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MLB:Tampa Bay Underdog as Series Leader
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MLB:Tampa Bay Underdog as Series Leader
Unemployment is way up, foreclosures are at record highs, banks are failing at rates not seen since the 1930’s and brand name companies like Lehman Bros.2008-10-14
Unemployment is way up, foreclosures are at record highs, banks are failing at rates not seen since the 1930’s and brand name companies like Lehman Bros. have gone out of business. When you take this all into consideration and realize the Tampa Bay Rays are two wins away from playing in the World Series, somehow, someway this all makes sense on some level.
Tampa Bay crushed Boston 9-1, pounding out four home runs in Game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead. The Rays have now won three games in a row at Boston, after winning a total of four contests in the previous three years in Beantown. As tough-minded as the Red Sox are, seeing their ace Jon Lester hammered has to be disconcerting. Throw in the fact the road team that won Game 3 in the ALCS to take the series lead, has advanced to the World Series, six of the last eight times.
Tampa Bay manager is doing everything to keep his team focused on the moment. "It's one game," Maddon said. "Regardless of if we won or lost tonight, I would have talked about the same thing, because I believe it. Because it is about one game at a time and I know they believe that. And I think we've learned that lesson this year also.” The Rays are 23-11 after allowing two runs or less in their previous game.
Boston has a true wild card situation, starting knuckle-baller Tim Wakefield (10-11, 4.13 ERA), who has not started a game in over two weeks. What makes Wakefield a risky venture is similar to the very nature of the knuckleball. In Wakefield’s last 11 starts, he surrendered four or more runs five times. In his six other starts he allowed three or less runs. The Red Sox are 36-16 at Fenway Park when Wakefield is the starter. The 42-year pitcher is 17-5 against Tampa Bay the last 11 seasons.
The Rays have been dialing up the long ball and are 15-6 on the road against right-handed pitchers. They will start Andy Sonnanstine (14-9, 4.34) who closed out the divisional series against Chicago. Tampa Bay has won 21 of his 33 starts this season.
Sportsbook.com has Boston as a -137 money line favorite with a total of Ov9. The Red Sox are 18-6 after a loss by four runs or more and 31-12 after scoring one run or less. Tampa Bay is an alarming 1-13 in road games after scoring seven runs or more two straight games.
Boston will be reliant on Wakefield to come up with big performance and they are 14-2 when he starts off a loss. This is isn’t the old days when Tampa Bay would roll over and could be beaten like a hung rug. The Rays are 20-12 vs. an AL team with an on base percentage of .345 or better this season.
First pitch is set for 8:07 Eastern in TBS.
StatFox Power Line – Boston -131