Rays pitchers who clinched a post season Series: From Balfour to Price

As a franchise, the Rays seem to love giving a middle finger.

The play in a dump of a stadium that is empty most of the time. They play in the same Division as the Red Sox and Yankees, ergo can't contend. And they lose their best players by way of free agency and salary dumps.

And here we are going into 2012 and chances are they are going to make the playoffs for the fourth time in five years and are LOADED with solid if not spectacular pitching depth.

The team has yet to win it all, but since changing their name 4 years ago, they have gone from laughing stock of baseball to playoff regulars.

A pair of pitchers have clinched a post season series for the Rays.
No doubt soon, a new pitcher will be added to this list.




GRANT BALFOUR
2008 American League Division Series - Game 4
Rays 6, White Sox 2

October 6, 2008
At U. S. Cellular Field, Chicago

2 innings of relief for starter Andy Sonnanstine and reliever J. P Howell.

LAST OUT: Ken Griffey Jr. strikes out


DAVID PRICE
2008 American League Championship Series - Game 7
Rays 3, Red Sox 1

October 19, 2008
At Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida

1 1/3 innings of relief to save the game for Matt Garza.

LAST OUT: Pinch hitter Jed Lowrie grounds out to second baseman Akinori Iwamura who stepped on second for the out.



As a Red Sox fan, that last one still stings.

Expect to see the Rays in the playoffs in 2012... and the franchise will continue to flip off the experts and all logic.