PHOENIX - The Devil Rays can use the day off today.
First baseman Tino Martinez and rightfielder Jose Cruz didn't start Sunday because of leg problems; closer Danys Baez went home for the birth of his first child; the bullpen is so thin Victor Zambrano was used in relief Sunday; and Aubrey Huff was sore after being hit by pitches in consecutive days.
"This day off is coming at the right time," manager Lou Piniella said. "Usually when you're playing well you don't want a day off, but we're a little banged up."
Plus, after today the Rays play 21 games in 20 days leading up to the July 12-14 All-Star break.
Martinez came out of Saturday's game after the tightness he had felt in his left hamstring for the past 10 days got worse. "Tino's a little sore," Piniella said. "It grabbed him."
Martinez said he hopes to be able to play Tuesday in Toronto but is concerned that further injury that could lead to an extended absence. "I should be okay, but I don't want to push it," he said.
Cruz stayed in Saturday's game after being hit by a pitch on the back of his left knee but sported a nasty bruise on Sunday. He was in the original lineup but was scratched so he could get two days to recover.
Baez got word late Saturday that his wife was going into labor and caught an early Sunday flight to Miami. "Hopefully he'll get there in time," Piniella said.
With Baez gone and Rob Bell and Jorge Sosa unavailable due to extended use, the bullpen was short, and while Lance Carter said the shoulder irritation that sidelined him Friday and Saturday was better, Piniella preferred to give him more rest.
That left only Jesus Colome, Trever Miller, and Travis Harper in the pen, so the Rays turned to Zambrano, their top starter, for an inning in middle relief. With his next start pushed from Tuesday to Wednesday Zambrano would have thrown a bullpen session anyway on Sunday. "It was fun," Zambrano said.
MOVIN' ON UP: Piniella moved past Miller Huggins into 20th place on the all-time managerial wins list with win No. 1,414. Piniella, who wears No. 14, was asked if 1,414 sound good. "Yeah," Piniella said. "1,415 will sound better."
STREAKING: The Rays are the ninth team to have a winning streak of 11 or more in the 2000s. The Twins were most recent, winning 11 in September. ... The Rays were 21-34 when they started the streak; the most recent team to win 11 straight with a starting winning percentage that low (.382) was the 1982 Padres, who did so after starting the season 1-4. ... The 11-game streak is Piniella's second-longest; his 2001 Mariners won 15 straight on the way to 116 victories. ... The Rays have come from behind in eight of the wins.
ABOUT SATURDAY NIGHT: The Rays made an impressive comeback, falling behind 3-0 in the first, scoring a season-high seven in the second and eventually pulling away to win 11-4.
The only negative was the performance by starter Dewon Brazelton , who couldn't get out of the third inning, allowing seven hits and two walks to the 15 batters he faced.
"Brazelton's got to pitch," Piniella said. "He can't just throw fastballs. He's got to get his changeup down and his breaking ball over or he's not going to win here."
On the positive side, Rob Bell did an excellent job in relief, allowing four hits over seven scoreless innings, and eventually could get another start.
MISCELLANY: The 14-3 June record clinches the Rays' fifth winning month in team history. ... Top outfield prospect Joey Gathright didn't start the past three games at Durham after bruising a shoulder sliding into a base. ... Sunday's game was played with the Bank One Ballpark roof closed; outside temperature at game time was 101 degrees. ... Some players wore light blue armbands as part of the prostate cancer awareness program.
