Published: Thursday, Oct. 09, 2008

Updated: Thursday, Oct. 09, 2008

RAYS NOTES: Shields to start Game 1

Joe Maddon sprung no surprises while announcing his starting rotation for the American League Championship Series.

And for good reason - the order of James Shields, Scott Kazmir, Matt Garza and Andy Sonnanstine is identical to the one that got the Tampa Bay Rays into the ALCS, which gets under way Friday night when the Rays meet the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field.

Shields, Kazmir and Sonnanstine recorded wins in the divisional series against the Chicago White Sox, and the entire rotation comes in armed with plenty of rest.

"You could talk about a three-man rotation," said Maddon, the Rays' manager, "but we have really not sent up guys on less than normal rest. We are not opposed to doing it if needs be."

Shields went 9-2 with a 2.59 ERA at home this season and twirled a two-hit shutout against Boston on April 27 at Tropicana Field. He went 2-2 with a 5.85 ERA against the Red Sox and was the only Ray starter to beat them this season.

"My record is pretty good at home," said Shields, who allowed three earned runs in 6 1/3 innings to beat Chicago in Game 1 of the ALDS. "I have a lot of confidence.

"Hopefully, I'll get the job done again."

Though he didn't record a win, Sonnanstine had the most success this season against Boston, not allowing a run and just seven hits in 13 innings. Kazmir struggled against Boston, going 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in four starts. He allowed nine runs and four home runs - both career highs - to the Red Sox on Sept. 15, and Garza (0-1, 6.60 ERA in three starts) wasn't much better.

The Red Sox will counter with Daisuke Matsuzaka, Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Tim Wakefield.

"It gives people rest," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said of his rotation. "Not too much rest, not too little."

Matsuzaka (1-0, 3.00 ERA in three starts) and Beckett (2-1, 2.06 in five starts) fared well against the Rays this season - but both paled in comparison to Lester, who went 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA against Tampa Bay this season.

Oddly enough, the only Boston starter to struggle against the Rays was Wakefield, who went 0-2 with a 5.87 ERA. In his career, Wakefield is 19-5 versus Tampa Bay.

Against the Sox

Tampa Bay went 10-8 against Boston this year - winning the season series for the first time since 1999 - despite being outscored 87-67 and batting .233. Nine of the Rays wins came by one or two runs, and the Rays' bullpen went 7-0 against Boston.

Finally at Fenway

The Rays took two of three from the Red Sox at Fenway Park on Sept. 8-10 - their first series win at Fenway since 1999, a span of 25 series where the Rays went 0-21-4.

Sox in the mix

This marks the fifth time in 13 seasons the American League pennant will come down to two teams from the East and the fourth time it features the Red Sox, who played the New York Yankees in the LCS in 1999, 2003 and '04. The all-East series that didn't involve Boston was in 1996, when the Yankees defeated the Baltimore Orioles in five games.

Getting the squeeze

The Red Sox went 1-8 at Tropicana Field this season, their most losses at an opponent's ballpark since they went 1-8 at Yankee Stadium in 2001.

In this past

The Rays have played the Red Sox 187 times, more than they have played any other team, and are 68-119 against them for a winning percentage of .364. That's their fourth-lowest success rate against an American League opponent, and they have only fared worse against the Cleveland Indians (28-60, .318), the Yankees (62-122, .337) and the Oakland Athletics (37-66, .359).

Big numbers . . . bad omen?

Including the regular season, the Rays are 59-24 at home for a winning percentage of .711, making them the seventh team to play .700 at home since 1980. Yet only one of those teams - the 1998 New York Yankees - won the World Series, and only one other - the 1995 Cleveland Indians - won the pennant.

Not bad, Chad

By throwing three innings during the American League Division Series, Rays reliever Chad Bradford pushed his string of shutout innings in the postseason to 18 1/3. No active reliever has thrown more playoff innings without allowing a run.

Near-perfect pen

Tampa Bay's bullpen was stellar against in the ALDS, allowing an earned run in 11 2/3 innings (a 0.77 ERA) while striking out 13 and giving up six hits. J.P. Howell and Grant Balfour teamed for 7 2/3 scoreless innings.