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TOM JONESRAYS 5, JAYS 3: Jeff Liefer homer backs solid Victor Zambrano start in club's 13th July win.
TORONTO - Shipped off. Cast out. Sent down.
The Devil Rays' Victor Zambrano and Jeff Liefer each hit a spot this season when he needed to get out of the major leagues and back on track. Their careers were in serious need of a makeover, and the only address to iron out the kinks was the minor leagues, not the majors.
So out they went, discharged to Triple-A Durham. But they're back in the majors now and both played key roles in the Rays' 5-3 victory Wednesday over the Toronto Blue Jays before 21,068 at SkyDome.
Liefer, called up from Triple-A Durham just hours before Wednesday's game, delivered a two-run homer that put the Rays ahead to stay, and Zambrano pitched 62/3 innings for his team-leading eighth victory as the Rays made a little history.
Okay, so it's nothing the Yankees or Red Sox would brag about, but the Rays won their 13th game this month to set a team record for victories in July. What makes it impressive, though, is that June, when the Rays went 5-21, was the worst month in franchise history.
"We're playing better ball, no question," Rays manager Lou Piniella said. "(But) it's a modest month. And we recognize that."
But there's more. If the Rays win this afternoon, they would sweep a series for the first time since Aug. 29-Sept. 1 at Texas.
Travis Lee delivered a two-run double in the first, Damian Rolls made a couple of eye-catching grabs in leftfield and the Rays got excellent relief from Mark Malaska, Travis Harper and Jesus Colome.
The stars of Wednesday, though, were Zambrano and Liefer.
Zambrano came out of spring as the No. 2 starter, but control problems landed him in the minors.
"I told him, "You go down there and start throwing strikes, we'll get you back up here and get you in the rotation,"' Piniella said. "He went down there ... and since he has been back, he has pitched well for us."
How well? He's 7-3 since returning from Durham on May 23.
"I'm feeling confident," said Zambrano, who allowed three runs and seven hits.
The victory tied Zambrano's career high for a season.
"He has got good stuff," Piniella said. "This kid is a legitimate major-league starter. He starting to get confident now and he's starting to get more relaxed, and he's pitching good baseball."
Meantime, Liefer was picked up off waivers from Montreal after hardly playing for the White Sox and Expos over the past two seasons. After 12 at-bats in June with the Rays, it was obvious Liefer was too rusty to hit major-league pitching.
Piniella sent Liefer down to get some swings.
"I agreed with him 100 percent and I needed to get at-bats," Liefer said. "It worked out well so far."
It worked out well in the fourth when he turned on a Cory Lidle fastball for a two-run homer that gave the Rays a 4-3 lead.
"I'm happy," Liefer said. "It's what you want to do: come in and contribute, step off the plane and do something."
The Rays now can do something today they have never done: sweep a series in Toronto.
"Nice game," Piniella said. "Now let's see if we can't keep it going."