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Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

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Rays 7, Red Sox 2: Davis, Davis and more Davis

Posted Sep 10, 2011 by Roger Mooney

Updated Sep 10, 2011 at 12:06 AM

ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG Wade Davis said Wednesday that he was feeling the best he felt all season, and darned if he didn’t prove it Friday night against the visiting Red Sox.

Davis broke out a cutter for the first time all season and pitched his first complete-game since September 2009 as the Rays won the first game of this important three-game series, 7-2.

Davis was backed by an offense that gave him a 3-0 lead after two innings and a 5-0 lead after three. Kind of makes it easier to pitch, right Wade?

“Nah, I never really felt too comfortable with a five-run lead,” he said. “In the past they’ve done pretty good against me.”

In the past the Red Sox have hit David pretty good, putting up 14 earned runs in 11 1/3 innings against the Rays right-hander.

But Rays manager Joe Maddon said Davis had a special look about him Friday, one that said he wouldn’t be denied.

Davis said he didn’t feel his look was any different, but what the heck. He pitched the Rays to within 5 ½ games of the Wild Card-leading Red Sox with 19 games to play.

This is the closest the Rays have been to the Wild Card lead since they were 5 ½ back of the Yankees on July 21.

Here are some notes from a big win:

—Davis turned in the American League-leading 15th complete game by a Rays pitcher this season, and third since Sunday. The Phillies lead the majors with 17.

By comparison, the Red Sox have two complete games. The Yankees have five.

—David Price is the only Rays starter without a complete game.

—Davis has thrown nine innings in two of his last three Tropicana Field starts. He pitched nine innings in a no-decision to the Tigers.

Davis matched his season-high with eight strikeouts. He didn’t walk a batter for the third time this season. He has a 2.76 ERA with seven quality starts in his last eight games at the Trop.

—John Jaso hit his fifth home run of the season, a three-run shot in the second inning that gave the Rays a 3-0 lead. It traveled an estimated 418 feet to right-center field.

Jaso has 10 career home runs. Seven of those either tied the score or given the Rays the lead. Those three RBIs matched his season, which came April 11 at Boston.

—The Rays lead the season series 7-5, including 4-1 at Fenway Park. They have held the Sox batters to a .170 average this season, lowest against any opponent. The Red Sox are batting .289 against the rest of the AL.

—Since the start of 2008, the Rays are 37-29 against Boston.

—The Rays are now a season-high 15 games over .500.

—The Rays have won 19 straight games when scoring at least five runs.

—In 23 home games since Aug. 3, the Rays are averaging 4.6 runs. This after averaging 3.22 runs in their previous 50 home games.

—The Rays scored six of their seven runs with two outs. They were 5-for-10 with RISP.

—Desmond Jennings and B.J. Upton, the No. 1 and No. 2 hitters in the lineup, were a combined 1-for-10 with six strikeouts.

—The Rays have lost a major league-low 22 games when leading at any point during the game.