Game 1: It was your classic "opponent gets a big early lead, Rays bats come back to win at Publix Park" kind of game as Boston's 5-1 advantage in the 6th transformed into a 7-5 Tampa Bay win in the opener. Brad Villarreal had a rough go of it at 5 9 5 5 0 5 but the comeback began in earnest in the 6th when Jose Machado launched a 2-run homer, the first of the year for the slumping sophomore. Luis Barela added a solo shot to make it 5-4 and then the Rays put 3 more on the board in the 7th with Sung-min Yang's pinch-homer (#9) tying it and Barela's second bases-empty blast of the day (#7) providing the winning run and capping a 4-5, 2-double, 2-homer day for the living legend. Steve Cleland (1-0) got the win with two scoreless in relief and Chris Parham closed it out for his 2nd save.
Game 2: Tim Johnson's early-season struggles with the long ball continued and the bats couldn't overcome it this time as Boston got by the Rays 4-2. Johnson (1-2) went 4 7 4 4 2 4 and yielded 2 more homers giving him a whopping 8 allowed so far in only 23.2 IP, giving him a 7.61 ERA. Melvin Lopez and Devin Cefalo (yet to allow a run or a walk in 14.2 IP) kept them in the game with a combined 5 innings of shutout relief but Doug Johns' solo homer (#2) in the 8th was the extent of the fightback.
Game 3: Another Rays rally in the rubber game meant a series win as three times Boston went ahead by a run but each time the Rays came back, walking it off in the 9th on a Jesus Avalos RBI single to prevail 4-3. Doug Johns hit solo homers in the 6th (off former Ray Greg Bookhart) and the 8th to twice tie the game as Johns doubled his homer output for the year and made it 3 in 2 games. Ben Hilton started and went 5 8 2 2 2 4 and Edgar Voisin (1-1) picked up his first win for Tampa Bay.
Team record: 15-10. The Yankees also won twice to start the year 22-4 so no ground was gained. Next up: An off-day then it's back on the road
again with 3 games in Detroit. At least it isn't Toronto.
Some honors from the league:
