Rays 8, Red Sox 5 - Sorry, Boston. The Good Guys Won. Again.

I am probably the wrong person to write this recap.

I will freely admit that there is an undercurrent of hatred that seethes beneath my surface for the city of Boston, their sports teams, and their residents (and former residents). Unlike their proud classlessness, this wasn't something I was born into, or something that was instilled in me during my upbringing. No. This was earned. This was earned from years of fights in the Trop stands instigated by loud, obnoxious Red Sox fans from God knows where, who couldn't name a player on the roster prior to 2004 to save their lives. This was earned from years of fights on the diamond instigated by players with ulterior motives, enormous egos and a feeling that they are owed something. A feeling that this little team that could is not on their level, and is one they can abuse year in and year out. No, this little team that could is not on that level. It would NEVER stoop to that level. And thank God or whatever deity you wish that we never have and hopefully never will.

Nothing gives me greater joy than sweeping those Red Sox and giving them their 10th straight loss. I mean it. Nothing.

Today's matchup was Jake Odorizzi taking on 25-year-old righty Brandon Workman. An imposing 6'5" 225-pounder making his 4th appearance of the season for the bad guys, his first as a starter.

In the second inning, scorching hot Brandon Guyer walked and then moved to second on a steal. Logan Forsythe knocked a hard shot towards Pedroia that ate him up on on the hop, but the little fella recovered enough to beat Forsythe to the first base bag with a throw.

In the top of the 3rd, delightful human, AJ Pierzynski led off with a single. Grady Sizemore followed that up with a double on an 86 mph Odorizzi meatball to right, moving AJ to third. Jake was able to strike Jackie Bradley Jr. out swinging, but gave up a sac fly to Brock Holt that scored Pierzynski. Odorizzi kept Xander Bogaerts on his toes with a couple of sliders and a nasty change before popping him up on an outside fastball to get out of the inning and limit the damage. 1-0 Bad Guys.

In the fourth, Dustin Pedroia led off with a single. After an Ortiz fly out, Odorizzi and Mike Carp battled through a nine pitch at bat that ultimately ended up in a walk. Logan Forsythe then pretty much got us out of this jam himself. He caught a Daniel Nava bloop line drive, then made an outstanding diving catch on what would have been an AJ Pierzynski hit. Have yourself a weekend, Logan!

I want to point out that Jake Odorozzi tossed in a couple of beautiful mid-60's curves this inning. Like RJ Anderson mentioned, there are few things in baseball more aesthetically pleasing than watching a slow curve drop in.

The bottom of the 4th started off in splendid fashion, as Evan Longoria launched a first pitch home run to right center to tie the game. Myers then walked, and Guyer singled to put men on 1st and 3rd. Logan Forsythe stepped up and delivered again with a single through the hole on the left side of the infield. His RBI single knocked Myers in, putting the Rays up 2-1.

In the 5th, Sizemore hit a double just an inch or two out of reach of a diving Guyer. This was Odorizzi's third straight inning allowing the leadoff batter to reach base. Jake would get out of the jam again though, mowing down Jackie Bradley Jr, Brock Holt, and Dustin Pedroia 1-2-3 to finish the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, David DeJesus knocked a two-bagger down the first base line. Longo followed that up by going down to get a curve ball in the dirt for a single that moved DeJesus to third. Joyce then walked on a high curve to load the bases with one out for Wil Myers. Myers hit a weak grounder that seemed like a surefire GIDP but managed to beat out the throw, scoring a run. This kid's effort level can never be questioned. Loney then grounded up the middle for what looked like an easy out BUT ANOTHER WIL MYERS HUSTLE PLAY BEAT BOGAERTS TO THE BAG. Another run scores!  But wait... the play would be challenged, and upon review, Myers was definitely out. Still love the hustle. Still 3-1 Rays.

Jake Odorizzi trotted back out for the 6th, and made quick work of the Sox batters. A 1-2-3 inning that ended on some fancy glove work by James Loney at first base.

Jake's final line: 6IP on 108 pitches, 4H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 5SO. Another solid performance.

In the top of the 7th with Peralta pitching, AJ Pierzynski hit a bouncer to Yunel that he tried to barehand, but came up completely empty. Probably an ill-advised play there, but one he also probably makes look easy more times than not. Either way, it's rough seeing slow-as-molasses Pierzynski reach second there. After a Sizemore strikeout, Peralta left a fastball up and over the plate that Jonny Gomes just SMASHED for a home run. Gomes admired it, flipped his bat, put his hands up and trotted slowly around the bases. An act that weaker-minded teams may take issue with. Instead, the Rays chose to respond by winning the baseball game. This Gomes homer did tie the game 3-3.

In the bottom of the 7th, Desmond Jennings pinch hit for DeJesus and walked. Longo then singled to move Deezy to third. Sean Rodriguez pinch hit for Matt Joyce and BLASTED a three-run homer to left field, SeanRod's sixth on the year. He again stands alone as the Rays home run leader. This was the first pinch hit home run of the Rays season, as well as the first pinch hit home run of Sean's career. 6-3 Rays.

Yunel Escobar followed Sean with a hard hit double to bring in both Guyer and Loney. 8-3 Rays. Yunel took 3rd on indifference on the next pitch, and wait... what is this? David Ross is on the dugout steps jawing at Escobar! UNWRITTEN RUUUUUUUULES.  MAD WHITE GUYS YELLINGGGGGG. Escobar clearly was having none of this, and responded verbally. In comes utter clown show Jonny Gomes out of nowhere, attacking Tom Foley trying to get to Yunel and causing both benches to clear. There were pushes, there were shoves, there was yelling. Gomes would be ejected along with Yunel and SeanRod.

Have a look.

It appears that the Red Sox, losers of 10 straight, took offense to a team attempting to win a baseball game. As Joe Maddon pointed out after the game, they must have forgotten last season's divisional playoff series. Let's compare the two incidents:

Prior incident - 8th inning, 8-2 Red Sox lead, Ellsbury steals. Rays take no issue.

Today - 7th inning, 8-3 Rays lead. Yunel steals. David Ross takes the opportunity to yell at Yunel about God knows what . . . unwritten rules or some crap . . . and causes a bench clearing incident where Jonny Gomes assaults a senior citizen.

You pick the franchise you would be more proud to support.

Maybe you've noticed, as many have, maybe you haven't, but there appears to be a disturbing trend of curmudgeonly white baseball players starting incidents with their superior hispanic counterparts. Go back and look at the Carlos Gomez, Yasiel Puig and Jose Fernandez incidents, as well as today's, and let me know if you see something less disturbing.

Did this whole Red Sox circus work? No it did not.

While yelling at minorities may get their city, and their fan base fired up, it did nothing to change the fate of their Red Sox today. They knocked in a couple of runs in garbage time against (garbage pitcher) Josh Lueke, but an L was their fate. Their 10th in a row. It couldn't happen to a better group of people.

8-5 Rays would be your final. SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!!

Let me know your thoughts on the game, the sweep, the incident, Red Sox fans (especially those of you at the game), and our outlook on the season going forward in the comments below.

Please also remember that my views and jokes about a team and a fan base that I both playfully and genuinely loathe are mine and mine alone, not those of DRaysBay (especially Danny). Just in case anyone is offended.  When your team didn't allow a player of a darker complexion to put on a uniform until Pumpsie Green in 1959 (more than 12 years after Jackie Robinson and over one year after the second to last Detroit Tigers), and in 2014 your denizens are still hurling slurs at P.K. Subban all over the internet, you leave yourself WIDE open.

Enjoy your 10 losses, Boston. You've earned them. Here's to 10 more.