Red Sox sting Rays in AL crucial match
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida – Jonathan Papelbon pitched Boston out of an eighth-inning jam, and Jason Bay, J.D. Drew and Kevin Youkilis homered Tuesday to help the Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 8-4, in the opener of a series crucial to the American League wild-card race.
Papelbon entered with two runs in and the bases loaded with no outs and shut down the AL champions in the eighth with help from a diving catch by center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who snared Jason Bartlett’s sinking liner before scrambling to his feet to keep a runner from tagging up at third.
Papelbon pitched a perfect ninth for his 33rd save, fifth of more than one inning.
Jon Lester (11-7) allowed two runs and seven hits, walked one and struck out nine in six innings.
Andy Sonnanstine (6-8) returned from a two-month stint in the minor leagues to fill the opening in Tampa Bay’s rotation created by the trade that sent Scott Kazmir to the Los Angeles Angels. He gave up homers to Bay and Drew.
At Baltimore, Jorge Posada homered twice, and Nick Swisher and Eric Hinske hit successive drives in a three-run seventh inning that carried New York past Baltimore, 9-6, for its fifth straight win.
Robinson Cano also connected for Yankees, who will try to complete a three-game sweep Wednesday. (AP)
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