Sox Look To Salvage Split After Bats Come Alive in Tampa

By Erik Pesta

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

J.D. Drew got the scoring going early in Saturday's game, doubling in two first-inning runs, giving the Red Sox a lead that was later threatened but never relinquished. They scored three more times in the second inning and once more in the third, in support of Tim Wakefield. The veteran knuckeballer gave up five runs (all earned), on seven hits in five innings to earn the victory. He runs his 2009 record to 3-1, but also now has a lifetime record against Tampa of 20-5. It is the fifth-highest winning percentage among active pitchers against a single opponent.

The Rays threatened to come back and tie the game as Carlos Pena homered in the fourth, before Evan Longoria knocked in a pair and Pat Burrell added an RBI of his own in the fifth, making the score 6-5, Boston. However, the resilient Sox came charging right back. Kevin Youkilis doubled in a pair in the sixth and Mike Lowell scorched a solo homer in the seventh, before Youkilis added his third RBI of the night by drawing a walk to score Nick Green, running the score to 10-5. The Rays would manage one more run in the ninth against Boston reliever Takashi Saito to close out the scoring.

The Red Sox (15-9 overall) are just 2-4 this season against Tampa, but look to earn a split of the four-game weekend series this afternoon. Brad Penny (2-0, 8.66 ERA) faces Rays' Opening Day starter James Shields (2-2, 3.74 ERA). First pitch is 1:38 p.m. from Tropicana Field in Tampa. The Sox will then head to the Bronx to begin their first-ever series at the new Yankee Stadium tomorrow.