Miller Allows Seven as Sox Fall in First Game After Break

Sports Illustrated

Rays 9 Red Sox 6
Winning Pitcher: David Price (9-7)
Losing Pitcher: Andrew Miller (3-1)
Save: Kyle Farnsworth (18)



Recap
Andrew Miller continued to regress as he adjusts to facing American League lineups, and was ousted in the third inning after allowing seven runs. His trouble started in the first, when he issued two straight walks after retiring the leadoff man. BJ Upton then came up and delivered an RBI single to give the Rays an early 1-0 advantage. Miller got out of the inning with just the one run, although he threw 35 pitches to do so. The Red Sox got that run right back, when Darnell McDonald came through with a solo shot in the top of the second to tie the game. Miller started the bottom of the inning by promptly loading the bases. The bases remained full with one out, when Ben Zobrist delivered a crippling blow by putting one in left field seats, and all of a sudden the Rays held a 5-1 lead following the grand slam. Once again, the Red Sox were able to get one run back, when Jacoby Ellsbury hit his 12th homer of the year, as his solo shot was only the third Price has ever given up to a lefty. Miller came out in the bottom of the third and continued his struggles. He finished his outing with 2.2 innings, allowing seven runs on five hits, five walks and zero strikeouts. The Red Sox cut the lead to 7-3 with another solo homer, this time by Dustin Pedroia in the top of the sixth. Each team scored a couple more runs, but the Rays kept their lead throughout, and took game one of the series.



Home Runs
Boston: Darnell McDonald (3), Jacoby Ellsbury (12), Dustin Pedroia (12), Marco Scutaro (5)
Tampa Bay: Ben Zobrist (11), Casey Kotchman (4)



The Red Sox and Rays continue their series tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 PM ET on FOX. Boston will send John Lackey (6-8 6.84) to the mound against Tampa's James Shields (8-7 2.33).