Matt Moore did not have any command. His fastball looked as good as ever in terms of velocity, averaging 94.6 MPH according to Brooks Baseball, but he continually missed over the heart of the plate and the Red Sox hitters took advantage. Moore had a solid changeup on the day, but his fastball’s struggles were amplified by the fact that he could not consistently get a feel on his breaking ball. Moore gutted it out, lasting 6.1 innings and 109 pitches despite allowing 6 runs, and he saved the Rays bullpen in the process. Even though Moore could not consistently get hitters out, it has to mean something that he showed the quality usually exhibited only by aces and veterans to survive without his best stuff and when needed, take one for the team. Moore struck out 5 while walking 4, 2 of which were intentional, and allowing 2 home runs. He had a tough day out there on the mound. Moore began the second inning with a radiant smile that could be seen well into the seats, but that smile was quickly wiped off his face. However, there are definitely positives to be taken from this start for Moore, and hopefully we will soon see the start where Moore has his arsenal at its best and can dominate opposing hitters. Moore is a rookie. We have to expect growing pains this season. But every start, even today, we see the beaming potential.

Going 4 for 13 with runners in scoring position simply won’t cut it. The Rays got a 2-run double by Carlos Pena, an RBI double by Evan Longoria, and a solo home run from Luke Scott, but that is all they could manage despite a barrage of hits and baserunners. The Rays stranded a runner in every inning but the 2nd and the 9th and left five runners in scoring position. There’s a certain amount of luck involved in that and we know the Rays can be better than that, but there were a couple of critical misplays. In the 4th inning, Jeff Keppinger led off the inning with a double, and two batters later, Sean Rodriguez hit a grounder to deep short that Mike Aviles was able to glove but could not throw Rodriguez out. But for some reason, Keppinger rounded third and headed for home, and Aviles was able to throw him out easily for the 3rd out. Either Keppinger himself or third base coach Tom Foley either thought the ball went past Aviles or incorrectly assessed the situation, and hopefully that won’t happen again too often.

In the 6th inning Luke Scott hit a game-tying home run off of Red Sox starter Felix Doubront to knot the game at 4, but it appeared like the Rays were far from done. Scott Atchison replaced Doubront and after allowing a bad-hop single to Sean Rodriguez, he walked Matt Joyce, missing on four straight pitches to give the Rays’ 1st and 2nd with nobody out. Chris Gimenez stepped up to the plate and quickly got ahead 2-0 as Atchison could not find the zone. It was seemingly an opportune time to bunt as a successful sacrifice would give the Rays the chance to take a 2-run lead with a base hit, but with Atchison missed the zone so often, it would have made sense for the Rays to take the bunt sign off. The next pitch was a slider out of the zone, but Gimenez failed to pull his bat back, making the count 2-1. Then he fouled a bunt off to pull the count even at 2-2. But the Rays persisted with their bunt signs, and Gimenez pulled another bunt foul and it wasn’t even close to strike out. That completely changed the inning and the Rays would fail to score a run.

The Rays had a frustrating game out there today. The offense got hit after hit, but not with runners in scoring position. Matt Moore had nice velocity but no command. And the result was a 6-4 loss when the Rays actually looked better than the Red Sox on Sunday. The Rays look to salvage a game of this four game set on Monday beginning at 11:05, with James Shields taking on Daniel Bard. The season is just beginning, but the Rays need Shields to live up to his “Big Game James” nickname and start a turnaround.

In another anticipated pitching duel, Jeremy Hellickson faced off against Clay Buchholz in the second of a four game series. Immediately, it was apparent that this game would be quite different than what was expected. Desmond Jennings drew a leadoff walk to start off the top of the first inning, which was followed by a Carlos Pena double that just missed going over the fence in right center. Jennings scored to give the Rays an early 1-0 lead. Evan Longoria followed with a groundout to short. Matt Joyce struck out. Ben Zobrist drew a walk to bring up Boston’s newest Least Favorite Athlete – Luke Scott. Scott silenced the boos with a three run home run to right, giving the Rays a 4-0 advantage. Jeff Keppinger hit a soft line drive to second to end the inning.

Hellickson had a shaky bottom of the first. After allowing a leadoff single to Mike Aviles, he picked him off first when Aviles slipped getting back to the bag. After a Dustin Pedroia flyout to right, Adrian Gonzalez walked. Hellickson escaped unscathed by inducing Kevin Youkilis to ground out to short to end the inning.

Buchholz settled down in the second, allowing only a Sean Rodriguez single. Hellickson got two quick outs in the bottom of the inning before walking Ryan Sweeney. Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a two run home run to center, cutting the lead to 4-2. Hellickson avoided further trouble by getting Darnell McDonald to fly out to right to end the frame.

