TAMPA, Fla. — With hope dissipating rapidly, the Tampa Bay Rays are showing that their season is still very much alive. 

No doubt, the last two months have been anemic, especially considering what the team looked like in June. Now, the club who dominated the first half of the season seems to be returning to form after winning nine of its last 11 games. 

After sweeping the Seattle Mariners in a crucial three-game set to open the week, the Rays will welcome another formidable opponent, the Cleveland Guardians, to Steinbrenner Field on Thursday to kick off a four-game series that will certainly hold postseason implications, as Cleveland (69-69) sits just a half game behind Tampa Bay (70-69). 

Taking the mound for the Rays on Thursday is right-hander Ryan Pepiot, who is making his team-leading 29th start. After a string of losing decisions in July, Pepiot has won four of five, bringing him to 10-10 on the season. 

Pepiot’s most recent win came in Tampa Bay’s 4-1 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday. The 28-year-old struck out six batters while allowing three walks and only one hit through five shutout innings.  

While Pepiot finds some faults in an otherwise dominant outing, he is happy with the way he approached the game. 

“I think I just like the way I competed,” Pepiot said on Wednesday. “I didn’t feel like I necessarily had the best command, the best mechanics, but just being able to make pitches and manage my way through five and give our offense a chance.” 

Pepiot should have plenty of offense backing him on Thursday, especially from All-Star third baseman Junior Caminero, who launched his 40th home run and 100th RBI of the season in the Rays’ 6-5 win over Seattle on Tuesday. 

“It’s pretty special stuff, especially for someone doing it at 22 years old,” Pepiot said of Caminero. “I think, just the sheer factor of how the season started, he just went on a tear and just continued that tear throughout the rest of the season.” 

“The talent is all there, and he could just live off the talent and be totally fine, but he strives to get better and better each and every day.” 

Pepiot recognizes the hardships the Rays have faced in the second half of the season, but he places a greater emphasis on the evidence showing how great they can be. 

“I think the confidence is high,” Pepiot said. “I don’t think we ever lost the confidence. There was some rough stretches in there, but the capabilities and everything in this room, it’s all there.” 

“We showed it in June with that 25-9 stretch that we were capable of doing that, and we know how hard everyone works.” 

Pepiot (10-10, 3.70 ERA) will face Guardians southpaw Logan Allen (7-10,4.42 ERA). 

Here's how to watch the game:  

How to watch Rays-Guardians 

Who: Cleveland Guardians (69-69) vs Tampa Bay Rays (70-69) 

When: Thursday, Sept. 4 at 7:35 p.m. ET. 

Where: Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla.  

TV: FanDuel Sports Sun 

Radio: WDAE 95.3 FM/620 AM, WQBN 106.7/1300 AM (Spanish) 

Here are the starting lineups for both teams: 

Rays Batting Order 

1. Chandler Simpson LF 

2. Yandy Diaz 1B 

3. Junior Caminero 3B 

4. Brandon Lowe 2B 

5. Christopher Morel DH 

6. Jake Mangum RF 

7. Everson Pereira CF 

8. Nick Fortes C 

9. Carson Williams SS 

Guardians Batting Order 

 1. Steven Kwan DH 

2. Daniel Schneeman CF 

3. Jose Ramirez 3B 

4. Kyle Manzardo 1B 

5. Bo Naylor C 

6. Nolan Jones LF 

7.  Gabriel Arias SS 

8. CJ Kayfus RF 

9. Brayan Rocchio 2B