Rays 2 - 3 Red Sox
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Red Sox, Rays renew hostilities at Fenway Park

May 30, 2014 - 2:49 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Boston Red Sox go after their fifth straight win on Friday when they open a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park.

Boston had lost 10 in a row after a sweep at the hands of the Rays last weekend. However, a benches clearing fracas in the finale of that set may have awoken the defending World Series champions, as the Red Sox have not lost since and are coming off a four-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves.

The fireworks against Tampa came in the seventh inning of Sunday's loss, as Rays shortstop Yunel Escobar stole third with the score at 8-3.

The Red Sox didn't approve of the steal and both club's entered the field to try to calm the situation. Johnny Gomes, who was ejected, and Red Sox catcher David Ross were involved in the melee with Escobar. Escobar was tossed, too.

Hoping to keep the Red Sox in the win column on Friday will be righty Brandon Workman, who will be making his second start in place of Felix Doubront. Workman started on Sunday against the Rays and did not get a decision, as he allowed three runs and five hits in five innings. He has pitched to a 3.18 ERA this season without recording a decision.

Tampa, meanwhile, will counter with former AL Cy Young Award winner David Price, who gave up five first inning runs to the Red Sox last weekend, but fired seven scoreless innings after that. Still, he did not get a decision in his team's 6-5, 15-inning win.

"Well, David Price permitted it," manager Joe Maddon said of the win. "That was a tough first inning. He easily could have given in or caved in, but he came back. He pitched extremely well -- beyond extremely well. He set the tone for all of that to permit us to come back."

Price, who is 4-4 on the year with a 4.42 ERA, is 10-6 lifetime versus the Red Sox with a 3.09 ERA in 21 starts. However, he has gone 3-0 with a 1.41 ERA in his last five starts at Fenway Park.

While the Red Sox have yet to lose since last weekend, the Rays have not won and enter this set on the heels of getting swept by the red-hot Toronto Blue Jays that culminated with a 3-2 loss on Wednesday.

"It's been pretty much how the season has gone to this point, but we're going to change it," said Maddon. "All these weird awkward breaks, we're just not catching them."

Tampa is 5-1 versus the Red Sox this season.






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