Game 3: Rally falls short; Rays win series

Written by Rob Munstis | 10 April 2009

Matt Garza llama-esque licking and spitting was too much for the Red Sox yesterday.

Garza allowed just one run and four hit over seven innings yesterday, while Daisuke Matszuaka gave up three homers and nine hits total through 5 1/3 innings.

We all expect Dice-K to put people on base and give everyone 10 pitches to hit before hi strikes them out, but as Dennis Eckersley said after the game - It may be frustrating for us to watch, but normally, he looks like he's in control, He didn't look in control this time.

But the Red Sox still managed to make things interesting once Garza left the game. Jason Bay got a run abck with an RBI triple in the 6th and then Jason Varitek hit his second homer in three games to put the Sox within one. Rays closer Troy Percival looked like was going to hand us the first dramatic win of 2009 with the top of the order coming up, but Ellsbury flied out after a solid at-bat... Pedroia grounded out and David Ortiz walked.

Kevin Youkilis, who was 3 for 3 in the game 8 for 11 on the season had a chance to tie or win the game, but he golfed a shot into center that Gabe Kapler eventually ran down near the warning track.

Bottom Line: My mantra for 2009 is "EVERY GAME COUNTS" and this series against the defending AL East champs was no exception. We play the Rays 6 times in early September and these two loses could come back to bite us in the final week of the season.

The Good news? Youk is hot... Tek is on pace for 80+ homers... and Beckett was a machine in Game 1.

The Bad news? Lester and Matsuzaka struggled against opposing quality pitchers... Ellsbury is struggling in the leadoff spot... and Jed Lowrie, who was so clutch last year, has fanned in the eighth inning twice now with the tying runs on base.