Percival blows save, Rays beat "Mo" in extras.

Gabe Gross walks off to beat the Yanks in 11th!

Poor Edwin Jackson. The young right hander has given up 0 runs in his last 15 innings of work and has two no decisions to show for it. After being victimized by Troy Percival's first blown save of the season last week against the Blue Jays, Jackson pitched an absolute gem against the Yankees going 7 innings allowing just 5 hits and no runs. Dan Wheeler pitched a scoreless 8^th, but Percival gave up a game tying solo home run to Hideki Matsui in the 9^th with 1 out that took Jackson out of the winners circle. They Rays fought back in the 11^th off none other than the great Yankee closer Mariano Rivera. Cliff Floyd singled and was taken out for pinch runner Jonny Gomes who promptly stole second base. Gabe Gross then knocked him in with a single up the middle. The Rays have won their 11^th straight home game and 6^th straight over all.

The Daily Turn:

6

It is a shame that Jackson couldn't get credited with a win for his solid performance tonight, but the Rays can take away nothing but positives from his last two outings. Like Garza last night, EJ dominated with his fast ball and then used his change up to cross up the Yankees. Twice he had runners on third with less than two outs and Jackson held his ground retiring the side without giving up a run. I am impressed with EJ, and he has proven that he can harness his talent when he focuses and trusts his electric arm.

4

The Rays move to 23-16 and in first place in the AL East. Boston took a loss in Baltimore, and while it is way too early to scoreboard watch, there is an electricity pumping through the Rays that has never been seen before. It is the middle of May, the season is almost a quarter over, the Rays were supposed to have fizzled out by now, right? Well don't tell them that. The young Tampa Bay team is playing with an intensity and a fire that has been waiting to explode  within this club for a long time. Coming into this 4 game series with the Yankees I was expecting the Rays to take two games, but with Shields and Kazmir yet to come, I think it is very possible that they may win the series outright 3-1, or, dare I say it, sweep the Bronx Bombers all together.

3

The game tonight was amazing, but the best part was watching Shelley "I am a punk" Duncan strike out looking with the tying run 90 feet away. That was the best moment of the night(for me). Growing up a Yankees fan and seeing the solid talent in the clubs of the past, I can honestly say that these Yankees of 2008 look flat and un-Yankee-like. At the plate they just don't seem as explosive as they once were, and they don't seem to be carrying themselves like the champs they are. I am not sure if it has to do with their new bosses, their new manager, or maybe some of their new players, but I do think that they are lacking in the "greatness" they once put forth. Is it too early to put Joe Girardi on notice? I wonder if Hank thinks so.

Quote of the Day:

"It doesn't suck."

-Jonny Gomes on what it's like to be a Tampa Bay Ray right now.