Music: {allcanada} ROMERO LEADS THE JAYS INTO TAMPA TO FACE PRICE AND THE RAYS

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

{allcanada} ROMERO LEADS THE JAYS INTO TAMPA TO FACE PRICE AND THE RAYS

Ricky Romero looks to keep his team's momentum going when he takes the mound for the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series versus the Tampa Bay Rays

Toronto has been on a roll lately with 13 wins over its last 19 games and took two of three meetings with the AL defending champion Texas Rangers this past weekend. Toronto handed the Rangers a 7-3 loss on Sunday thanks to a strong start from Brandon Morrow. Morrow struck out 11 batters through seven innings of two-run ball to move his record to 8-5.

"Everybody's throwing well. It's just one of those things where you pass the baton and you want to keep going," Morrow said. "I think everybody in the rotation has found their stride."

Romero is coming off 8 1/3 scoreless innings and nine K's in a 3-0 win over Baltimore last Wednesday and lifted his record to 8-9 in 21 starts to go along with a 3.08 ERA. Romero had allowed at least three runs in three straight starts.

Romero, a lefty, has split a pair of matchups with Tampa Bay this season and is 3-3 with a 3.69 ERA in seven career starts in this series. Romero hasn't fared too well on the road this season, going 3-6 in 10 visiting assignments.

Colby Rasmus had two hits and two RBI for his new club, and was acquired from St. Louis on Wednesday in exchange for outfielder Corey Patterson and pitchers Marc Rzepczynski and Octavio Dotel. The Blue Jays also picked up pitchers P.J. Walters, Brian Tallet and Trever Miller in addition to Rasmus.

Edwin Encarnacion homered in a winning effort and home run leader Jose Bautista finished 0-for-2 with a run scored and two walks. He leads the majors with 31 homers, but hasn't gone deep in 14 games (July 9).

David Price can put a rough July behind him when he takes the mound tonight.

Price registered a 1-3 record to go along with a 5.04 earned run average in five starts last month. He was previously in action during a 6-1 setback at Oakland last Tuesday and allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings, falling to 9-9 in 22 starts and raising his ERA to 3.76.

The left-hander has dominated Toronto to the tune of an 8-0 career mark with a 1.99 ERA in nine starts. Price defeated the Jays on May 5 in a 3-1 decision and held them to one unearned run over 8 2/3 innings with 10 strikeouts.

Tampa Bay got that type of performance from Jeremy Hellickson in Sunday's 8-1 drubbing at Seattle in the finale of a three-game series from Safeco Field. Hellickson pushed his record to 10-7 by tossing seven innings of one-run ball with two K's and one walk.

"When you're getting quick outs and throwing strikes, you get a little more confidence in the pitches you're throwing up there," Hellickson said. "I just kept attacking the zone."

Sean Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI and Ben Zobrist added three hits and three RBI for Tampa Bay, which has won three of four and went 4-6 on a 10-game road trip. The Rays will kick off a 10-game homestand versus the Blue Jays, Athletics and Royals.

Tampa Bay has won five of eight meetings with Toronto this season.