MLB: Tampa Bay Rays-Boston Red Sox Game Suspended in the Ninth Inning

The American League East has been competitive ever since the Tampa Bay Rays stepped up and started challenging for the pennant recently.

The Rays will need daily excellence to dethrone the Yankees and Red Sox this season.

This weekend the Tampa Bay Rays are visiting Fenway Park to take on the Boston Red Sox for a four-game series.

Red Sox ace, Josh Beckett, took the mound last night in hopes of a good outing, while Wade Davis got the start for the Rays.

Beckett and Davis pitch two scoreless innings in the first and second.

Boston’s upgraded defense did not help Josh Beckett in the third inning, when shortstop Marco Scuturo let one bounce into the outfield for an error.

Carl Crawford stole second base with ease and at this stage of his careerm singles might as well be doubles when Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek is behind the plate.

Then Sox third baseman Adrian Beltre lost a ground ball in the lights in an odd play. The terrible inning somehow only yielded one run given the two mistakes and a stolen base.

In the top of the fifth inning, the fielding troubles continued with Jeremy Hermida misplaying a fly ball in left field.

Later Jason Varitek went yard on Wade Davis, knocking one over the Green Monster for a game-tying home run.

In the top of the sixth inning, the less than stellar fielding continued. Clearly JD Drew is no Ellsbury, as he misses a fly ball with a sliding attempt. The play, however, doesn’t effect the inning as Beckett finishes without any runs.

Wade Davis then turned the ball over to the bullpen after only five innings of work. Davis owned David Ortiz with two strikeouts.

Then “ Greek God of Walks”, Kevin Youkilis, got a first base pass in the bottom of the sixth.

Youkilis then made an attempt to take the plate and the lead, after an Ortiz hit to right field. However, the throw beat Youkilis by a mile, as Rays catcher Dioner Navarro tagged out Youkilis.

Beckett then leaves the hill with a no decision, after seven innings with eight strike outs.

The rain eventually started to fall heavily in the eighth inning, while Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima tried to work from the mound. Okajima pitched well and headed back to the dugout after pitching a scoreless inning.

Next, as usual the Fenway Faithful sung Sweet Caroline to kick off the bottom of the eighth.

Sox closer, Jonathan Papelbon, then walked Calos Pena with two outs in the top of the ninth. Pena then stole second base on Varitek. Papelbon then responded by striking out B.J. Upton to take us to the bottom of the ninth.

In a decision that baffles me, the umpire calls for a rain delay. I love it when the men in blue destroy a dramatic game. They should have let the Red Sox have their swings.

About an hour into the rain delay, the umpire calls the suspended game. The game is to resume on April 17^th before game two of the series. 

It won’t feel like the bottom of the ninth tomorrow. I understand the call, but it still feels like the fans were cheated tonight.

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