In a home run-happy game, Zobrist's home run stood out. A grand slam in the bottom of the second gave the Rays a five to one lead, and the Rays never looked back. Kotchman hit a two-run homer, while Sam Fuld and BJ Upton both had RBI singles early in the game.
This is exactly the kind of game the Rays needed to start the "second season": a complete dominance on the offensive side of the ball against a rival team, such as the Red Sox.
Thursday Joe Maddon met with the team, and who knows what kind of tricks Rays manager Joe Maddon pulled out of hit hat before Thursday's workout. He told the team what is going to have to happen for them to stay in contention and eventually make the playoffs. "I talked to them about the one-day-at-time mantra. ... I like to reduce it to more simplistic moments or terms," Maddon said, stating that his team must not look ahead on the schedule to the upcoming schedule but focus on the Red Sox that is going on right now. Every one of these divisional games is a crucial game for the Rays. They can't afford to go on a losing streak now, or ever.
Then again, you can't leave out the Rays pitching, and tonight it was Rays ace David Price, who tried to take down the powerful Red Sox offense. He pitched six great innings, in which he allowed three runs--three of which were solo home runs-- and five hits and advanced to 9-7 on the season. Price was humble,"Our offense did a great job," he said. "It was a good start to the second half."
Price decided to skip the All-Star game, what would have been the second of his career, because of a turf toe injury. This set up Joe Maddon's pitching rotation just how pleased.
As mentioned earlier, Red Sox were hitting home runs all night, and ended the game with a total of four, the first three came off of David Price. The first was a solo homer from center fielder Darnell McDonald, whom tied the game at one all in the top half of the second. Next was Jacoby Ellsbury, who also hit a solo jack, this one put the Red Sox closer to the Rays, 2-5. Then, after two scoreless innings for the Red Sox, Dustin Pedroia hit the third solo home run of the night making it 3-7. The final homer was from Marco Scutaro, this also drove in Yamaico Navarro.
Kyle Farnsworth closed the game for the Rays, and once again he had a stellar performance. He did not allow a single hit, retiring four batters. He has been outstanding this season, as Joe MAddon has expressed multiple times. Kyle has had 20 save attempts, and he earned his 18th save tonight. Other relievers for the Rays included Joel Peralta, Jake McGee, Juan Cruz, and JP Howell.
Casey Kotchman was on his game on Friday night as well, he was 2-4 with two runs and two RBIs, as well as playing a complete game on first base.
Rays cut the division lead of six game, a season high, down to five after defeating the division leading Boston Red Sox, 9-6. Let's hope that Shields and company can keep it going for the home crowd at the Trop on Saturday
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