"The immediate gratification for the Rays on Monday was the 4-2 victory over the Pirates that ended an eight-game spring winless streak that was third longest in team history. "Casey (Kotchman) just said, 'Well, there's no need for a team meeting,' " manager Joe Maddon said. "It was nice to shake hands. It's always nice to win." The more significant development was a continuation of the positive performances by candidates for the three open spots in the bullpen. After raving again before the game about Sunday's show by LHPs Cesar Ramos and Jake McGee and RHPs Juan Cruz and Brandon Gomes, Maddon added praise afterward for the efforts of RHPs Mike Ekstrom and Rob Delaney, plus prospects RHPs Alex Cobb and Matt Bush. "All these guys are kinda stepping up," Maddon said. "One of the first things I talked about when they came in here was opportunity, and there's plenty of opportunity in our bullpen. It seems to me guys are settling in a bit, they're kinda fresh, they're throwing strikes, they're making pitches."" Read more: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/base...mpress-as-tampa-bay-rays-snap-winless/1155836