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Rays top Bosox to cut wildcard lead
Source: Agencies |
September 20, 2011, Tuesday
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THE red-hot Tampa Bay Rays improved their Major League Baseball playoff hopes by moving to within two games of rival Boston for the American League wildcard spot with a 8-5 win over the slumping Red Sox in Boston on Sunday.
The Rays (85-67), who trailed the Red Sox (87-65) by nine games as recently as two weeks ago, have won seven of their last 10 to close the gap. Each team has 10 games remaining.
"(The series) was a lot of fun," Rays reliever Jake McGee said after he pitched 2-2/3 innings to record the win. "I love coming to the park every day, everyone has a good time, everyone is getting along. Everyone is really loose and not putting too much pressure on each other."
In Toronto, the New York Yankees fell 0-3 to the Blue Jays, missing an opportunity to extend their four-game lead in the AL East and denying Mariano Rivera a shot at setting MLB's career saves record.
In the National League, the Milwaukee Brewers inched closer to clinching the Central division by capping a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds 8-1.
The Brewers have a six-game lead over St Louis after the Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0.
The defending World Series champions San Francisco Giants, trying to claw their way into the playoffs, beat the Colorado Rockies 12-5 to move within four games of NL wildcard-leading Atlanta Braves, who lost to the New York Mets 5-7.
San Francisco trails the Arizona Diamondbacks by five games in the National League West.
Tampa Bay's postseason push took another step forward when it took advantage of Boston starter Tim Wakefield who allowed six runs in five innings at Fenway Park.
Matt Joyce went 3-for-4 with three RBI for the Rays, who went ahead 3-0 in the second inning and also tagged on two runs in the fifth and two in the seventh to claim an 8-2 advantage.
Starter David Price left the game with a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning after being hit in the chest by a line drive, though it appeared to be a precaution.
Boston scored two runs in the fourth and got a three-run homer from Mike Aviles in the bottom of the seventh but it was too little too late as the Red Sox slump continued.
The Red Sox have lost 13 of 17 games and are now fighting for their playoff lives.
"I choose to believe, knowing the guys down in the clubhouse like I do, we'll meet this challenge and it will make us stronger," Red Sox manager Terry Francona told reporters.
Elsewhere in the AL, it was: Tigers 3, Athletics 0; Rangers 3, Mariners 0; Angels 11, Orioles 2; Indians 6, Twins 5; and White Sox 10, Royals 5.
In other NL games, it was: Diamondbacks 5, Padres 1; Dodgers 15, Pirates 1; Astros 3, Cubs 2; and Nationals 4, Marlins 3.
The Rays (85-67), who trailed the Red Sox (87-65) by nine games as recently as two weeks ago, have won seven of their last 10 to close the gap. Each team has 10 games remaining.
"(The series) was a lot of fun," Rays reliever Jake McGee said after he pitched 2-2/3 innings to record the win. "I love coming to the park every day, everyone has a good time, everyone is getting along. Everyone is really loose and not putting too much pressure on each other."
In Toronto, the New York Yankees fell 0-3 to the Blue Jays, missing an opportunity to extend their four-game lead in the AL East and denying Mariano Rivera a shot at setting MLB's career saves record.
In the National League, the Milwaukee Brewers inched closer to clinching the Central division by capping a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds 8-1.
The Brewers have a six-game lead over St Louis after the Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0.
The defending World Series champions San Francisco Giants, trying to claw their way into the playoffs, beat the Colorado Rockies 12-5 to move within four games of NL wildcard-leading Atlanta Braves, who lost to the New York Mets 5-7.
San Francisco trails the Arizona Diamondbacks by five games in the National League West.
Tampa Bay's postseason push took another step forward when it took advantage of Boston starter Tim Wakefield who allowed six runs in five innings at Fenway Park.
Matt Joyce went 3-for-4 with three RBI for the Rays, who went ahead 3-0 in the second inning and also tagged on two runs in the fifth and two in the seventh to claim an 8-2 advantage.
Starter David Price left the game with a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning after being hit in the chest by a line drive, though it appeared to be a precaution.
Boston scored two runs in the fourth and got a three-run homer from Mike Aviles in the bottom of the seventh but it was too little too late as the Red Sox slump continued.
The Red Sox have lost 13 of 17 games and are now fighting for their playoff lives.
"I choose to believe, knowing the guys down in the clubhouse like I do, we'll meet this challenge and it will make us stronger," Red Sox manager Terry Francona told reporters.
Elsewhere in the AL, it was: Tigers 3, Athletics 0; Rangers 3, Mariners 0; Angels 11, Orioles 2; Indians 6, Twins 5; and White Sox 10, Royals 5.
In other NL games, it was: Diamondbacks 5, Padres 1; Dodgers 15, Pirates 1; Astros 3, Cubs 2; and Nationals 4, Marlins 3.
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