Wistful
| Game 23: May 1, 2009 | |||
| Red Sox | 2 | L: Justin Masterson (2-1) | 14-9, 2 game losing streak |
 Rays | 6 | W: Andy Sonnanstine (1-3) H: Dan Wheeler (2) | 10-14, 2 game winning streak |
| Highlights: After concerted effort I came up with a few positives about this game. A Red Sox position player didn’t have to take the mound. Boston still has a chance to split this series. The visiting team outhit their opponents. | |||
Can we bring back the days of Ruddy Lugo, Shawn Camp, and Travis Harper in the Devil Rays bullpen? Those were great times. Just a few years ago it wouldn’t have mattered if Evan Longoria hit three grand slams because his bullpen would have coughed up the lead.
The Red Sox game started promisingly with Dustin Pedroia singling and David Ortiz walking, but the incipient offensive barrage was forstalled. Pedroia tried to advance to third on a ball in the dirt and he was actually prompted by Kevin Youkilis to do so. Dioner Navarro recovered more quickly than Pedroia could scamper to the hot corner and was out by mile.
In those halcyon days of the Devil Rays winning about a third of their games the bases loaded situation in the third would have resulted in at least four runs. Last night the Red Sox eked out a single run.
Youkilis kicked off what used to be a multi-run rally just a few seasons ago. His ground-rule, two-out double plunked into the touch tank (hey kids, come pet a devil ray!) and he was driven in by J.D. Drew’s liner to right. Drew took second on the throw and the visitors were poised to widen the margin. In such a key situation Boston could always rely on the Tampa Bay starter to crumble under pressure.
Andy Sonnanstine didn’t, however, and was out of the inning in three pitches.
The Rays amassed six runs in the bottom of the fifth. Is it wrong to hope that Evan Longoria goes down in a blaze of ignominy like Alex Rodriguez? Two preternaturally outstanding third basemen in one division are two too many.
