September 11th vs. Tampa Bay

[TheKilo]

Since no one else wants to make one I'll take it upon myself to make another gamethread. I feel like I'm turning into SOTK here.

 

 

Tampa Bay Devil Rays (61-83) @ Boston Red Sox (87-58)

 

Wakefield happy to see Rays

Boston (87-58) vs. Tampa Bay (61-83), Tuesday, 7:05 p.m. ET

 

Tim Wakefield might just have the perfect remedy for all that ailed him in his last start. Enter the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. To say Wakefield has owned the Rays would be an understatement.

 

The veteran knuckleballer is 19-2 with a 2.72 ERA lifetime against Tampa Bay. That record includes a 4-0 record and a 1.65 ERA in four outings this season.

 

For whatever reason, the Rays have never been able to get a handle on Wakefield's knuckler.

 

Wakefield last pitched against the Devil Rays on Aug. 20. Wakefield fired seven shutout innings in that performance, allowing just four hits.

 

Doug Mirabelli, Wakefield's regular catcher, is all but certain to miss this game with a strained left hamstring. Mirabelli suffered the injury in his first game back after a quad injury that sidelined him for more than two weeks.

 

Fortunately, the Red Sox have Kevin Cash, who has proved adept at handling the knuckler.

 

"Sometimes you catch a break organizationally -- that he was willing to go to Triple-A to kind of helping develop [knuckleballer Charlie Zink] and play sparingly, but keep himself ready for something like this happening," manager Terry Francona said. "There's guys out there, but not a lot of them, that can do it and do it the way he did. This kid gives us a little jolt of energy. He's got a good edge to him when he's catching. Even when he's not catching, it's been good for us."

 

As for the Red Sox, they will play a 14th consecutive game with Manny Ramirez, who has been out with a strained left oblique.

 

"He's still a little tender to the touch," said Francona. "He'll continue to be examined by the medical staff."

 

Pitching matchup

BOS: RHP Tim Wakefield (16-10, 4.39 ERA)

Wakefield had his streak of 26 straight starts with a no-decision snapped in his last outing. The Red Sox did come back to win the game over the Orioles by a score of 7-6. In Wakefield's first turn in the rotation since missing an outing with back woes, he gave up nine hits and six runs over 3 2/3 innings. If ever there is a team Wakefield would seem primed to rebound against, it's the Devil Rays. Wakefield has owned Tampa Bay in his career, going 19-2 with a 2.72 ERA.

 

TB: RHP Andy Sonnanstine (5-9, 5.73 ERA)

Sonnanstine picked up his fifth win of the season on Wednesday night when he held the Orioles to two runs on nine hits while striking out six in six innings. The right-hander could easily have continued since he had thrown only 83 pitches when he was lifted, but the Rays were winning by a large margin. Sonnanstine relied mostly on a cut fastball that he kept down in the zone, which set up all of his other pitches nicely. Sonnanstine has now won four of his last five starts. He is 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA in two career starts against the Red Sox.

 

Player to watch

Carl Crawford is a .315 career hitter against Wakefield with two homers and eight RBIs in 73 at-bats.

[TheKilo]

Hopefully Alex Cora stays glued to the bench tonight.

[TheKilo]

Tonight's lineups

 

TAMPA

Akinori Iwamura, 3B

Carl Crawford, LF

Carlos Pena, 1B

B.J. Upton, CF

Delmon Young, RF

Brendan Harris, 2B

Jonny Gomes, DH

Dioner Navarro, C

Josh Wilson, SS

 

Andy Sonnanstine, SP

 

BOSTON

 

Jacoby Ellsbury, LF

Dustin Pedroia, 2B

David Ortiz, DH

Mike Lowell, 3B

J.D. Drew, RF

Kevin Youkilis, 1B

Coco Crisp, CF

Julio Lugo, SS

Kevin Cash, C

 

Tim Wakefield, SP

[VA Sox Fan]

Stay AWAY Rain!!!!

 

WIN SOX!! DAMMIT!!!! GO Timmaaaaaaaaay!

