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The Tampa Bay Rays are officially out of the playoffs, as they are 12.5 games behind the Red Sox in the wild card race with just 21 games left to be played. Combine the way the Rays have been playing with the way Boston has been playing, and it's a sure thing that Tampa can kiss their playoff hopes goodbye. They have lost their last ten games, reminiscent of the Rays prior to their Cinderella 2008 campaign. Today, it was Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester dominating the Rays. In the morning, Buchholz went seven innings, struck out five batters and only allowed a run, while the evening presented Jon Lester shutting out the Rays for eight innings including seven K's. In the morning game, the Red Sox were tied going into the bottom of the eight, when David Ortiz doubled while pitch hitting for Nick Green. Joey Gathright (pinch running for Papi), advanced to third on a Jacoby Ellsbury sacrifice bunt. Dustin Pedroia followed Ells with a home run to right field, plating himself and Gathright. The Sox took a 3-1 lead which they would not relinquish. Papelbon got his 36th save of the year by closing out the Rays. In the evening, it was a very evenly balanced offensive attack, as every hitter in the Red Sox line up had one hit, with the exception of Jacoby Ellsbury and Alex Gonzalez, who both went hitless. The Sox wound up winning 4-0, thanks to a solo home run by Jason Bay in the 8th, an RBI double by Lowell and two runs driven in by Jason Varitek. Boston is now seven games behind the division leading Yankees but the team remains 3.5 ahead of the Rangers in the wild card race. Return to Red Sox News |
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