The Rays came right back in the top of the third. Longoria flied out to center to lead off the inning. Joyce drew a walk. Zobrist then flied out to right. Up came Scott again, and once again he responded to the jeers, this time by lacing a double center, scoring Joyce and giving the Rays a 5-2 lead. Buchholz would not give up another run from that point on, as he ended the inning by getting Keppinger to ground out to second.

In the bottom of the third, the Sox got the run right back. With one out, Pedroia hit a home run over the Monster to cut the lead to 5-3. Hellickson then got Gonzalez and Youkilis to ground out to end the inning. Buccholz gave up a leadoff single to Jose Molina in the top of the fourth, however he was able to strand Molina at second.

Hellickson continued to flirt with danger in the bottom of the inning. David Ortiz lead off the inning with a single to right center. Cody Ross lined out to center on a hard hit ball. Sweeney doubled to left center, putting runners on second and third with only one out. Saltalamacchia hit a fly ball to left, which was not deep enough to allow Ortiz to attempt to score. McDonald drew a walk to load the bases with two out, after Hellickson had him down 0-2. After being behind Aviles 3-0 in the count, Hellickson was able to get him to line out to right to end the threat.

Buccholz cruised through the top of the fifth, allowing only a Matt Joyce single. Hellickson got two quick outs in the bottom half of the frame before Youkilis hit a line drive single off the wall in left. Ortiz followed with a home run to right center, tying the game at 5. Cody Ross flied out to left to end the inning, and Hellickson’s afternoon. He would finish having given up 5 earned runs in 5 innings, allowing 7 hits (3 home runs) and 3 walks, while only striking out one batter.

Burke Badenhop came out for the bottom of the sixth, and got the Sox in order, striking out Sweeney and McDonald around a Saltalamacchia fly out. Badenhop came back out for the seventh, and that was where the game turned. Aviles hit a home run to lead off the inning, giving the Sox their first lead of the game at 6-5. After a Pedroia groundout to short, Badenhop was lifted in favor of J.P. Howell. Howell was immediately greeted by a double to center by Gonzalez. Youkilis walked, and Ortiz hit a single to left that loaded the bases. Ross hit a double off the wall in left, driving in Gonzalez and Youkilis to give the Sox an 8-5 advantage. Howell then settled in, getting Sweeney to ground out to second and striking out Saltalamacchia to end the inning.

Franklin Morales came in for the top of the eighth in relief of Clay Buchholz. After the initial rough start, Buchholz settled in nicely, going 7 innings and allowing 5 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks while striking out 5 batters. Morales pitched a perfect inning, keeping the game at 8-5.

Dane De La Rosa entered the game in the bottom of the inning, having replaced the ineffective Josh Lueke on the roster. Unfortunately for the Rays, de la Rosa was Lueke’s equal. Darnell McDonald led off the inning with a walk. Aviles followed with a double to left. With the infield in, Dustin Pedroia hit a ground ball to the first baseman. De la Rosa forgot to cover the bag, allowing Pedroia to reach on an infield single, loading the bases with no one out. Adrian Gonzalez then grounded to second, allwoing the Rays to turn a 4-2-3 double play. For a moment, it appeared that the Rays would escape without any damage, but that hope was dashed. Youkilis walked to load the bases once again, bringing up David Ortiz. Ortiz hit a fly ball to left that continued to tail towards the line, ending just out of the reach of a diving Elliott Johnson. The ball would end up as a bases clearing double, giving the Sox an 11-5 lead. De la Rosa continued his arsonist impression by giving up a home run over the Monster to Cody Ross, giving the Sox a 13-5 advantage. Ryan Sweeney would ground out to short to finally end the inning.

Red Sox closer Alfredo Aceves came in for the top of the ninth, despite the game not being in a save situation. He pitched a perfect frame, getting Keppinger to hit a fly ball to right before striking out Jose Molina and Sean Rodriguez to end the game.

Matt Garza was filthy yesterday throwing 7 innings, giving up 4 hits and 1 ER, while striking out 5.  At times he looked completely unhittable, whereas Mr. 42 pitch Dice-K Matsuzaka was the exact opposite, very hittable.  At one point he was so frustrated at his own crappy performance, that he felt it neccesary to beam Matt Joyce.  I’m sure it’s mainly because Joyce dropped a blaster on him in the 2nd inning.  That 2nd inning blast was followed by a 3rd inning blast from Evan Longoria and a 4th inning bomb from Shawn Riggans.  

Longoria continue his hot start to the season, hitting his 2nd home run, driving in his 5th run of the season and hitting his 2nd double of the season.  

The only problem I see with this team, and it is the same issue I had with our team last year, and the issue that ended up costing us the World Series is our lack of a dominant closer.  Troy Percival was downright frightening yesterday giving up a first batter HR to Mr. I Can’t Hit Above The Mendoza Line Jason Varitek, and then walking David Ortiz.  He eventually ot the save, but not in potential heart attack style fashion.  At some point this season we are going to have to find out who besides Troy Percival and Dan Wheeler can close, because we can’t rely on either guy to close out games.