Joe Maddon ecstatic as Tampa Bay Rays closer to wildcard berth after beating Boston Red Sox 9-1
The Tampa Bay Rays wanted to make a mark on the American League as they beat the Boston Red Sox 9-1 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg on Sunday, September 11.
The Rays were 6.5 wins behind Boston when they entered the weekend. Walking out of it now leaves them 3.5 wins behind the Wildcard berth holders.
The club managed to sweep the series with three straight wins. With 17 games remaining now, Joe Maddon is energized and ecstatic on his squad’s morale and fighting spirit. The gaffer was available after the game and he made his views known to the press.
"We did need to win these," Maddon said. "There was no other way to look at it. Two out of three - meatloafing right now - didn't taste nearly as good. ... Under the circumstances, you have to do what you did. Otherwise it's pretty much impossible to recover
from that moment."
James Shields picked up the pitching duties on Sunday and he was walking in with 14 wins in the season. He raised the tally to 15 in dominating fashion as he picked up a run from 8.1 innings and seven hits. His earned runs average fell to 2.70 and the club
was glad to help him out with nine runs in the process.
The game plan for the Rays has changed now and there was an impression laid out by the skipper on where the team was heading from here. The Red Sox will host the Rays for another series on September 15 and that spells a brawl for the club.
"We've got them four more times next week," Maddon said. "In the meantime, just play with the same level of intensity and verve and want-to and all the stuff we're doing right now. ... The guys are really getting after it."
It will be an exciting encounter as the two powerful teams collide. If the Rays pull off another sweep, they may be heading into the post-season again.
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