why the Rays (41-51) have found themselves at or near the bottom of the AL East for most of the year, but a 6-0 loss in Monday's series opener was just their third in 13 games."I guess we were kind of due for one of these games," losing pitcher Jake Odorizzi said. "I don't think this game is really going to set us back that much in the long run."Hellickson began a rehab assignment June 7 and went 1-4 with a 6.23 ERA in six starts."I'm excited," Hellickson told MLB's official website. "It's definitely been a long time, but it's felt even longer. I was expecting to be back a month ago and, you know, had a Argentina vs Netherlands live stream couple of setbacks. But I'm feeling good now."The 2011 AL Rookie of the Year is 1-2 with a 6.18 ERA in five starts against the Royals (46-42). Billy Butler is 9 for 14, Alex Gordon has gone 7 for 14 and Omar Infante is 4 for 6 against Hellickson.Gordon and Infante each went 3 for 5 with two RBIs on Monday as Kansas City avoided a third straight loss. Infante is 11 for 25 over his last six games.Tampa Bay will be facing Jason Vargas (8-3, 3.32 ERA), who in his last outing bounced back nicely from one of his worst starts of the season.He was 3-1 with a 2.27 ERA in his previous six starts before allowing six runs and nine hits -- three homers -- in four innings in an 8-6 win over the Angels on June 27.Vargas shook off that outing by giving up four hits over seven innings in Wednesday's 4-0 victory at Minnesota to become the first Royals left-hander to win at least eight games before the All-Star break since Chris George in 2003."He really knows his game plan when he's out there," first baseman Eric Hosmer said.
