Game 1: The Rays won consecutive game #11 by downing the Red Sox 9-6 in the opener of their 4-game set at Publix Park. Jon McGovern put the Rays ahead to stay with a 2-run homer in the 7th (#9), his 3rd hit of the day, and Tampa Bay also had homers from Luis Barela (#38), Dantel Chinchilla (#9) and Juan Davila (#32). Rex Bransington started and was 5 6 4 4 1 3, the win went to Jimmy Bernal (7-3) with two scoreless in relief, and Steve Talbott went four outs for his 42nd save.
Game 2: Several regulars were fatigued so the Rays had a less-than-optimal lineup, and it showed as Boston held them to 1 run through 8 innings. But a 9th-inning rally with one of the regulars drawing a pinch-hit walk, and another hitting a pinch-hit grand slam showed that Tampa Bay doesn't even need its regulars in the whole game to win. Before all that Chad Winger pitched well (6 5 2 2 1 5) yet had nothing to show for it, but in the 9th they loaded the bases including Juan Davila's pinch-walk and Beau Bonczek came off the bench the send the runners and the crowd home with HR #28, making a winner of Mel Mejia (6-0) as the Rays made it 12 straight with a 5-3 win.
Game 3: More walk-off magic extended the Rays' winning streak to baker's dozen as Juan Davila's RBI single in the bottom of the 9th gave Tampa Bay a 4-3 win over Boston. The winning hit was Davila's 3rd knock of the game including a 1st-inning solo shot (#33). Alec McInerney was 5 7 3 3 1 6 and the Rays trailed 3-2 going into the bottom of the 8th when Juan Viatoro leveled matters with an RBI single, setting the stage for Davila in the 9th. Mario Berumen picked up his 2nd Rays win in relief.
Game 4: The Rays' 13-game win streak came to a crashing halt in the finale and it was none other than former Tampa Bay legend Greg Bookhart the primary culprit as he held his old squad to a single run over 6 2/3 innings as the Red Sox prevailed 5-1. And former Rays star Mario Saro had a hand in matters as well as his RBI double punctuated a 4-run 1st for Boston off Steve Morris (15-5), who was hit hard at 2.1 9 5 5 0 0. Jimmy Bernal pitched an impressive 4 2/3 shutout innings in relief but thanks to Bookhart there was no patented Publix Park comeback which he had witnessed oh so many times.
Team record: 99-32. Next up: We head to Yankee Stadium where things have a much different vibe from the last trip when we were chasing New York in the first couple of months of the season. The division lead is now 10 and even if the Yankees sweep we're still up 7 with a month to go.
