Rays vs. Red Sox final score: Boston wins series opener in 12-2 blowout
By Bryan Rose
The Tampa Bay Rays have not had an easy road to the 2013 MLB postseason.
After having to win their final game of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays to force a tie for the final Wild Card spot, the Rays had to travel from Toronto to Texas where they beat the Rangers. That win did nothing more than simply allow them the right to fly to Cleveland where they took on the incredibly hot Indians and beat them, earning their spot as the American League Wild Card winner after essentially winning three straight win or go home type games, all of which were on the road.
So a letdown may have been expected when the Rays then traveled to Boston to take on the surging Red Sox, though, I’m not sure anybody saw such a blowout coming, especially with the talented Matt Moore on the mound.
Moore started out fine, holding the Red Sox scoreless through the first three innings however Boston was able to blow things open in the fourth thanks to a Wil Myers mental mistake. A five run fourth inning was paired with a three run fifth inning, giving the Red Sox an 8-2 which was plenty enough for Red Sox starter Jon Lester who tossed 7.2 innings of two run ball.
Boston decided to add a bit more insult to injury in the bottom half of the eight, putting up a four spot en route to the 12-2 win.
Despite the hammering, it’s one game. In a five game series, like this is, Game 2 almost always proves to be the swing game. Boston could be a strangle hold on the Rays with a victory tomorrow, or Tampa could steal home field and return to Florida with a tied series.
Needless to say, Game 2 is quite the big contest for both clubs.