Rays take lessons from past losses and produce wins

May 19--ST. PETERSBURG -- There were many nights in past seasons when the Tampa Bay Rays walked out of the clubhouse after just getting pounded by the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox or the Oakland Athletics or the Baltimore Orioles. And each time they returned the next day believing it was a new day and victory was just nine innings away.

On more than a few of those occasions, they were right.

"We walk out those double doors (of the clubhouse), and who cares (about the loss) after that," designated hitter Jonny Gomes said.

Now that the Rays are above .500 and living near the top of the American League East standings, the mindset hasn't changed.

"As soon as we walk out those doors it's a clean slate," Gomes said. "We come in tomorrow first, second, third or fourth place, we just want to win a game."

It's an attitude that has served the Rays well in recent weeks as they try not to get swept away in their new-found success.

How do you put a big win against Boston or New York behind you?

The same way you put that 12-5 loss to the Minnesota Twins last season behind you. The Rays won the next day 6-4.

Same with that 12-2 loss to Oakland. The Rays won the next game 12-2.

Who knew the Rays were taking notes during all those losses?

"You learn from losing," Gomes said. "You have to fail before you succeed."

Rays manager Joe Maddon said you don't have to look that far back for examples of how the Rays responded to a bad loss with a victory. He goes back to when the Rays were swept May 2-4 in Boston then won seven of their next eight.