Pedroia, Red Sox Cool Off Red-Hot Rays

(NEWSER) - Kevin Youkilis had four RBIs and Jon Lester pitched six innings to lift the Boston Red Sox to a 7-3 victory over Tampa Bay yesterday, spoiling the return of Rays ace Scott Kazmir. After being swept for the first time in franchise history by Tampa Bay last weekend, the Red Sox returned the favor and outscored the Rays in the series 26-10. More»

Beckett pitches eight strong innings as Boston continues roll

(NEWSER) - Manny Ramirez singled in two runs in the first inning to end his longest RBI drought with Boston and Josh Beckett pitched eight innings to help the Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 12-4 last night. Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz each had three hits and Jason Varitek drove in three runs for Boston, which has won four of five after a five-game losing streak. More»

Rays win fifth in a row, while Red Sox drop their fourth straight

(NEWSER) - Akinori Iwamura homered in the eighth inning and Tampa Bay beat the Boston Red Sox 2-1 last night for the Rays' first five-game winning streak in more than two years. Iwamura's two-out, two-run homer, his first since Sept. 3, came on a 1-1 pitch from Clay Buchholz (1-2), who took a one-hit shutout into the inning. More»

Eighth-inning rally downs Rangers, bails out starter Lester

(NEWSER) - Manny Ramirez hit a two-run homer after slumping slugging partner David Ortiz tied it with an RBI single in the eighth inning, lifting the Boston Red Sox to a 5-3 win over the Texas Rangers last night. Dustin Pedroia doubled off the Green Monster against Joaquin Benoit (1-1) with one out in the eighth. Ortiz followed with a hard single to score Pedroia. More»

Last-day losses cap miserable month for Red Sox, Braves

(NEWSER) - The Boston Red Sox are in the record books and out of playoff contention after a terrible night capped a terrible September. The Red Sox allowed two ninth-inning runs in a 4-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles last night, the AP reports. Minutes after the Red Sox trudged off the field—still tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for the final playoff spot—the Rays secured the spot by beating the New York Yankees 8-7, having fought back from being down 7-0 in the middle of the seventh inning. More»