Laser show by Jared Carrabis
Papi and Youk continue their month of madness


While the Boston media was collectively busy picking up the roses that they left in front of a grave that read, "David Ortiz's career," Big Papi was occupied, crushing his ninth home run of the season in Tampa Bay.

It may only be the second month of the season, but there has been a lot of doubt as to whether or not this 2010 Red Sox team has what it takes to tangle with teams who are considered to be destined for October baseball.

We've heard all about how Boston can't compete against elite pitching, but I think Roy Halladay would tell you otherwise. Then we heard that the Yankees were in the Red Sox' heads. Why don't you give Mariano Rivera a call.

After sweeping Boston in a four-game set at Fenway Park earlier this season, it was set in stone that the Rays were the superior. I, as well as the rest of Red Sox Nation, say, "not so fast."

24-year-old Wade Davis toed the rubber for the Rays on Monday night, looking to keep Boston even further away from the top of the AL East standings, but the Red Sox had other plans.

Davis entered Monday night having given up four earned runs or more just once since his first start of the season. In the top of the second inning, Ortiz belted his eighth homer of the month to give Boston the 1-0 advantage.

The Boston bats rattled Davis in the next frame, working three walks, which the third came with the bases loaded to up Boston's lead to 2-0.

Adrian Beltre, who was 3-for-4 on the night, chopped a grounder to Evan Longoria, who bobbled the ball and was without a play. The infield single for Beltre brought home Jason Varitek, who entered the game to replace Victor Martinez, who left in the same inning with a bruised foot. X-rays were negative.

Beltre's three hits gave him his fifth multi-hit game in his last five, and upped his average to a team-best .335 mark.

Following up Beltre, Jeremy Hermida lined a base hit into left field to plate Boston's fourth run. The base hit for Hermida increased his average to .400 with runners in scoring position, and the 2-out RBI was his 15th, good enough to lead the American League. Hermida's 24 RBI on the season rank him fifth on the team, and are six behind JD Drew, who leads the team with 30 RBI.

In the top of the fourth, Kevin Youkilis came to the plate with Varitek aboard, who singled to knock Davis from the ballgame. Youkilis greeted Rays' reliever Lance Cormier with a two-run shot to left to increase Boston's lead to 6-0.

Youkilis' two-run blast gave him his team-best tenth homer and brought his average to .400 for the month, but his lone hit would bring it back down to .388 in May. In the month of May, Youkilis has homered seven times and driven in 17 runs in 22 games.

On the mound for Boston, Clay Buchholz was up to his dominant ways, holding the potent Rays offense to just one run on six hits, while striking out eight and walking one. Buchholz's outing saw his ERA drop from 3.26, to 3.07, as the right-hander improved to 6-3.

Buchholz sits alone in second place in the American League in wins, just one behind David Price, who has seven wins, but will not face Boston in this series. He's also tenth in the American League in ERA among starters with a minimum of 48 innings. For what it's worth, Buchholz also ranks in the top 25 in strikeouts.

Hideki Okajima hurled two perfect innings of relief, before handing the ball over to Daniel Bard, who tossed a perfect ninth.

Final score: Red Sox 6, Rays 1
WP: Clay Buchholz (6-3)
LP: Wade Davis (4-4)

Game notes: Clay Buchholz now has a 1.77 ERA in his last three starts. David Ortiz hit his eighth home run of the month, making it the most home runs he's hit in a single month since May of 2008, prior to his devastating wrist injury.

Tweet of the Night:

Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald did some digging in regards to the Red Sox pitching staff, and came up with the TOTN:

@ScottLauber: #RedSox starters in the last six games: 8 earned runs in 44 innings for a 1.64 ERA. Opponents are batting only .188 against them.

Tuesday's pitching match-up: Baseball fans are in for a treat on Tuesday night, as Jon Lester squares off against "Big Game" James Shields. Although he doesn't quite strike the fear in hearts like the name "Roy Halladay" does, his 5-1 record and 3.08 ERA should not be taken lightly. Shields, however, hasn't had the best of luck against the Red Sox, a team who he has faced 13 times, pitching his way to a 4-7 record and 5.33 ERA. Lester is unbeaten at 2-0 at the Trop and is 6-3 lifetime against the Rays with a 4.50 ERA.

-Jared Carrabis

To order Jared's debut book, One Fan's Story: If This Hat Could Talk, click HERE!





Published on May 25, 2010

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