In the first game of their big series with the Boston Red Sox, the Tampa Bay Rays came out on top with a 5-4 win. The defending champion Red Sox were no match for the Rays tonight as the Rays got some great starting pitching from James Shields and some timely hitting. The Rays are now 50-32 this season.
James Shields started on the mound for the Rays and got his sixth win of the season. He went 6.1 innings and gave up only two runs. He also struck out five batters while walking only one. Troy Percival came on in the ninth inning to close out the game but gave up a couple of runs before leaving the game with two hits with an apparent injury. JP Howell came on to get the last out and his second save of the year.
The Rays got on the board right away in the first inning on a BJ Upton solo home run. After the Red Sox picked up a run in the fourth the Rays got a couple of runs right back on a Gabe Gross two run homer. Gross had two of the Rays six hits on the game as they made the most of the hits they were able to get. Gross also walked twice. Great production out of the number eight hitter.
The Rays and Sox will play the middle game of their three game set tomorrow night. Matt Garza will go up against Tim Wakefield. Game time is 7:10pm.
