With 15 games left in the season the Tampa Rays need every win they can get if they have a hope at making the playoffs. They made things a bit harder on themselves Monday night after falling to the lowly Red Sox 5-2.
Outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury hit a home run and had three RBI's for the Red Sox, who are way out the playoff chase after having a disappointing season. Boston was officially eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday.
The Rays were 1-5 in their past six road games and fell back 5½ games in the division with the loss. They also sit five games behind Baltimore for the second Wild Card spot. The team has had trouble scoring runs, only crossing the plate 21 times in the past seven games.
"We're going to have to find a way to bounce out of it," said Tampa Bay center fielder B.J. Upton to the Associated Press.
Tampa got off to an early lead off Boston starter Aaron Cook in the fifth on a fielder's choice, but quickly gave it back the next inning.
Ellsbury hit a two-run home run to right field and in the following inning Boston scored on two singles, including one from Ellsbury. He finished the game with three hits.
Tampa starter Alex Cobb was solid for most of the game, but things began to unravel in the sixth inning. After a wild pitch and a passed ball, Cobb and catcher Jose Molina seemed to get into an argument in the dugout.
"We're both really into that game, and we needed to win that game," Cobb said. "I honestly don't really know what the argument was about, still. We'll work things out. We'll talk about it tomorrow, or whatever, and leave it behind us."
Cobb finished with two hits, four runs and four strikeouts in six innings of work.
"I'm not unhappy," manager Joe Maddon said. "That's overblown sometimes. That can actually be a good thing. It's fine right now. We discussed everything. It's all good."
In the seventh Boston had the bases loaded and scored three runs to make the score 5-1.
"For five innings it looked like we didn't have any gas in our tank, and then Iggy ignited us a little bit," Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said. "And Ells took a lot of time in between pitches and hit a 3-1 pitch, and he gave us the lead."
Cook had previously lost his last five games and pitched much better against the Rays, allowing one run and only five hits in six innings.
"We played really well tonight, and it's nice to shake hands after a game," Cook said.
Boston has been struggling all year, but especially in the later part of the season. The team is only 14-30 since August and has fallen 17 games behind in the division.
The Rays will need to work some type of magic if they want to make the playoffs this year.
Last season the Rays made the playoffs after beating the Yankees on the final day of the season after coming back from a 7-0 deficit to tie the game. In extra innings Evan Longoria hit a walk-off home run to put the Rays in the playoffs.
Minutes before Longoria hit the home run the Red Sox lost on a walk-off single by the Orioles, which clinched the Wild Card for the Rays once they won.
The final night of the 2011 season is considered to be one of the best finishes of all-time, and to make the playoffs in 2012, the Rays will need some similar magic.
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