Friday, 4 a.m.
For four months now, the standings have told you that the Tampa Bay Rays are the best team in the American League.
The number-crunchers will tell you the same.
The Rays made sure the accountants paid attention to their 10-1 victory over the Athletics Thursday. It was their 16th sweep of the season, most in the majors. The team now has a five-game lead in the AL East over the New York Yankees.
But those aren't the only impressive numbers.
-- Chandler Simpson now leads the AL in batting average (.311) and stolen bases (44).
-- Pitcher Drew Rasmussen has now tied teammate Nick Martinez for third in the majors with 15 wins.
-- Junior Caminero continues to lead the American League with 41 home runs.
-- Bryan Brown continues to lead the majors with 40 saves.
-- Caminero is third in the American League with 96.
-- Check out the Rays' ranks in overall hits. Diaz and Simpson are 1-2. But Caminero is fourth and Aranda sixth.
-- Rasmussen has the second-best WHIP in the league. He is third in average allowed.
Some pretty good numbers, right. Yet the schedule is challenging. The Rays have three games left at home against Boston, four on the road against the Yankees and three on the road against the Phillies.
The Rays burst out of a scoreless game in the fourth inning Thursday. They scored six times, and they had four of their seven hits. Simpson had a two-run single and Richie Palacios had a two-run double in the inning.
The Rays scored two more in the sixth on bases-loaded walks by Taylor Walls and Jonathan Aranda.
The Rays scored two more in the eighth on a single by Liam Hicks.
Both Hicks and Simpson had two hits for the Rays.
The Rays host the Boston Red Sox tonight at 7:10 at Tropicana aField. Ian Seymour (9-6) with start for the Rays against Ranger Saurez (7-4).
