Bay Rays edge out Red Sox, and no punches are thrown
In the AL East, the Tampa Bay Rays edged out the Boston Red Sox with a 5-4 victory. James Shields starred with five hits over six-and-a-third innings, while B.J. Upton and Gabe Gross smashed home runs. They now have a lead of one-and-a-half games in the division.
"This is an intense series," Boston's Mike Lowell said. "I know there's a little history, but I think both teams played good baseball."
The Rays (50-32), surprising owners of the best record in baseball, have won six of seven and shrugged off a six-game losing streak to Boston, which is 6-0 against Tampa Bay at Fenway Park but 0-4 at Tropicana Field.
It was the first meeting between the combative division rivals since their much talked about June 5 benches-clearing brawl at Fenway that led to the suspensions of eight players, including Shields (6-5).
Both managers said beforehand that they didn't anticipate any carryover from the melee that ensued after Shields hit Coco Crisp in the leg with a pitch during the second inning of a 7-1 Tampa Bay loss.
"I knew from both sides nothing was going to happen. It was over," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "We're professionals, they're professionals, and all that business is in the past."
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