Sorry I'm late today guys, this has been possibly the worst day of my life, I just got back from a funeral from a very close friend who died in an ATV Crash, he was flung into a tree and pretty much died instantly.
RIP Dominick.
Game Info
Date: Monday, August 29th, 2005
First Pitch: 7:05pm ET
TV: NESN
Starting Pitchers:
http://i.a.cnn.net/si/images/baseball/mlb/players/7108.jpghttp://bellsouthpwp.net/c/h/chinigor/TALKSOX/VS.GIFhttp://i.a.cnn.net/si/images/baseball/mlb/players/6099.jpg
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/mlb/images/team_logos/50x50/tb.gif #37 Seth McClung (5-7, 6.40)
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/mlb/images/team_logos/50x50/bos.gif #30 Matt Clement (11-3, 4.35)
Clement looks to put clamps on Rays
Tampa Bay (55-76) at Boston (74-54), 7:05 p.m. ET
"Red-hot Devil Rays" is not something the Red Sox usually hear about when Tampa Bay comes to town, but that will certainly be the case this time around as manager Lou Piniella's team comes to Fenway for the start of a four-game series on Monday night.
The Rays just got done sweeping the Angels and have won nine of their last 13 games.
The Red Sox, who lead the Yankees by 1 1/2 games in the American League East, send Matt Clement to the mound in the opener. The last time Clement faced the Devil Rays was July 26, when he was struck above the right ear by a Carl Crawford liner and had to be taken to a nearby hospital.
Fortunately, Clement was fine, and now he'll try to have a more positive outing against Tampa Bay. The Devil Rays counter with Seth McClung.
Pitching matchup
TB: RHP Seth McClung
• 5-7, 6.40 ERA in 2005
• 0-1, 4.91 ERA vs. BOS in 2005
BOS: RHP Matt Clement
• 11-3, 4.35 ERA in 2005
• 1-0, 3.86 ERA vs. TB in 2005
Player to watch
Third baseman Bill Mueller continues to pound the baseball. He is in the midst of an 11-game hitting streak, during which he is 18-for-46. In Mueller's last 21 starts, he's hitting .383.
Quotable
"Tampa is coming to the house. You saw how those guys treated Anaheim. Anaheim might have the best pitching staff in the American League and they just [crushed] them." -- Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz, on the Devil Rays
Quick hits
Superstar sluggers Manny Ramirez and Ortiz have eerily similar numbers. Both players have 33 homers and 115 RBIs. Ortiz is hitting .295, compared to Ramirez's .289. Ramirez (.587) has a slightly higher slugging percentage than Ortiz (.580). ... Tony Graffanino continues to love life at Fenway Park. He has hit safely in all 12 home games since joining the Red Sox, hitting .457 with seven doubles, 18 runs, a homer and 12 RBIs. ... Johnny Damon has 47 multi-hit games this season. ... First baseman John Olerud, who didn't start in the three-game series against the Tigers, is likely to get the nod on Monday night.
On deck
• Monday: vs. Tampa Bay, 7:05 p.m. ET
• Tuesday: vs. Tampa Bay, 7:05 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: vs. Tampa Bay, 7:05 p.m. ET