Game 11

Final Score:

Boston Red Sox 6, Tampa Bay Devil Rays 2

A first win for another Red Sox pitcher, this time all on the back of Manny Ramirez, who knocked in his first two homeruns of the year: a two run shot in the third that like Varitek's homerun a few nights ago just kept going and going until it cleared the park. Watching the highlight clip, it was pretty obvious to everyone (including Manny) that it was gone when he hit it, it sailed through the night sky like some leather-wrapped harbiger of baseball doom, as the slugger broke the longest start of season homerun drought in his career. The Manny hit another one in the fourth, off the Coke bottles tower. With the bases loaded. Which, of course, means grand slam. Two. Nights. In. A. Row. I'd say the big hitters are back. With his 18th career grand slam, Manny ties Willie McCovey and Robin Ventura for third most grand slams ever and is the only active leader in that category.

Clement, meanwhile, finally had the sort of night we're all expecting of him, giving up one run and seven hits over seven innings, with the combined efforts of Timlin and Embree finishing out the game. I realize this is Tampa Bay (the hapless Devil Rays, as King and O'Nan called them in Faithful) playing at Fenway, but it looks like right now, everything's coming up Theo. All of those off-season acquisitions are certainly paying big money this week. If this sort of thing keeps up, the man may develop a cult following.

Wakefield versus phenom Scott Kazimir tonight for the potential sweep. Kazimir became the youngest left hander to beat the Sox in Fenway since 1941 last year and did it by shutting down the guns entirely. We'll see if the newly rejuvanted lineup can avoid that fate this time around. GO SOX!!!