The Red Sox didn’t really hit the cover off the ball tonight but they did get some timely hits as they got to the Devil Rays bullpen for five runs in a 7-1 win. It was Kevin Youkilis’ 3-run homer that did the damage as early on the Sox were shutdown by the D’Rays starter Jason Hammel. Manny Ramirez kept up his hot streak at the plate as he got two more hits.
Hammel kept the Red Sox at bay for the 1st and 2nd innings while Tim Wakefield set the Devil Rays down in the first after Akinori Iwamura led off with a double.
In the 2nd inning though, the D’Rays got to Wake for their only run of the night. After Wake got Delmon Young and Brendan Harris out, he gave up a single to Ty Wigginton. Wiggy moved over to second when Wake walked Johnny Gomes. Dioner Navarro brought in Wiggy with a single giving the D’Rays a 1 zip lead. Wake then issued a walk to Iwamura but got Carl Crawford to ground out to end the inning.
Hammel kept on cruising as he didn’t give up a hit until there was two outs in the 4th as Big Papi beat the shift for a single. Hammel got out of the inning as he got Manny to ground out to Wiggy at second.
Wakefield got Wiggy out leading off the 4th inning and then struck out Gomes looking on a nasty knuckleball. Navarro followed that with a single. The Sox got out of the inning when Iwamura’s single hit Navarro while he was running. Wakefield set down the Rays in order in the 5th inning.
Hammel cruised through the 5th inning as well but ran into some trouble in the 6th. Hammel got Doug Mirabelli to strikeout to start the inning but then issued a walk to Alex Cora. With Julio Lugo at the plate, Cora stole second base. Hammel then ended up walking Lugo and that was the end of his night. Joe Maddon went to his bullpen for Juan Salas and the move didn’t pay off as Youk pounded a 3-run homer giving the Sox a 3-1 lead. Salas rebounded to get Big Papi to strikeout but then allowed a double to Manny. Salas then had some control issues as he walked J.D. Drew and Mike Lowell to load up the bases for Coco. Maddon went to his bullpen again for Casey Fossum. Fossum came in and retired Coco as he lined out to Young in rightfield.
Wakefield had a pretty easy 6th inning as well. He only issued a 2-out walk to Wiggy but got out of the inning as Gomes grounded into a fielder’s choice. This was Wakefield’s last inning of work as his pitch count was at 101. Wakefield went 6 innings, allowing 6 hits, 1 run, 3 walks and he struck out 7.
The Red Sox got to D’Rays bullpen for some more insurance runs in the 8th inning. Fossum started out the inning by getting Youk to fly out. He then issued a free pass to Big Papi and then was taken out of the game as Maddon wanted a righty, Shawn Camp, to face Manny. Manny greeted Camp with a single to right with Big Papi moving over to third. Drew brought in Big Papi with a single to right for a 4-1 Sox lead. The single for Drew broke an o for 12 slide. Camp fought back as he got Lowell to pop out. Coco then hit a shot that Crawford almost caught on a diving catch but the ball popped out and Coco had a double and the Sox had two more runs. Mirabelli brought in Coco with a single to right making it 7-1 Red Sox. Camp finally got out of the inning as Cora popped out but the damage was done.
Manny Delcarmen, who had come in for Wake, worked a perfect 7th but was touched for a hit by B.J. Upton leading off the 8th. Delcarmen got Carlos Peña to hit into a fielder’s choice then finished off the inning by getting Young and Harris out.
Kyle Synder worked an uneventful 9th for the Sox holding the W for Wake. Wake now moves to 12-9 on the season. The Sox will hand the ball to Jon Lester tomorrow night, who will be making just his second start of the season since returning from cancer. He will be opposed by James Shields who has struggled as of late. Gametime is 7:1o PM at the Trop.
The Philadelphia Phillies wasted no time trying to take care of their needs at second base after losing All-Star Chase Utley to a broken hand. They acquired Tadahito Iguchi from the Chicago White Sox for a low-A pitcher Michael Dubee.
The Cleveland Indians, fresh off losing 3 of 4 to the Boston Red Sox, have made the first major splash in the non-waiver trade market. They acquired the ageless veteran Kenny Lofton from the Texas Rangers for catcher Max Ramirez.
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Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba has taken 
If you tuned into tonight’s game to watch a pitcher’s duel for the third straight night, you caught quite the opposite. The Red Sox pounded out 17 hits and 14 runs as they beat the Indians 14-9. Wily Mo Peña led the way with 4 hits and 4 RBI, including a laser beam 3 run homer. Manny Ramirez chipped in with 3 hits, including 2 homers and 4 RBI as well while Mike Lowell added 3 hits and 2 RBI.
Gabbard, who had been excellent so far in the game, came totally unglued at the seams in the 5th. He got Ryan Garko to fly out for the out of the inning. Then he walked Peralta and Jason Michaels hit a single. Gabby rebounded to get Gutierrez for the second out of the inning. Barfield pulled the Tribe closer as he hit a double to deep left center that scored Peralta and Michaels. Sizemore brought in the 4th run of the night for the Indians as he hit a single scoring Barfield. Gabby’s control issues then came back as he issued walks to Casey Blake and Victor Martinez, loading up the bases for a man who you don’t want to face with the bases loaded usually, Travis Hafner. Gabby took the bat out of Hafner’s hands as he plunked him, bringing in another run and cutting the Sox lead to 9-5. The HBP also ended Gabby’s night as Terry Francona called for Yo-Yo Tavarez out of the bullpen. Yo-Yo came in and got Garko to fly out to Coco leaving the bases juiced.
The Erie warriors got right back into the game though in their half of the 7th. Barfield started out the inning as he reached on a Lugo throwing error. Yo-Yo then got the first two outs of the inning but then walked Martinez. Hafter, 0 for his last 21, followed that with a single, easily scoring Barfield from second. Yo-Yo then left a pitch out over the plate to Garko and Garko crushed it for a 3-run homer, making it a ballgame again at 12-9 Red Sox. Yo-Yo got out of the inning as he got Peralta to ground back to him. Yo-Yo made another one of those crazy throws as he tried to bounce the ball to Youk. Youk was able to keep his foot on the bag for the third out.