Rays Try to Stay Alive in ALDS Game Three

Boston will look to eliminate Tampa Bay with series sweep.

By Russ Reed

Photo by USATSI

All of the momentum the Rays had coming into their Division Series matchup with the Red Sox has seemingly been crushed.  Boston pounded out 19 runs against Tampa Bay’s top two pitchers.  Matt Moore surrendered eight runs in 4 1/3 innings pitched in game one, and after dominating the Rangers in the play-in game a week ago, ace David Price struggled.  Last year’s Cy Young Award-winner gave up seven runs in seven innings.

But, Tampa Bay does have two things working in their favor.  First, despite what the Red Sox said about Tropicana Field earlier in the season, it still is the Rays’ home park.  Although fans might not have packed the stands in the regular season, the atmosphere certainly changes in October.  The 2008 ALCS against Boston is a prime example of how the home field gives Tampa Bay more of an advantage in the postseason.

The second is having Alex Cobb on the hill tonight.  Cobb was absolutely stellar in his last start, the A.L. Wild Card game in Cleveland.  His stuff was electric and got himself out of multiple jams.  This is all the more impressive considering Cobb was hit in the head by a line drive against the Royals on June 15 and missed two months.  Since returning on Aug. 15, he’s gone 5-1 with a 2.41 ERA.

However, the Rays have to square off against Clay Buchholz.  Many people were concerned if Buchholz would return to form after missing over three months with a neck strain.  But, the 29-year-old right-hander has looked as sharp as he was at the start of the season.  He went 3-1 with a 1.88 ERA in September, bringing his season totals to 12-1 with a 1.74 ERA.

And as I mentioned earlier, Boston’s offense is red-hot.  David Ortiz had his first multi-home run game in the postseason in Game 2, at age 37.  Plus, the top of the lineup is setting the table for the heart of the Red Sox order, as Jacoby Ellsbury batted .556 in the first two games and Shane Victorino hit .500.

Tampa Bay will have to play a near-perfect game to avoid elimination tonight.  

However, with their hottest pitcher on the mound at home, the odds of winning tonight increase tremendously.

Notes:  First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET, and the lineups for each team have been released.

Boston Red Sox:

1.     Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

2.     Shane Victorino, RF

3.     Dustin Pedroia, 2B

4.     David Ortiz, DH

5.     Mike Napoli, 1B

6.     Daniel Nava, LF

7.     Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C

8.     Stephen Drew, SS

9.     Will Middlebrooks, 3B

SP – Clay Buchholz, RHP

Tampa Bay Rays:

1.     David DeJesus, LF

2.     Ben Zobrist, 2B

3.     Evan Longoria, 3B

4.     Wil Myers, RF

5.     James Loney, 1B

6.     Desmond Jennings, CF

7.     Matt Joyce, DH

8.     Yunel Escobar, SS

9.     Jose Molina, C

SP – Alex Cobb, RHP

Saltalamacchia is back behind the plate for Boston after David Ross caught John Lackey in game two.  Middlebrooks moved back to the nine-hole, where he hit in game one, after hitting seventh in game two.

For Tampa Bay, Myers has bounced all around the lineup.  The rookie right-fielder hit third in game one, second in game two, and now moves to the clean-up spot.  Joyce gets the start at designated hitter after Delmon Young started the first two games of the series in that spot.  

Young has gone 3-9 with 2 RBI in the DH spot this postseason, including a clutch home run against the Indians in the Wild Card game.  However, Young has also left four on-base during the same three-game stretch.