Red Sox Nation Very Nervous!
The Boston Red Sox can thank David Ortiz and Jason Bay for their victory last night over the Tampa Bay Rays. As can all the fans and especially the Moms, that graced Fenway Park to see the Sox play on Mother’s Day. With the game tied 3-3 in the bottom of the eight, it was Ortiz who scored the winning run off the bat of Bay. Ortiz opened the inning with a double of the Green Monster and came around with the go ahead run as the hot hitting Bay roped his second double of the evening. Once the Sox grabbed the lead it was time for their closer Jonathan Papelbon to bring the “dreaded” stare to wrap things up.
So with the Sox up 4-3 and Papelbon on the mound it should of been a quick and uneventful ninth inning. Unfortunately it wasn’t that easy for the Sox or their fans, as Papelbon got himself into trouble starting with the first Rays batter, as he walked Akinori Iwamura. Making matters worse after a failed pick-off attempt that first baseman Jeff Bailey was unable to handle Iwamura moved up ninety feet closer with the tying run. Jason Bartlett followed with a single to short center giving the Rays runners on first and third with no outs, and making Red Sox Nation very nervous until Papelbon finally found his groove.
That’s when Paps, settled down and found his control and shut the Rays down for the game. As he mowed down the next three hitters (Carlos Pena, B.J. Upton and Carl Crawford) all with strikeouts to end the game, giving the Sox their first series win over the Rays this season. On top of Papelbon picking up his eight save on the season, he also secured the win for Ramon Ramirez who’s now 3-0 on the year. It wasn’t pretty or easy to watch but the Sox closer once again saved the day.
On last quick note: Tampa holds the season series edge over the Sox with a 6-4 record, with eight games remaining on the schedule. These two teams won’t see each other again until the beginning of August when the Sox travel to Florida for for a short two game series with the Rays on the 4th and 5th.