Rays vs. Red Sox: The finale

Posted Aug 29, 2010 by Roger Mooney

Updated Aug 29, 2010 at 05:36 PM

James Shields is better against the Red Sox at the Trop than he is at Fenway Park

ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG— The Rays and Red Sox play the rubber game of this series tonight in the first ESPN Sunday Night Baseball game at the Trop since April 9, 2000.

The Indians crushed the Rays 17-4 that night, which is probably one reason it took ESPN 10 years to come back.

Of course, Rays fans remember the last Sunday night game at the Trop—Game 7 of the 2008 ALCS. A much better night in Rays history than April 9, 2000.

It’s James Shields against John Lackey.

A Rays win and they remain tied for first place with the Yankees in the AL East while dropping the Red Sox to 6 1/2 back in the Wild Card race. A Red Sox win and their playoff pulse beats a little harder.

Here are the lineups:

RED SOX
Marco Scutaro SS
J.D. Drew RF
Victor Martinez C
David Ortiz DH
Adrian Beltre 3B
Mike Lowell 1B
Daniel Nava LF
Darnell McDonald CF
Yamaico Navarro 2B
—
John Lackey (12-7, 4.51)

RAYS
Jaso C
Zobrist 2B
Crawford LF
Longoria 3B
Pena 1B
Joyce RF
Johnson DH
Upton CF
Bartlett SS
—
Shields (12-11, 4.76)