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Red Sox, Rays continue to grapple for AL East

Sep 10, 2008 - 10:10 AM Tampa Bay (86-57) at Boston (85-59) 7:05 p.m. EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox still can't leapfrog the Tampa Bay Rays. All they can do is get back to within a half-game of the American League East leaders.

After the Rays rallied for a 5-4 victory on Tuesday, the will meet again on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the Red Sox appeared primed to take sole possession of first place in the American League East for the first time sine July 17. They had won six of seven, the Rays had reciprocated by losing six of seven, and Jason Bay had given the Red Sox a 4-3 lead over the Rays with a two-run homer in the eighth inning.

But the Rays struck back against Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon, tying the game on Dan Johnson's solo home run and taking the lead - and the win - on Dioner Navarro's RBI double.

That put a stop to the Rays' sudden September downturn - at least for a day. The Rays still need to salvage the rubber match against the Red Sox to recapture some of the ground they've lost over the last nine days. Prior to the win, they had been shut out in consecutive games - including a 3-0 loss to Boston on Monday.

Tampa Bay will send Andy Sonnanstine (13-7, 4.66 ERA) to the hill in what will be his first start of the season against the Red Sox. The second-year righthander had a miserable time against them last year, registering an 8.85 ERA in four starts, three of them losses.

He will face off against Boston ace Josh Beckett (12-9, 4.20), who survived a health scare last month when he missed nearly three weeks with tingling and discomfort in his throwing arm. All turned out to be well for the 6-5 righthander, who returned on September 5 to toss five shutout innings in an 8-1 win over the Texas Rangers.

After this series ends, the Rays take on the Yankees for three games before playing host to the Red Sox for three more games. Afterward, they will host the Minnesota Twins - who are battling for the wild card against whichever team doesn't win the AL East - for a four-game set.