Friday, May 25, 2012

Rays Do 'Yard Work' At Lester's Expense

Jim Rogash/Getty Images
Tampa launched three home runs against Jon Lester on Friday—one of them Matt Joyce's second grand slam in six days—as the second-place Rays defeated Boston, 7-4. Lester began his meltdown with a lead-off walk in the third (after being squeezed by the home plate umpire), and Joyce's salami wiped out a 1-0 Sox advantage.

Two more round-trippers put the game out of reach—despite a "sort of" Red Sox comeback.The Red Sox mustered just four hits off six Rays hurlers—and the game ended with a 9th-inning mini-brawl after Franklin Morales threw behind Luke 'Don't Hate Me Because I Insult You' Scott. But come on, Joe Madden, "weak" and "cowardly"? Please.