The Scrapping Rays @ The Mending Red Sox 9/15-9/18

[Tobywan]

Probables

Hellickson VS Weiland
Shields VS Beckett
Niemann VS Lester
Price VS Wakefield

Youkilis is scheduled to be back playing through a hernia and after getting treatment for bursitis in his hip.
It won’t be easy to get to the Red Sox in Fenway especially if the hobbled are mended enough to play at or near their best.

Tonight’s Match-ups

Jeremy Hellickson allowed 3 runs on 5 hits in six innings Saturday to the Sox in the midst of a series sweep over the weekend.


Kyle Weiland is making his fourth start of the season he took a no decision in the weekend outing against the Rays, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits in 4 innings on Saturday.

Tid-bits

Ben Zobrist has only had to play two positions this season, he has 45 doubles and needs just three more to take the franchise record.

David Ortiz left the game on Tues. with back spasms and was sat on Wed. his start tonight is iffy.

[BuckFoston]

HUGE series.. We all know whats at stake these next few days. Should be some good baseball games and a lot of fun to watch.

[Tobywan]

^^^ It definitely makes it interesting, the Rays are battling and that’s all you can ask at this point.

[Tobywan]

Well, the Rays are certainly giving it their best shot so far. In a season full of missed opportunities they need to try to make the most of any opportunity that comes along like the Sox struggling, hobbling and making those rare mistakes.

This is the 4th season in which the Rays have attempted to be the third wheel and continue the crashing the AL East private party.

An aside pleasantry is the call ups of September which is even more fun when you have the hope of sticking around to October. The kids get a chance to get their feet wet and a taste of being in a race , some getting their first at bats or hits and some even making a splash. This series is getting a lot of national press so they get an even bigger stage.

Speaking of the call ups and moves, Mike Ekstrom and Rob Delaney cleared waivers and were out righted to the minors and Jay Buente was released. Russ Canzler made his ML debut in the 9th taking a walk and Alex Torres pitched the 9th. For the Red Sox Jose Iglesias logged his first ML hit in the 9th off Torres.


With the help of homers from Longo, Kotchman and Upton the Rays took the first game 9-2. Jeremy Hellickson used up a lot of pitches but he got the outs when he needed them for the win and to help his cause for the AL ROY.

[Tobywan]

Tonight’s Match-ups

James Shields has terrible numbers in Fenway, the Rays need BIG GAME James tonight! In his last start against the Sox on Sunday, he came within 2 outs of a 12th CG.
He allowed one run on seven hits for his career-high 15th victory.

Josh Beckett coming off an ankle injury also needs to be big game for the Sox. His last loss came August 13th. IS he mended or will his foot fall off? That is the question.


Tid-bits

The Red Sox haven't won a season series against the Rays overall since taking seven straight from 2001-07.

17 of Jacoby Ellsbury's 27 home runs have come against AL East teams, the most of any player this year against that division.


Line-ups

Rays

Jennings LF
Upton CF
Longoria 3B
Kotchman 1B
Damon DH
Zobrist 2B
Joyce RF
Jaso C
Brignac SS


Red Sox

Ellsbury CF
Pedroia 2B
Gonzalez 1B
Ortiz DH
Reddick RF
Scutaro SS
Crawford LF
Varitek C
Aviles 3B

Zobrist dropped to 6th putting Longo between the hot hitting BJ and Kotch, Jaso also a hot bat in again as well.

Youkilis out of the line up, gut response is relief but sometimes those replacements can bite you on the ass. There’s got to be concern for him, he looked like he was in agony last night.

[Tobywan]

Jennings bunts Beckett tries to roll it but it goes wide of first, DJ moves on to second.
Upton pops out to first.
Longoria hits one high and deep into the monster!!! Maybe a review???? Yep.

[Tobywan]

Homer stands, Rays take the early lead 2-0.

[Tobywan]

Kotchman singles into right.
Damon batting, Kotch heads to second, no throw.
JD grounds out to second, Kotch moves to third.
Zobrist grounds out to first.

[Tobywan]

Ellsbury leads off with a double lined out to the left field wall.
Pedroia scoots a line drive single down into the left firled corner, Ells scores.


2-1

Gonzalez tries to check his swing, called out.
Ortiz batting Dustin moves to second on a WP.
Papi hits one high and deep tp left center.off the top of the wall, Pesky scores.

2-2.

Reddick flies out to center.
Scuturo pops up to first.

[Tobywan]

Joyce pops out to first.
Jaso Ks.
Brignac grounds out to second.

[Tobywan]

Crawford walks.
Varitek walks.

Mound huddle.

Aviles tries to bunt but too hard, Longo to Brignac down to Zobrist covering first for the double play. CC to third.
Ells grounds out to the pitcher.

[Tobywan]

DJ rolls one up the middle, Pesky diving stop, throw just not in time!
BJ Ks, Jennings heads to second, Tek up throw is high, DJ heads to third.
Longo loops a single into shallow right, throw to the plate is wide, DJ scores.

3-2.
Kotch grounds into a 6-3 dp.

[Tobywan]

Pesky singles into center.
AGon Ks, Pedroia heads to second, throw to Brignac, but Dustin just got his hand in there for the steal.
Papi lines a double into center, Pesky scores.

3-3.

Red flies out to center.
Scuto grounds to third, Longo high throw to first, but Kotch keeps his foot on the bag.

[Tobywan]

JD HBP.
Zo flies out to left.
Matty J batting, JD takes second, throw not even close.
Joyce Ks.
JJ Ks.

[Tobywan]

CC chops right back tot he mound.
Tek pops up to third.
Aviles launches a bomb to left off the sports authority sign.
Ells grounds out to short.

Sox takes the lead 4-3.

On to the 5th.