Tampa Bay clinches first playoff spot

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Reuters) - The Tampa Bay Rays clinched a spot in the American League playoffs for the first time in the team's 11-year history with a 7-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.

The win assured the Rays of no worse than a place in the playoffs as the wild card team. They lead the AL East division by 2 ½ games over the Boston Red Sox with nine games to play.

"It's unbelievable," Rays rookie third baseman Evan Longoria said after he ended the game by catching a foul pop up. "It's still not done. We want to win the AL East."

Carlos Pena opened the scoring with a two-run double in the third inning, while Fernando Perez and Cliff Floyd homered. Scott Kazmir pitched six scoreless innings for his 12th win.

"To cap it off tonight in front of our home fans is great," manager Joe Maddon told the sold out crowd of 36,048 fans, many of whom stood and cheered and rang cowbells as the game ended.

The win improved the Rays to 92-61. Until this year, they had never won more than 70 games in a season.

The Rays, who were 66-96 in 2007, are the second team in major league history to reach the playoffs a year after having the worst record in baseball.

The other was the 1991 Atlanta Braves.

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)