Matt Garza carried a perfect game into the seventh inning before it was broken up by Jacoby Ellsbury. The Boston speedster legged out an infield single, the lone blemish that kept Tampa's starter from achieving history.
Last year's ALCS Most Valuable Player struck out 10 before being lifted in the eighth inning with a huge lead. Grant Balfour came on to nail down the shutout as Garza left to a standing ovation. Tampa would go on to win the game 13-0, pounding out 18 hits.
Early in the game, Evan Longoria provided all the offense the Rays would need with a three-run double off Red Sox starter Josh Beckett. Longoria would also homer in the sixth off reliever Hunter Jones. Beckett is now 2-2 on the season after his second straight bad performance.
Garza, just 25 years old, is now 7-1 lifetime against Boston and is 2-0 this year, having beaten the Sox during the first week of the season at Fenway Park. Maybe some day the Sox will be able to figure the young right hander out.
The Sox look to get back on track tonight. They face the Rays in game two of their weekend series, with Justin Masterson (2-0, 2.70 ERA) facing Andy Sonnanstine (0-3, 7.78 ERA). First pitch is at 7:38 PM from Tropicana Field in Tampa.
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