SB Nation Tampa Bay - Rays Can't Close Out Soxhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49019/tb-fave.png2010-09-08T23:01:40-04:00http://tampabay.sbnation.com/rss/stream/14367432010-09-08T23:01:40-04:002010-09-08T23:01:40-04:00Red Sox Get Better Of Rays In High-Scoring Series
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<p>Boston, MA (Sports Network) – Tim Wakefield became the oldest pitcher in Red Sox history to record a win and Boston belted five home runs to top Tampa Bay, 11-5, in the rubber match of a three-game series.</p>
<p>Marco Scutaro went 4-for-5 with a pair of homers and three <span class="caps">RBI</span>, while Victor Martinez, David Ortiz and Adrian Beltre also went deep for the Red Sox, who despite the win are 6 1/2 games behind the wild card-leading Rays.</p>
<p>Wakefield (4-10), who had lost his previous four decisions, won for the first time since July 2 against Baltimore. The knuckleball specialist, making his first start since August 25, moved to 21-6 all-time against the Rays. He allowed six hits and five runs — four earned — over five innings.</p>
<p>Wakefield, at 44 years and 37 days old, passed Dennis Eckersley as the oldest pitcher in club history to record a victory. Eckersley got his last Sox win on September 17, 1998 at Baltimore at 43 years, 349 days old.</p>
<p>B.J. Upton homered for a second straight night, this time a three-run blast in the second inning, but the Rays fell 2 1/2 games behind the AL East-leading Yankees. New York rallied for a 3-2 win over Baltimore Wednesday afternoon.</p>
<p>Matt Garza (14-8), who had won his last three decisions, was tagged for nine hits and six runs in 4 1/3 frames.</p>
https://tampabay.sbnation.com/2010/9/8/1677782/red-sox-get-better-of-rays-in-highClark Brooks2010-09-07T22:58:02-04:002010-09-07T22:58:02-04:00Big Night For Rays; Losing Streak Broken, Ground Gained Against Yankees
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<p>Boston, MA (Sports Network) – Ben Zobrist, Jason Bartlett and Evan Longoria each homered and finished with three <span class="caps">RBI</span>, as Tampa Bay blasted Boston, 14-5, to gain ground on first place in the AL East.</p>
<p>Carl Crawford went 4-for-4 with three doubles and drove in two for the Rays, who moved within 1 1/2 games of the division-leading Yankees. New York lost at home to Baltimore, 6-2, on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Dan Johnson and B.J. Upton also went deep for Tampa Bay, which picked up its franchise-record 41st road win.</p>
<p>David Price (17-6) expanded his club record for victories in a single season as he allowed just two hits and a pair of runs over six innings.</p>
<p>09/07 22:34:12 ET</p>
https://tampabay.sbnation.com/2010/9/7/1675711/big-night-for-rays-losing-streakClark Brooks2010-09-06T23:15:55-04:002010-09-06T23:15:55-04:00Rays Drop Third Straight, Niemann Struggles Again
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<p>Boston, MA (Sports Network) – Rookie Ryan Kalish belted his second grand slam and David Ortiz also went deep, as the Red Sox blasted Tampa Bay, 12-5, in the opener of a big three-game set at Fenway Park.</p>
<p>With this being the final series for Boston against the Rays, it’s imperative that the Red Sox sweep to continue hopes for a postseason spot. Monday’s win moved Boston within 6 1/2 games of the Rays for the wild card lead. Chicago is six back.</p>
<p>Jon Lester (16-8) struck out exactly 10 batters for a third straight game, all victories. The lefty limited the Rays to four hits and two runs over six innings.</p>
<p>Ortiz and Adrian Beltre hit back-to-back homers in the first inning for Boston, which was swept at home by the White Sox in a three-game series over the weekend. Victor Martinez added a two-run single in the second.</p>
<p>The Rays lost their third in a row and remained 2 1/2 games behind the first- place New York Yankees in the AL East.</p>
<p>Jeff Niemann (10-6) was pounded for a third straight start. This time the right-hander surrendered four hits and six runs over 1 2/3 frames. He’s given up 19 hits and 23 runs over his last three outings for an <span class="caps">ERA</span> of 20.70 in that span.</p>
