (1-0) pitched one scoreless inning for the win. Ben Zobrist drew a one-out walk in 12th, moved to second on Carlos Pena's single and scored when...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - With every victory against contenders like the Chicago Cubs, the Tampa Bay Rays gain a little more confidence. "It validates that we are a good team," manager Joe Maddon said last night after the surprising Rays held off the Cubs, 5-4, for their second straight win over the club with baseball's best record. Andy Sonnanstine allowed three runs in five innings-plus and Tampa Bay's improved bullpen shut down the Cubs for the second night in a row to help the Rays clinch their ninth consecutive series at home.

The Tampa Bay Rays added outfielders Justin Ruggiano and Brandon Guyer on Thursday when rosters expanded for the season's final month. Both were in the starting lineup for Thursday night's series finale against the Texas Rangers. Guyer played right field and batted sixth and Ruggiano was in the No. 8 slot as the designated hitter. Ruggiano was activated from the 15-day disabled DL, where he had been since Aug. 10 because of bursitis in his left knee. Guyer was being recalled from Triple-A Durham for the third time this season.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Carl Crawford has played more games for Tampa Bay than any player in team history, so it was fitting that he delivered the blow that lifted the Rays into uncharted territory. The surging Rays climbed five games over .500 for the first time in the club's 11 seasons, with Crawford hitting a three-run home run, stealing two bases, and scoring twice yesterday to pace an 8-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, giving Tampa Bay a three-game sweep and four straight wins overall.

Jeremy Hellickson picked up where he left off in May, pitching neatly into the eighth inning to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday. Hellickson (7-3) allowed one run and three hits over 7 1-3 innings, improving to 6-1 with a 1.74 ERA in his last seven starts. The 6-foot-1 right-hander recorded five wins and gave up just six earned runs in 40 1-3 innings last month, earning the AL pitcher of the month award. Joel Peralta replaced Hellickson in the eighth and yielded a two-run homer to pinch-hitter Miguel Olivo, cutting...

Mike Napoli homered twice and drove in five runs, leading the Texas Rangers to an 11-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night. Napoli homered for the third consecutive day, giving him four in three games. No. 9 hitter Endy Chavez went deep for his second straight game, helping the defending AL champions amass a season-high 20 hits in their first meeting with Tampa Bay since Texas eliminated the Rays in the opening round of last year’s playoffs. Mitch Moreland also homered in support of Derek Holland (4-1)

CHICAGO — Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon doesn’t doubt his Rays’ ability to defend their AL East title despite an awful start. The Rays lost for the eighth time in nine games to start the season as Paul Konerko hit two homers and Gavin Floyd pitched eight masterful innings for the White Sox yesterday in a 6-1 victory over Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay is off to its worst start to a season in franchise history. The Rays, who open a series with the Red Sox at Fenway Park tonight, have scored 11 runs in their eight losses — they scored nine in the win. ...

Cliff Floyd and Eric Hinske hit two-run homers for Tampa Bay, helping Andy Sonnanstine get his 13th win in a 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels last night in St. Petersburg, Fla. The first-place Rays won for the eighth time in 10 games, holding off the team with baseball's best record despite another baserunning gaffe by B.J. Upton, who has been benched three times in the past two weeks for not hustling. The speedy center fielder was caught jogging on the bases again and thrown out at second on what should have been a routine double.

Tampa Bay rookie Jeremy Hellickson had everything going for him as he took the mound against the Baltimore Orioles looking for his eighth win. The right-hander was 6-1 with a 1.74 ERA in his previous seven starts. He was 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA lifetime against Baltimore. Neither trend continued in the worst outing of Hellickson’s major league career, and he didn’t get his usual dose of offensive support either: The Rays mustered a season-low three hits in a 7-0 win on Friday night.

Tampa Bay rookie Jeremy Hellickson had everything going for him as he took the mound against the Baltimore Orioles looking for his eighth win. The right-hander was 6-1 with a 1.74 ERA in his previous seven starts. He was 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA lifetime against Baltimore. Neither trend continued in the worst outing of Hellickson’s major league career, and he didn’t get his usual dose of offensive support either: The Rays mustered a season-low three hits in a 7-0 win on Friday night.

Jeremy Hellickson picked up where he left off in May, pitching neatly into the eighth inning to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday. Hellickson (7-3) allowed one run and three hits over 7 1-3 innings, improving to 6-1 with a 1.74 ERA in his last seven starts. The 6-foot-1 right-hander recorded five wins and gave up just six earned runs in 40 1-3 innings last month, earning the AL pitcher of the month award. Joel Peralta replaced Hellickson in the eighth and yielded a two-run homer to pinch-hitter Miguel Olivo, cutting...

Andy Sonnanstine sounded a lot like Rays teammate James Shields did a night earlier. “I feel like I never gave our team a chance to win tonight,’’ Sonnanstine said. “Any time you are involved in a game like this it is frustrating.’’ Sonnanstine gave up three homers and was roughed up for seven runs, and Seattle starter Jason Vargas threw the first shutout of his career in Seattle’s 7-0 win over Tampa Bay on Friday night. Justin Smoak hit his 10th homer of the season for Seattle in the first inning off Sonnanstine, but it was back-to-back...

Mike Napoli homered twice and drove in five runs, leading the Texas Rangers to an 11-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night. Napoli homered for the third consecutive day, giving him four in three games. No. 9 hitter Endy Chavez went deep for his second straight game, helping the defending AL champions amass a season-high 20 hits in their first meeting with Tampa Bay since Texas eliminated the Rays in the opening round of last year’s playoffs. Mitch Moreland also homered in support of Derek Holland (4-1)

Wade Davis put Tampa Bay in a hole that his teammates couldn’t overcome. Mike Napoli homered twice and drove in five runs, leading the Texas Rangers to an 11-5 victory over the Rays on Monday night. Davis (4-5) lasted just 2 2-3 innings, allowing seven runs and a career-high 12 hits. It was the shortest start — not including a 2 1-3 inning rain-shortened outing September 22 against the New York Yankees — in his career. “He’s not been consistent with his game to this point, but I really am kind of encouraged,’’ Rays manager Joe Maddon said.

CHICAGO — Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon doesn’t doubt his Rays’ ability to defend their AL East title despite an awful start. The Rays lost for the eighth time in nine games to start the season as Paul Konerko hit two homers and Gavin Floyd pitched eight masterful innings for the White Sox yesterday in a 6-1 victory over Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay is off to its worst start to a season in franchise history. The Rays, who open a series with the Red Sox at Fenway Park tonight, have scored 11 runs in their eight losses — they scored nine in the win. “If something goes wrong...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Justin Masterson let the ball fly, hoping it would stay down, watching for the anticipated ground out. The ball didn't cooperate. Dioner Navarro didn't either, lifting the wayward sinker to center field, over Coco Crisp's head. Long before the ball hit the Tropicana Field turf, Navarro raised his arms above his head as Jason Bartlett rushed home. The winning single - Navarro couldn't have gotten to second base if he'd wanted, the crush of his teammates preventing him from moving much past first - lifted the Rays over the Red Sox, 2-1, last night, their third last-at-bat win in the last four...

The wooden temporary lockers have multiplied in the clubhouse, bringing with them fresh rookies to fill an already over-filled room. Usually, that signals the drive for the postseason in Boston. But, after getting swept by the White Sox over the weekend, it appeared that September might be more about evaluating future talent — the Josh Reddicks and Ryan Kalishes and Lars Andersons — than about wins and losses. As Anderson said, laughing, “It felt like I was playing in half-Pawtucket for a second looking out there.’’ But the Sox did more than check out their future last...