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Come Fan with UsMonday, June 22, 2026

Rays Vs. Rangers, ALDS Game 5: Cliff Lee Finds Groove, Strikes Out Side

This is always the big worry against Cliff Lee. You want to seize every single opportunity you get, because you never know when you've seen your last chance.

The Rays blew a golden chance to pile on against Lee in the third, and in the fourth, it would appear that Lee has found his groove. He struck out Carlos Pena with a big, looping curve. He struck out B.J. Upton with a big, looping curve. He then missed with a big, looping curve in a two-strike count against Dan Johnson, and struck him out with a low-away heater.

Lee needed just 11 pitches to strike out the side in the fourth, and if those 11 pitches were any indication, he's locked in and good to turn on the afterburners. David Price badly needs to keep the Rangers scoreless, because the Rays' lineup is in trouble.

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