Rays lose 4th straight at Fenway…….7-4.

 

Red Sox 7, Rays 4

 

The Rays are beginning a 9 game roadtrip that should  show both the critics and the believers more about the abilities and the moxy of this squad.  Two of the series feature the current World Champions (Boston), a division leader (L A Angels), and a very improved offensive team (Texas). This series will test the pitching staff and confuse and frustrate the offensive power of the Rays.

****************************************************************

Trivia Fact of the Night:

On June 10, 1944, Joe Nuxtall was 15 years old when he played his first game for the Cincinnati Reds, making him the youngest player to play in the majors.

****************************************************************

                                        The Good,The Bad,and The Ugly

                            

                                                        The Good

Carlos Pena may have shown that he is beginning to come out of his batting slump by going 2-3 tonight. Pena hit his 11th homer into the Rays Bullpen in rightfield in the 6th inning to score  B J Upton.

This was not the first scoring play for Pena tonight, in the 4th inning he hit a ground rule double that also scored B J  to knot the score at 2-2. Carlos ended the night with 3 RBIs to increase his total to 35 RBI’s.

Honorable Mention “Good Guys”:

***  B J Upton went 2-5 tonight with a single and a double tonight. Upton scored 2 runs tonight and increase his average to .307.

** The Rays are 21-12 against the American League East. No other team has a winning record amonst their division mates.  They also have 6 walk-off wins, best in the AL, the Rays are 5-1, best in the majors.

                              

*   Akinora Iwamura hit his 4th lead-off homer of the season tonight. Aki got on base three times tonight, with a homer and two walks.

Iwamura has not hit into a double play this season in his 231 at-bats. Lat season, he was the hardest player in the majors to get to ground into a double play.

                                 

                

                                              The Bad

Rays starter Matt Garza did not keep his composure in the bottom of the 6th inning against the Red Sox. Tampa Bay had just taken the lead in the game 4-3 and Garza returned to the mound and started the inning by hitting Kevin Youkilis with a pitch.

Manny Ramirez then got on base by Jason Bartlett’s first non-throwing error of the season. He got Mike Lowell to foul out, before walking J D Drew.

After walking Drew, he asked for a new ball from homeplate umpire Chad Fairchild after slamming the old ball nito the turf near the on deck circle of the Red Sox. Carlos Pena then went out to calm down Garza, but the damage was already done for the Rays.  Garza gave up two hits, a single to Jason Varitek, and a double to Coco Crisp. With 4 runs scoring the Red Sox were up 7-4 when Grant Balfour relieved Garza.

                                  

                                               The Ugly  

I really do not understand people who run onto the field during the game. I know that most of these occur after a bit of alcohol useage, but I do not understand why you would risk expulsion from a ballpark. Definite jail time( at least for the night), and a hefty fine to the local government.

I know at the Trop., since it is located near the St. Petersburg Police station, it makes the trip alot shorter and air conditioned. Seriously, I know the Rays take your Season Tickets away, expell you from all MLB stadiums, and you get some alone time in Sheriff  Jim Coates hotel, with a nice visit to a judge to pay a $ 150.00 fine.

That could be the next VISA commercial.

 2 Tickets to the Rays game                                                    $ 40.00

2 cold beers and Outback Steak and ‘srooms biter               $ 20.00

2 New Era fitted Rays caps                                                    $ 15.00

Strolling the outfield in the 7th inning stretch                 PRICELESS

   (Sounds of security struggling with you and the clink of the handcuffs)