Rays sweep Sox

ST. PETERSBURG -- Rookie third baseman Evan Longoria had three hits, including a go-ahead, two-run double in the Rays six-run, seventh-inning rally and Tampa Bay held on for a 7-6 win over the Red Sox Wednesday night in front of a sellout crowd at the Trop. (view photo gallery)

With the dramatic, come-from-behind victory, Tampa Bay (52-32) swept the three-game series against second-place Boston, moving 3.5 games ahead in the AL East.

Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka had kept the Rays bats at bay through five innings, and thanks to Dustin Pedroia (4-for-5, 2RBI), Boston held a 4-1 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.

But the Rays sent 11 batters to the plate in the half inning, with Jason Bartlett started it off with a leadoff double and adding a two-run single later in the frame. Before that, Longoria ripped a bases-loaded, two-run double off reliever Craig Hansen, which put the Rays up for good at 5-4.

Rays starter Scott Kazmir lasted just five innings, giving up four runs. Though the Rays took a 7-4 lead, the Red Sox added one in the eighth and made things interesting with a ninth-inning rally of their own.

With closer Troy Percival on the disabled list, Dan Wheeler was called upon to try to seal the deal. Manny Ramirez led off by reaching on an error by Jason Bartlett, and moved to third on a single by Mike Lowell.
But when Kevin Youkilis crushed a ball to deep center, B.J. Upton made a potential game-saving, over-the-shoulder catch on the warning track, holding the Red Sox to a sacrifice fly (which made it 7-6).

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Comments

[George W.]

Kaz just had an off day. He'll be back to his superstar strikeout status next game, watch!
Go RAYS !!

[Coco Crisp]

Man shoot if I hadn'ta been suspended I'da been knockin all dem Devil Rayz or whatevas aroun' da Trop cuz I'm so gr8t I got skillz on da field n in wit da bat n all dat! I am gr8tness wit a capitul GR8! But dats cool cuz I liked playin' sum connect 4 wit my boy Paplebun while we wasn't doin' nuthin fo doze tree dayz. BOSTUN 4 LIFE cuz I ain't neva been nowhers else like Clevlun or nuthin'!

[David Ortiz]

We lost???

[Jonathan Papelbon]

Hey I did get my revenge!

I was able to warm up last night... in REVENGE!!!! mwah ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go dance in my underwear for little boys since I'm a clown. Just check out my 5 foot tall hairdo for proof.

To Ray F
I was at gate Four talking with guest services to get the secuity Supervisor when the Police was taking em off to the pokey. They were young and dumb and full of Rum

[Ray F]

To the comment @ 1:09,

I was in section 122. Did you see the Sux fan being escorted out of +/- sec. 110 in the top of the 8th inning???

Just an idiot being obnoxious.

With the way some of those people act, you'da thought they were the ones actually losing the game and not the team they were rooting for.

GO RAYS!!!

So im at the game in section 103 row L right behind the Home plate club wednesday night and Im yelling at Youk and these Boston Fans in the Homeplate club start yelling at me to shut up and I tell em Im not yelling at them I paid my money and they should just sit down. About 5 mins later a security guard comes up from the Home Plate Club and tells me he had a complaint. I told I was yelling at Youk and there was no profanity or abusive language or any thing towards any of the fans and he tells me I gotta stop yelling This 70 year old guy behind me starts yelling at the guard telling him it was the Boston Fans causing the trouble so the guard says we ALL gotta quit yelling... The section went nuts.
So I get a supervisor to come down and have a chat with the clueless guard about who the home team was.. Then The Rays pulled it out and Raymond the Mascot comes into the Home Plate club and goes up to those very same Boston Fans and hands out tissues. They got upset and threw their tissues at me. It was the Hardest thing thrown by anybody from Boston all night..
The section went Nuts.. IT was beyond sweet.... I think that was the best game I have ever seen in my entire life.
Go RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tom]

Padres fan here, my team isn't doing jack squat, and not jumping on the bandwagon, but keeping track just wanted to say I've been keeping an eye on the Rays all season long on mlb.tv and I think its great that there is someone else in the AL East competing for the AL East crown. I think its great for the Tampa Bay region that everyone is getting behind this team. I love pulling for the underdog. Its just from a movie. Anyways may the Rays continue to October Baseball!!!!

