ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays are using pitchers in unconventional ways, but it continues to spark their success, and they'll try to find enough live arms to continue that Tuesday in another "bullpen day" against the Detroit Tigers.
Tampa Bay (46-44) is 12-4 in its last 16 games and has won three straight, few stranger than Monday's 10-9 win, which saw the Rays use nine pitchers and win despite blowing leads in the seventh and eighth innings.
Tuesday's starter, RHP Ryne Stanek, actually pitched Monday night, albeit a two-batter, nine-pitch cameo that shouldn't keep him from his usual two innings as "opener" in Kevin Cash's nontraditional but winning formula of late.