Three games out. Eleven left to play. And the Tampa Bay Rays mean it when they say the next one is the most important of all."We are definitely playing playoff baseball right now and we're not even in the playoffs yet," manager Joe Maddon said Saturday after the Rays beat Boston 4-3 to trim the Red Sox lead in the AL wild-card race to three games."I love the fact that we do have a bunch of tough guys. ... When you're playing this time of year for all the marbles, you can't be intimidated by the opponent or the venue," he said.Ben Zobrist hit a two-run homer off Jon Lester, and Jeff Niemann (11-7) pitched five solid innings to give Tampa Bay its seventh win in its last eight games against Boston, including two of three so far in this weekend's four-game series. The Red Sox have lost 10 of their last 13 games since Sept. 3, when they led the wild-card race by nine games.Tim Wakefield faces Tampa Bay's David Price in the series finale on Sunday."Of course the sweep was a great thought, and we lost that possibility (Friday)," Maddon said. "But three out of four ain't bad, either. I think that Mr. Meat Loaf intended the song to say that." Source: ESPN
Rays just took the final reg. season game against the Sox. Down to only 2 games out. Ended up 12-6 against the Sox this year. Fux the Sux.
David Ortiz was right when he said it's time for the Red Sox to hit the panic button. As much of a clown as Maddon is he's still a damn good manager and he has the Rays playing intensive baseball.