[riverside sluggers]

Andy Sonnanstine (3 games vs Boston, 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA---Career at Fenway Park in 2 games, 1-0 with a 7.20 ERA)

Jacoby Ellsbury, 1 for 2 (.500 avg) HR, RBI, K

Dustin Pedroia, 1 for 7 (.143 avg) Walk, K

David Ortiz, 2 for 7 (.286 avg) Triple, RBI, Walk, K

Mike Lowell, 4 for 7 (.571 avg) Double

J.D. Drew, 2 for 8 (.250 avg) K

Kevin Youkilis, 1 for 8 (.125 avg) Double, 2 Ks

Coco Crisp, 2 for 6 (.333 avg) Double, 2 RBIs, Walk, K

Julio Lugo, 2 for 6 (.333 avg) Double, 3 RBIs

Kevin Cash, 1 for 2 (.500 avg) 2 RBIs, K

///

Manny Ramirez, 1 for 5 (.200 avg) RBI, K

Jason Varitek, 3 for 5 (.600 avg) HR, 3 RBIs, 2 Ks

 

Tim Wakefield (37 games vs Tampa Bay, 19-2 & 3 saves with a 3.01 ERA---Career at Fenway Park in 241 games, 76-64 & 13 saves with a 4.40 ERA)

Akinori Iwamura, 5 for 13 (.385 avg) 2 Doubles, RBI, 3 Walks, SB

Carl Crawford, 24 for 75 (.307 avg) 4 Doubles, Triple, 2 HRs, 9 RBIs, 5 Ks, 9 SBs

Carlos Pena, 4 for 24 (.167 avg) Double, HR, 2 RBIs, 5 Walks, 3 Ks

B.J. Upton, 3 for 15 (.200 avg) Walk, 3 Ks

Delmon Young, 1 for 14 (.071 avg) 4 Ks, 2 SBs

Brendan Harris, 2 for 14 (.143 avg) Double, HR, RBI, 3 Ks

Jonny Gomes, 6 for 24 (.250 avg) HR, RBI, 5 Walks, 8 Ks, SB

Dioner Navarro, 4 for 8 (.500 avg) Double, 2 RBIs, Walk

Josh Wilson, 3 for 7 (.429 avg) Double, 2 Ks, SB

///

Greg Norton, 1 for 11 (.091 avg) Double, 2 Walks, 4 Ks

Josh Paul, 2 for 6 (.333 avg) Double, K

 

Sonnanstine this season on the road in 10 games, 3-4 with a 5.84 ERA

 

Wakefield this season vs Tampa Bay in 5 games, 4-0 with a 2.39 ERA. At home in 14 games, 9-4 with a 4.97 ERA

[Cocos Disciples]

It's been raining all day, forecast is for it to go through the night. I'd rather not play a doubleheader before the Yankee series (although there is an off day on Thursday).

[Quinny]

mann how is manny progressing? It seems like he's been out for a while

[jacksonianmarch]

Rays are on Wake tonight

[redsoxrules]

f*** wakefield

[jacksonianmarch]

4-0 and the rays still batting

[riverside sluggers]

The Sox rotation has the ace Beckett, steady pitcher in Schilling, lost in translation Dice-K, rattled Wakefield (bad back), and Lester (who knows)

[SCM33]

ohhh man that guy got drilled in the face!!!!

[VA Sox Fan]

The Sox rotation has the ace Beckett' date=' steady pitcher in Schilling, lost in translation Dice-K, rattled Wakefield (bad back), and Lester (who knows)[/quote']

 

 

Lester is 4-0....chill......

[redsoxrules]

Lester is 4-0....chill......

 

the record isnt everything , but i have to admit he has been good the last few starts

[riverside sluggers]

Lester is 4-0....chill......

 

Records arent everything. Yes his last 2 starts have been good. The jury is still out on him to keep his pitch count low and pound that strike zone. Hence, who knows what he will bring

[VA Sox Fan]

Nice inning for Wake!

 

RUNS PLEASE!!!!!!! EX LAX!!!

[Gom]

Go Rays!!! LOL!

[BoSox21]

Ellsbury goes yard yet again. 4-1 rays

[riverside sluggers]

The kid's got some power, 4-1

[redsoxrules]

wake in trouble again

[riverside sluggers]

Wakefield with back to back bad starts, Jon Lester now stands as the current 3rd best starter on the staff

[jacksonianmarch]

Snyder = human white flag

[Cocos Disciples]

Go Rays!!! LOL!

 

Are you mocking yourself or are you still doing this?

[VA Sox Fan]

f***! Timaaaaaay?!?!?

 

Go Kyle!

[Cocos Disciples]

8-1.

[jacksonianmarch]

Pena DRILLED that one.

[redsoxrules]

this game is pretty much done

[riverside sluggers]

Sox elect not to pitch to Pena with first base open and 1 out. This team is playing with no heart, 4 game lead unless the offense breaks out and the pen is lights out rest of the way

[redsoxrules]

bases loaded for lugo, we need a big hit here

[redsoxrules]

8-2 bases still loaded 1 out