D-Rays d-rail Boston in two one-run games
Sox lose another series
Boston (74-29) at Tampa Bay (45-60) – Aug. 2-4
Game 1: Boston 12, Tampa Bay 0. Former Marlins teammates — Brad Penny and A.J. Burnett — collide, with both now on different squads. Penny pitches a gem, carrying a three-hitter into the ninth inning. He nearly gets a complete game but tires, and manager Terry Francona knows what happens when he overpushes his pitchers...
Manny Ramirez goes 5-for-5 with a HR... Boston's defense turns four double plays in the first six innings... The Sox's offense cranks out 19 hits...
WP: Penny (7-12) -- his best game in Boston... LP: Burnett (4-7)... MVP: Manny Ramirez (5-for-5)...
Game 2: Tampa Bay 4, Boston 3. This is the first career Major League start for lefty Tommy Phelps. He's taking Curt Schilling's spot for a game or two. Phelps gives up three runs in the first three innings and Tampa scores what would be the game-winner in the seventh after a BoSox error...
Nomar homers in the top of the ninth, but Boston can't generate another run... D-Rays pitcher Andy Pettitte (!!) is pretty masterful, though his bullpen nearly blows the lead late.
WP: Andy Pettitte (12-3)... LP: T. Phelps (0-1)... MVP: Pettitte, who looks strange wearing D-Rays colors... "Though Houston bailed on me, I still have something to prove," he says afterward...
Game 3: Tampa Bay 6, Boston 5 (14 innings). Another rough outing for Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett, who gives up five runs -- including a three-run HR to Brook Fordyce in the third and a solo shot by D. Rolls in the sixth...
David Ortiz gets Beckett off the hook for the loss with a game-tying, two-run HR in the top of the ninth. The game remains 5-5 until the 14th inning when J. Lugo raps a walk-off RBI single to win it for the D-Rays. The Tropicana palace is rocking with the series win...
Boston goes through seven pitchers, and Tampa six...
WP: Jesus Colome (1-0)... LP: Alan Embree (3-3)... MVP: Brook Fordyce