[Anthony]

"We'll be seeing you in October"
I don't know about that, scalper prices for playoff tickets at fenway are pretty steep

[Sarasota Ralph]

With apologies to the '79 Bucs:

Hey, hey Tampa Bay, our Rays know how to shine.
Hey, hey Tampa Bay, our Rays know how to shine.
When we're in trouble that's okay cause we can pull it out.
Cause we know we're on the go. Let's stand up...Stand up and SHOUT!

[Badbud]

Man watch on tv,that place was LOUD,Rays fan's were rocking and sox's fan were Slow walking and No taking.

I thought for awhile Rays were going to have and open air stadium,the roof was about to blow,off that sucka.

On Nat. TV was great, would like to give a shout to the guy who started that rally J Bartlett double and steal of 3rd got that thing going.

WOW BJ, Great catch.

Longo being Longo.

way to hang wheeler.
Great throw out, Whiskers.

Big ups to the fan's,that place was Loud.

[Hawkeye]

Hey Pap-smear, how's it feel sitting in the bullpen and watching your team get swept?

[Nathan]

An amazing season thus far. This team is for real and the nat'l press is taking notice (e.g., the covers of SI and ESPNTM). But let's leave the Moet on ice until October. Revenge is a dish best served cold. Or at least properly chilled.

[Mark]

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!GO RAYS!!!!!!!!

[St. Pete Lou]

The Rays are going to give me an ulcer. I've had to reach for the Tums during the 9th inning the past three nights, and I love every gastric acid churning minute of it.

[Dave in Arkansas]

Umm... Where are all of those Sox fans who've been lighting up the message boards for the past ten years?

[Christine]

It's great to see so many RAYS fans at the games!

I adopted the Rays as soon as they were born. My Yankee/Met family disowned me; but now I can FINALLY rub their faces in it! All the years rooting for the underdogs are paying off.

Here's to all the Rays' fans that've stuck w/'em through it all! Cheers, Rayons and Rayonettes! Revel in it!

Go Rays!!!

[Dee]

Yummy! Three days of Boston Cream donuts. Victory IS sweet! Pssst. Anyone seen Kaz?!? Wasn't the Ray's Ace supposed to pitch tonight?!? Hopefully the Kazmir we all know and love will make it to his next start in the rotation. I don't mind if he steps out occassionally, but NEVER against the Chowderhead Beantowners or Darth Steinbrenner's Evil Empire!

[Jeff]

Take heart Boston fans, you still have the second best team,.. not just in the division, but in all of baseball! We'll be seeing you in October... if the Yankees don't catch you in the meantime!!! Ha, ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha...

[Bill]

I love the rivalry! Isn't this what makes watching the games, reading the sports section, and looking forward to each and every series FUN? There's some tough competition out there, and when the Rays sweep a series or take 2 of 3 it is simply a thrill for the fans.

[Jim]

Papel sure ate his words and the Rays really handed it to the Sox. Great to see so many passionate Rays fans at the series. They were very exciting games and the Rays proved the the country they are the best team in baseball!

[Mo]

Papelbum .. great numbers this series little guy

[Mario]

Real good win .. but man kazmir needs to step it up for us in the second half

[Donutman]

Yo Rays, I'm getting nice and fat eating them free Dunkin Donuts every day after every win -- keep on winning and make my belly real big like Sapp's!

[Bill]

What's great is the Sux and the yankmees have a lot of games left to beat up on each other.

Notice how few bandwagon sux trolls there have been here this week.

[sevenyearhawk]

HOW SWEEP IT IS!!!

Hey Red Sox fans ... now run along and bury the Yankee$

You know, I honestly don't know which team to root for!

I live in KC and suffer through watching the Royales ... they're just gonna lay down, folks.

[Ryan]

Hey Papelbonbon...payback was a real b@#$@ sitting there in the bullpen for three games