Rays rout Red Sox 10-3

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Willy Aybar, Gabe Gross and Fernando Perez homered off Tim Wakefield and the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 10-3 Wednesday night to move closer to their first playoff berth.

Matt Garza gave up two long home runs to David Ortiz, but the Rays otherwise held the Red Sox in check to win the season series against the defending World Series champions 10-8 and extend their division lead over them to two games.

Tampa Bay, which had never won more than 70 games in a season before this year, can clinch at least a wild-card playoff berth by beating Minnesota twice during a four-game series that begins Thursday at Tropicana Field.

The Rays (90-60) became the sixth time in major league history to win 90 games immediately following a stretch of at least 10 consecutive losing seasons. The others are the 1912 Washington Senators, 1914 Boston Braves, 1956 Cincinnati Reds, 1979 Montreal Expos and 2006 Detroit Tigers are the others.

Associated Press

Comments

[9equals8.com]

I don't know about you all, but I had so much fun heckling the office Red Sox fans today. Part of me hopes we see them in the ALCS, but part of me hopes we don't have to deal with their obnoxious fans anymore (at least until opening day next year).

[Dumb Rays Fan's]

Ummm who said Bj isnt signed next year? You obviously dont know the way baseball works bozo.... He hasnt even hit his first year of Arbitration in the offseason he goes to ARBI the Rays still contain the rights to Upton for 3 more years he cant declare FA until after 2011..

Signed,

Intelligent Rays Fan

[Tone]

Joe Macrane is not bad, he called the Gross homer before it happend. I hope Upton stays for good and Perez ends up being the real deal and stays as well. The outfield with speedy Perez, CC, and Upton would be amazing. All you B.J. haters need to turn it on Troy instead, he is the real ENEMY.

[ana lyzer]

Lets get this straight..Crawford in Left, Upton in center and Perez in right. Can anyone tell me where any legitimate power is going to come from with that threesome. Sure, they'll run down most any balls and they are all fast but I can't see more than 30-35 homer bgetween the three of them. Isn't the "rule" to have your power coming from the outfield and also 1st and 3rd? Still maintain that one of them (CC or BJ) has to go and my choice, without hesitation, would be BJ. The present team has limited conistent power and they have needed it several times to win games (Pena). They still need a proven right handed power hitter to play right field. We have an abundance of pitchers, some good pitchers that will never get a fair shot with this team; couple a few of them with BJ and you should be able to acquire that right hended bat.

[MagraneMigraine]

Delmon Young makes his 1st return to the Trop....will Rays fans cheer or boo?

[Scott G]

9equals8,

The point I wanted to make was that from the little I have seen of Perez, I like the way he plays better than BJ this year (both hitting and fielding). For some reason I didn't think about moving Perez into RF while BJ returns to CF (or vice versa).

Anyway you are correct that this team is and will be dangerous now and in the future. Pretty exciting stuff!

[9equals8.com]

Why do we need to talk about life without BJ, Scott G? The future outfield for the Rays is Crawford-Upton-Perez. That's a RIDICULOUS defensive arrangement for any team to try to drop hits into. BJ should probably stay at center, but he could easily be RF as well with his gun. Also, imagine the lineup with Perez leading off followed by Crawford, Pena, Longo and then your choice of Aki, BJ, etc. This team has some serious legs for the next 4-5 years. Oh, and I didn't even mention the incredible depth this team has at pitching! WOW, if you have not purchased your season tickets for 2009, you are smokin' something. This team is exciting! Rays in 2008 and beyond!

[Ken]

Couldn't agree more with Brian J -- it doesn't have to be BJ OR Perez. Why not BJ AND Perez. The reason Perez spent all season in the minors is his hitting, not his defense. Obviously, his hitting is much improved. Yet he still doesn't project to be as good a hitter as Upton can be. We need Upton's bat (when he's healthy). Remember he was a 30-30-.300 guy last year in his first full season in the majors. That's pretty darn good offensive production. Ideally, Perez can develop into a high-OBP hitter (which should be his goal, with that speed he has), and then the top of our order would be even tougher than it is now: 1. Perez, 2. Crawford, 3. Upton, 4. Pena, 5. Longo. The combination of speed, power, and athleticism in that top 5 would be as good as any team in either league. Don't give up on Upton -- he's struggled this year and played hurt, had too many mental lapses, but I still think he has the potential to develop into one of the top outfielders in MLB, both in terms of his defense and offense. So much is written on these blogs about his supposedly poor "attitude," but I don't think there's been any real evidence of it -- he's played hurt, which is what you want from a team-first guy, and his failure to hustle in the outfield and on the bases has primarily been due not to poor attitude, but to mental errors and a lack of focus that are not atypical for a 23-year-old kid who has always been able to rely on his athleticism and is only now learning the uber-important mental side of the game. Keep the faith and we'll see him become a player we can all be proud to watch for the next decade. And from a more practical standpoint, if you're Andrew Friedman and want to trade one of our outfielders, it has to be Crawford because of his salary and age. His legs are already showing signs of breaking down from playing on the Trop's turf. I'm not saying I WANT to see CC go, but he's the logical trade bait, not one of our youngsters.

