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August 20, 2007
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tim Wakefield pitched seven shutout innings, scattering four hits and striking out five, and improved his lifetime record against Tampa Bay to 19-2 as he led the Red Sox to a 6-0 victory over the Devil Rays tonight.
The Sox decided the game early against traditional nemesis Scott Kazmir, taking advantage of shoddy Tampa Bay defense to score five runs in the first two innings.
Mike Lowell drove in the first two runs in the first inning with a two-out, two-run double, a hard but playable grounder down the third-base line that should have been handled by third baseman Akinori Iwamura. Coco Crisp started a three-run rally in the second with a catchable fly ball down the right-field line that Delmon Young got a glove on but couldn't hold, letting it drop into the stands for a ground-rule double. The Sox would score that inning on an RBI single by Dustin Pedroia and a two-run single by Manny Ramirez.
Lowell closed out the scoring with a solo home run in the fifth inning.
Wakefield's only jam came in the first, when Iwamura walked, stole second and went to third with one out on a passed ball during a strikeout by Kevin Cash. But Wakefield stranded him there, and cruised the rest of the way.
Wakefield (15-10) is now tied with teammate Josh Beckett and the Angels' John Lackey for the league lead in wins, with 15.
Manny Delcarmen pitched a scoreless eighth, and Mike Timlin retired the Rays in order in the ninth.
Posted by Art Martone 
at 9:36 PM | Permalink
Midwesterner72 | August 21, 2007 6:17 AM link
Wakefield was very impressive once again. I think overall this was the best Red Sox pitching performance all year as a unit. Have to say that Cash did a masterful job. He can't hit, but defensively, he is top notch. Its great to have a catcher back there who is a real threat to throw out runners every night. I think he is great insurance for Doug, but with him in there we definitely miss Mirabelli's bat. I liked the move to have Timlin close. Francona said before the game that Gagne was available- so should we read something into his decision to go with Timlin instead? I liked the move- Mike has been lights out and it was great that Wakefield's shutout was preserved- he deserved that. It's really neat to see Wake tied for the major league lead in wins this late in the year- this looks like a career year for Wake- at 40 years old. I think all those people who were asking for him to be removed from the starting rotation earlier should really be eating crow about now!