Rays at Red Sox
THE STORY: The Tampa Bay Rays have accomplished what they needed in their critical showdown series at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox. Now, David Price has to finish the job. The talented lefthander gets the start Sunday afternoon as the Rays try to win three of four in the series and pull within two games of the Red Sox in the American League wild-card race. Tampa Bay has won 11 of 17 against Boston in 2011 and six of eight at Fenway. The Rays have won 10 of their last 14 and the Red Sox are just 4-12 in September.
TV: 1:35 p.m. EST; SunSports (Tampa Bay), NESN (Boston).
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH David Price (12-12, 3.34 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Tim Wakefield (7-6, 5.13 ERA).
Price is 1-2 in his last five starts, but he has allowed just eight earned runs in 34 2/3 innings during that stretch. He has career highs in innings pitched (210 1/3) and strikeouts (206). Price is 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 2011 and 6-3 with a 3.07 ERA lifetime against the Red Sox. Darnell McDonald is 6-for-19 with two homers against Price.
Wakefield earned his 200th career victory in his last start, giving up five earned runs in six innings against the Toronto Blue Jays. It was his first win since July 24. Wakefield is 0-1 versus Tampa Bay in 2011, allowing five earned runs in 10 1/3 innings. The veteran hurler has won 21 career games against the Rays - more than any team - with a 3.71 ERA. Johnny Damon is 21-for-68 with four homers and 10 RBIs against Wakefield.
ABOUT THE RAYS (84-67): Evan Longoria has seven RBIs in the series and 12 over his last nine games. The talented third baseman is batting just .244 on the season, but .315 in September and he has 24 homers and 79 RBIs since June 11. Ben Zobrist has also picked it up of late with 10 RBIs in as many games, after knocking in just one in his previous 12. The streaky B.J. Upton is 19-for-48 in his last 13 games with 13 RBIs. Infielder Sean Rodriguez was back in the lineup Saturday after missing two games with a back injury. Closer Kyle Farnsworth’s tender right elbow is reportedly feeling better.
ABOUT THE RED SOX (87-64): The Rays have done a good job handling Adrian Gonzalez in the series. Gonzalez is 0-for-8 in the last three games and 1-for-17 this month against Tampa Bay. The Red Sox need their first baseman to get going again, especially with David Ortiz (two RBIs in eight games) scuffling and Kevin Youkilis injured. Youkilis came back from five days off to go 1-for-9 in three games before missing the last two with a sports hernia. Mike Aviles has filled in for him at third the last two days, belting a home run Friday and producing three hits Saturday.
FINAL PITCH: Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz threw 30 pitches off a mound Saturday morning, still hoping to return this season. Buchholz has not pitched since June 16 due to a back injury.