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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 vs Red Sox: Here we go

Posted Sep 9, 2011 by Roger Mooney

Updated Sep 9, 2011 at 03:48 PM

ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG Here we go, the series the Rays have been talking about for weeks is finally here.

The Wild Card-leading Red Sox are in town for three games, providing a perfect opportunity for the Rays to make up ground.

The Rays begin the night 6 ½ games behind the Red Sox, and the Red Sox are slumping, having lost two straight and seven of their last 10.

Kevin Youkilis is not in the lineup and word from the Boston writers is he’s back in Boston having something examined by the Red Sox doctors.

Josh Beckett has been scratched from Sunday’s start with an ankle injury and Erik Bedard won’t pitch Saturday because of an injury.

Nothing like chasing a wounded animal.

Things certainly appear to favor the Rays, though tonight’s starter, Wade Davis, hasn’t enjoyed any success against the Red Sox. Davis is 0-2 in three starts, having allowed 14 earned runs in 11 1/3 innings.

The Rays play the Red Sox seven times over their remaining 20 games. But every game of this series is crucial. A sweep and the Rays close the gap to 3 ½. Take two out of three and they head to Baltimore on Sunday night 5 ½ back.

On the other hand, the Red Sox win all three and the Rays are 9 ½ back and basically out of hope. Lose two out of three and the Rays are 7 ½ back, their playoff hopes dim at best.

Jose Lobaton, who tweaked his left knee on Tuesday night, was expected to be in the lineup tonight. That’s not the case. John Jaso will start behind the plate.

Joe Maddon is keeping B.J. Upton in the No. 2 spot for the fourth straight day. He is 3-for-9 with a home run, three walks and three strikeouts during his stint there during the Rangers series.

Johnny Damon is batting fifth for only the second time this season.

Here are the lineups:

RED SOX
Ellsbury CF
Scutatro SS
Gonzalez 1B
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Crawford LF
Lowrie 3B
Reddick RF
Saltalamacchia C
—
Lackey (12-11, 6.11)

RAYS
Jennings LF
Upton CF
Longoria 3B
Zobrist 2B
Damon DH
Joyce RF
Kotchman 1B
Jaso C
Brignac Ss
—
Davis (9-8, 4.50)