Rays at Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox were riding high, alone in first place, going into the ninth inning on Wednesday. One blown save by closer Joel Hanrahan and another loss later, the Red Sox must respond as they begin a four-game series against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. Red Sox slugger Will Middlebrooks cooled off, going 0-for-10 in the series against the Baltimore Orioles, after belting three homers in Toronto last Sunday. The teams split 18 games last season, but the Rays outscored Boston 29-11 in winning the last four.
The Rays salvaged a win in the finale of the three-game series at the Texas Rangers on Wednesday. After posting 25 runs in the first five games, Tampa Bay has produced only seven the last four and is batting .227 as a team with only four homers. Ben Zobrist has led the Rays with 12 hits and nine RBIs.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), New England Sports Network (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Alex Cobb (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Felix Doubront (0-0, 5.40)
Cobb was outstanding in his first start, allowing four hits and no runs while striking out six over 7 1/3 innings to beat Cleveland. The Boston native earned a spot in the rotation by going 11-9 with a 4.03 ERA in 2012 and solidified his role during spring training. Cobb is 2-1 in his three starts against the Red Sox, boasting a 2.81 ERA in 16 innings. Jacoby Ellsbury has a home run in three at-bats against Cobb.
Doubront put Boston in position for a win at Toronto in his first start by giving up three runs and nine hits over five innings. The left-hander struck out six and did not walk a batter. Doubront, like Cobb, broke into the rotation with an 11-10 record last season when he struck out 167 in 161 innings and finished with a 4.86 ERA. Doubront is 2-1 against Tampa Bay with a 3.91 ERA over 25 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tampa Bay’s newly-acquired SS Yunel Escobar has struggled out of the gate, going 3-for-30 with eight strikeouts.
2. Boston DH David Ortiz, coming back from an Achilles' tendon injury, was 2-for-3 with an RBI in his first rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Thursday.
3. Tampa Bay and Boston each have committed only two errors, tied with the New York Yankees for the second least in the majors..