Afloat
| Game 125: August 20, 2007 | |||
 Red Sox |
6 | W: Tim Wakefield (15-10) | 75-50, 1 game winning streak 25-11-5 series record |
| Devil Rays | 0 | L: Scott Kazmir (9-8) | 47-77, 1 game losing streak 10-25-5 series record |
| Highlights: Mike Lowell reached base each of the four times he got in the box; the third baseman walked twice, doubled, and homered. The Red Sox improved to 11-5 in shutout games. | |||
I’m not going to go overboard in ooh-ing and ahh-ing the Red Sox’s performance against the Devil Rays because Tampa Bay is a team that will lose much more often than win. Even with ace Scott Kazmir tallying eight whiffs the visitors hit early and often to put away the game. The charge was led by Mike Lowell and Manny Ramirez who combined for five RBIs.
The early lead had the Tampa Bay batters even more impatient than usual. Jitters at the dish when facing a knuckleballer does not a good combination make for the home team. The audio onslaught of cowbells and the Tropicana Heckler combined could not will runs.
Tim Wakefield clocked in with a workman-like seven innings with four hits, a solo walk, and five strikeouts. Manny Delcarmen and Mike Timlin ended the shift with perfect identical innings with one punchout apiece.
Most of the notable action happened before the game and in the booth.
Raymond riffed on Coco Crisp’s encounter with the Mariner Moose by brandishing a fan-made “Coco Crossing” sign during the pregame.
Don and Jerry were accosted by a rodent from the fourth inning. With a substantial Red Sox lead, the mouse (or rat, according to Orsillo) became the story for the evening. Some may be annoyed by the pair’s diversions, but for me it’s a sign of a relaxing jaunt over another team’s home field.
These games in Florida take on the lackadaisical attitude of the organization. Delmon Young’s languid pursuit of Crisp’s fly ball near the right field line in the second inning is the epitome of his club’s bearing. He drifted toward the ball insouciantly. It clipped the tip of his glove before nicking the line and bounding into the stands for a ground-rule double
As is usually the case in Tampa, baseball wasn’t the true spectacle.
