Sox Look Good, Sail by Rays 5-1
By Bill Smith
Sep 13, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Felix Doubront (61) pitches against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
The day started out with three players being sent to the minors, the first of many to follow. Justin Henry was sent to minor league spring training with the Pawtucket Red Sox in his sights. Left Hander Drake Britton and shortstop Deven Marrerowere sent to AA Portland. Nineteen players were signed to one year major league contracts.
As far as the game itself with the Tampa Bay Rays, everything looked pretty good. Sox pitching held the Rays to one run in the fourth inning while sprinkling out five runs. Starting pitcher Felix Doubront went 1 2/3 innings, walking one, throwing 23 strikes out of 43 pitches, with no runs scored against him. He showed up to spring training out of shape, which was evident today but he got his work in. He was relieved by Terry Doyle who gave up the only Tampa Bay run, when Cole Figueroa doubled in Jack Cust.
Doyle, who got the win, was relieved by Right Hander Chris Hernandez, went for three scoreless innings, followed by Chris Carpenter with Anthony Carter relieving Carpenter. Tampa Bay started with Jeremy Hellickson for 3 innings, loser Jeff Niemann for two, with Dane De La Rosa, Alex Colome, Kirby Yates and Enny Romero splitting the balance in partial innings.
The day was mild, almost windless as a crowd of just under 10,000 stalwarts witnessed another comfortable, journeyman demonstration of America’s Pastime. The Sox put in good performances, building a decent head of steam for the looming opening set with the dreaded and hated pinstripes down I 95. Still the usual questions generated by spring training to be dealt with; all in all, after the shambles of the end of the 2011 season and the nightmare last year, the citizenry of the Nation should feel no braggadocio in demonstrating mild optimism. Now, if John Lackey will only not douse the glow.