Tampa Bay @ Boston preview
Fenway Park
Last Meeting ( Sep 6, 2010 ) Tampa Bay 5, Boston 12
The Boston Red Sox seemed to have raised the white flag with their lineup for Monday night's game.
Boston started four rookies and appeared as if it was setting its sights on the future.
Then the Red Sox hammered the Tampa Bay Rays to close to within 6 1/2 games in the race for the wild card. The two teams meet again Tuesday night in the second contest of the three-game series at Fenway Park.
Who knows what Boston will have in store?
Boston called up offensive prospect Lars Anderson to play first base on Monday. Anderson went 0-for-4 in his major league debut, but center fielder Ryan Kalish hit a grand slam in Boston's 12-5 win.
The Red Sox also had Daniel Nava batting in the leadoff position, Robert Coello pitch in relief and Yamaicho Navarro at shortstop. Navarro filled in for Marco Scutaro, who will have an MRI on Tuesday for a herniated disc.
Rocco Baldelli made his first start of the season for the Rays on Monday and went hitless. Baldelli played briefly for the Red Sox after a long injury-plagued stint at Tampa Bay. He homered in his first plate appearance for the Rays against Baltimore on Sunday.
Boston roughed up Rays' starter Jeff Niemann in Monday's victory. Niemman, who was placed on the disabled list with a sore shoulder recently, has pitched poorly in three straight starts since being reactivated. His spot in the postseason rotation, should the Rays make it, seems in serious jeopardy.
The Rays then went to Andy Sonnanstine for long relief, but he had little success. He yielded five runs and five hits and four walks.
On Tuesday, Boston will turn to Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is just 2-5 against Tampa Bay in his career - including a loss in two starts against the Rays this year. He is 4-1 in his last nine starts.
The Rays didn't lose any ground to the Yankees in the race for first place in the AL East. New York lost to the Baltimore Orioles earlier on Monday and leads Tampa Bay by 2 1/2 games.
Tampa Bay will go with its Cy Young Award candidate David Price, who lost a 3-1 decision against the Red Sox a couple of weeks ago. Price allowed 10 hits and three runs over seven innings in Boston's 3-1 win.
Price is fourth in the American League with a 2.92 ERA and 11th in strikeouts with 161. He is 2-2 lifetime against the Red Sox.