It took a little longer than it should have, but it ended as any Red Sox game should in the Trop – with a “W” for the almost-home-team. The Rays were annoying all night – like your girlfriend’s little brother tagging along when you’re trying to get a little – they just wouldn’t go away. The Sox endured and eventually the Tampa ‘pen handed the game over in the 12th.

For a while it looked like it was going to be a textbook win with Lester pitching into the seventh, Okajima in the eighth and Papelbon in the ninth. But the Rays didn’t follow the script and Jonny Gomes crushed a Papelbon splitter to tie the game. Kyle Snyder picked up the win pitching two innings in extra frames. A few observations:

Kyle Snyder’s strikeout pitch to Brendan Harris with a full count was
absolutely filthy.

Jason Varitek will never lay off a high 2-strike fastball.

Josh Paul looks like a throwback badass with his seventies-issue facial
hair.

The D’Rays used seven pitchers – the starter James Shields had the lowest ERA
at 4.47.

Jerry Remy is doing far too many commercials lately.

The lead is back up to nine games as Baltimore held off the Yankees in Camden Yards. The Yankees look great against KC and Tampa but despite their all-star line-up they can’t get it done against good pitching. Today we get the Dice-man against Scott Kazmir as the Sox go for the sweep. If I was going to the Trop, I’d bring a broom.