[Brian J]

Easy decision: Perez-Upton-Gross or if Crawford is healthy at some point Crawford-Upton-Perez. It would be hard to sneak a hit in that outfield.

[Scott G]

I meant to write "I know BJ injured his shoulder in the beginning of the year".

Sorry about that.

[Scott G]

I can't agree more with the above posts that mention Perez is the future center fielder of this team. I know BJ injured his in the beginning of the year, but that doesn't keep him from hustling and making mental errors. I'll admit that BJ has improved his hustle before he injured his quad last week, but I love the way Perez plays the game.

If BJ is healthy for the post season Maddon has a decision to make on who to start.

[MagraneMigraine]

dave my distaste for Magrane has nothing to do with the team. he doesnt even work for the team - he works for FSNF. if I got AM reception at my house, Id turn the tv volume down and let the "HeiNZ" boys show him how its done. Magrane makes Tim McCarver bearable.

[Dave]

Hey - I like MaGrane - go find another team.

As far as the bouncers at the game the dude that pinned Mr.Shitski or whatever his name is has indeed a military background. That was a classic pin he placed on this drunk.

I hope he received a little more "attention" off camera.

The Rays weren't shaken last night when Big Poopi went deep in the 1st. It's actually sparked the team. This team won't quit and I'll never forget the faces of the red sox players as this game progressed. They were beat by the 4th inning.

I wouldn't doubt if they get swept by Toronto or lose 2 -3.

Perex in center brings all the fundamentals that BJ doesn't have. To be fair to BJ he has never played the outfield until this year but Perez appears that he can do it all. Notive when he called Gross off on the shot to right center. Upton and Gross have let balls just like that drop between them.

Let's go to series!

[MagraneMigraine]

winning breeds arrogance and hypocrasy. catch the fever!!!
Staats is ok, he can stay. Possible replacements for Capt Dull Magrane: Bobby Ramos (always entertaining), one of the Caray boys, Wade Boggs' hairpiece, a bobblehead of Magrane (sort of redundant), Raymond the Mascot (cant talk but still better than JM).

[joeknowsbaseball]

Did you see the look on Wakefield's face when they yanked him?

There's no crying in Baseball!

I guess the posts will revert to calm since the Red Sox have left the building...10-8...division tie-breaker won...it's all but over for Boston. They can't beat the Rays unless the Rays beat themselves.

Now, it is 9=6.

They deserve more than just the PLAYOFFS. They deserve a Title. The Rays play with the heart of a lion and are led by experience and discipline.

It appears that the gas tank overfloweth and will go the distance.

Let's see them achieve 9=6, then one of two...with the preference being Chicago (Cubs variety).

Friday night just might be right for these Rays!

[Foley25]

For tbird,
Everyone is signed for next year except for the guy who won't hustle to first base. Perez is our center fielder next year and I wish Upton good luck where ever he lands...

[Dom]

Actually the best place for drunkards to hang out is at the Trop. I've never seen anybody cut off. No bouncers here! Just a bunch of retiree "ushers". And it always gets obnoxious when the northeast teams are in town.

[tbird]

For Brian--some dope who had sucked up a few toooooo many decided to get on top of the Rays dugout and probably grab some attention. that he got--a forceful request to "come with me"..Believe he had shorts on, probably something you can't do up in Maine right now, or are you a native Mainer? Folks, we witnessed our centerfielder for next year and his name ain't Upton. Perez, from the little I have seen, can do it all. Perhaps Upton's injury limited him offensively this year and spring training will tell but I for one would have no problem seeing Perez out there every day the rest of this season, even if Upton is healthy. This kid hustles, hits, plays the field and actually plays the game the way it should be played, by giving 100%..

[Brian J]

Does anyone know what was happening above The Rays Dugout tonight?

Up here in Maine there are only Patriots fans. It's weird, I saw so many Sox shirts leading into this series. I wonder where they went.

Looking forward to an extra trip back home this October.

[Raymond]

F@ck Yeah!