The Tampa Bay Rays have started their road trip by heading to the great state of Massachusetts. Beantown could be the best place for baseball as the Rays are taking on the Boston Red Sox in a three game series. The green monster awaits the sluggers of the Rays offensive line-up who include Carlos Peña and the crowd favorite Carl Crawford. The first game of the series was on Tuesday which the Rays lost 7 to 4 because of the unbelievable hitting the Red Sox had. Tonight’s game, number tow in the series, features the pitchers Edwin Jackson for the Rays and high profile Josh Beckett for the Red Sox. I feel that the Sox will take it tonight, but tonight will be different. The Red Sox are the defending champs and they are only one-half game behind the Rays for the lead in the A.L. Eastern Division.

The Tampa Bay Rays are rarely a bad bet this season. The Rays are always in every game and rarely get blown out. I see the Ray’s winning tomorrow’s game based on the fact that Shields will be pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays. Shields is going up against Jon Lester, who did this season throw a no-hitter. Lester has shined in some moments this year, but I think that he will not have one of his best games and the Rays will take game three in Boston. 

The Red Sox’s best hitter, David Ortiz, is not 100% because of an injury to his hand that he suffered a couple of nights ago. The Red Sox lineup will not be as powerful and the Rays will definitely have to take advantage of the misfortune of the Red Sox. The pitching will be good for the Rays and the line-up will have to produce more than four runs in order for the Rays to beat a team as strong as the Red Sox are. I would bet the rays for game three and move on to Arlington to take on the Texas Rangers.