<p>Andy Sonnanstine, called up from Single-A Hudson Valley earlier Monday, gave up five runs on five hits and four walks over 4 1/3 innings for the Rays.</p>
<p>Carl Crawford singled in a run in the top of the first, but Martinez walked ahead of Ortiz’s 28th homer of the season, a two-out shot just inside the pole in right field. Beltre then homered to left.</p>
<p>After Martinez singled in a pair the following inning, Ortiz doubled off Sonnanstine to drive in J.D. Drew for a 6-1 margin.</p>
<p>Sean Rodriguez singled in a run in the away third, but Kalish’s slam to right capped a big five-run fourth. The other run came in when Sonnanstine walked Jed Lowrie with the bases loaded.</p>
<p>Tampa Bay scored three times in the seventh, all on bases-loaded walks, but Scott Atchison got out of the inning by retiring pinch-hitter Reid Brignac on a pop foul to first and then getting Rocco Baldelli to fly out to left.</p>
<p>Yamaico Navarro’s sacrifice fly in the bottom half accounted for the final margin.</p>
<p>Game Notes</p>
<p>Lester moved to 9-3 lifetime against Tampa Bay…Beltre has 999 career <span class="caps">RBI</span> and 901 runs scored…Tampa Bay leads the season series, 10-6…Before the game, the Red Sox activated veteran catcher Jason Varitek from the 15-day disabled list. He had been on the DL since July 1 with a right foot fracture. The Red Sox also selected the contract of first baseman Lars Anderson and recalled outfielder Josh Reddick from Triple-A Pawtucket..Kalish also hit a slam in a 6-0 win over the Angels on August 17…This was the shortest non-injury related start of Niemann’s career.</p>
https://tampabay.sbnation.com/2010/9/6/1673718/rays-drop-third-straight-niemannClark Brooks2010-09-06T16:26:29-04:002010-09-06T16:26:29-04:00Tampa Bay Rays At Boston: Red Sox On The Ropes?
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<p>The battered and bruised Red Sox have done an admirable job of hanging on in the playoff race this season. But after a weekend series that saw them get swept at home by the Chicago White Sox, time may be running out on the perennial contenders.</p>
<p>The Rays shouldn't expect a warm welcome to Fenway Park though; the Red Sox are not accustomed to seeing multiple teams ahead of them in the standings, having finished lower than 2nd place just once since 1997(3rd in 2006), a year before Tampa Bay began play in the big leagues. Pride can be a tremendous source of motivation and there's no reason to expect the Red Sox to take it easy against the Rays, especially at home. </p>
<p>The Red Sox (76-61, 3rd in the AL East) are coming off a three game series against the White Sox that saw them get swept for the fourth time this season and only the second time at home (in April, in a four game series versus the Rays). They are 3-7 in their last ten games, going 3-3 on the road and 0-4 in that span. Their last win at home was August 25th against the Seattle Mariners. Jon Lester (15-8, 3.27) will start the series for Boston. The last time he faced the Rays (August 27th), he held them to two hits and no earned runs while striking out 10 in a 3-1 Boston win.</p>
<p>The Rays (83-53, 2nd in the AL East) are liable to be in a foul mood to start this series as well, having lost two in a row at Baltimore and losing their first series since being swept in Toronto in early August. The Rays are 5-5 in their last ten entering the middle three games of a nine game road trip before returning to Tropicana Field for three games against the division leading New York Yankees on September 13th. Jeff Niemann (10-5, 3.97) gets the start tonight. Neimann has not fared well in his two starts since returning from the disabled list, allowing 10 runs in 3 1/3 innings in a loss to the Angels on August 25th and seven runs in five innings in a loss to the Blue Jays last Tuesday.</p>
<p>For more on the Boston Red Sox, please take a trip <a target="_blank" href="http://www.overthemonster.com">Over The Monster</a>. And as always, for more rays coverage, please visit <a target="_blank" href="http://www.draysbay.com/">DRaysBay</a>.</p>
https://tampabay.sbnation.com/2010/9/6/2320560/tampa-bay-rays-at-boston-red-sox-on-the-ropesClark Brooks