Like Old Times--Sox Sweep Rays!--Peter

Well, Jenn, after this weekend, it almost seems like old times with the Rays. True, they're not the Rays of old--not even close, but with today's twinbill sweep, finishing out the weekend sweep, added to the Sox recent two of three in Tampa, the Hose have now won four straight and six of the last seven against the Rays. Today, we got great pitching from both Buchholtz and Lester as starters, followed by near spotless relief (OK, Wagner did allow a pair of hits before slamming the door in the 9th of game 2) from Oki, Laser and Billy Wags, respectively. The penultimate pitching was Pap in Game 1, after allowing a leadoff hit, he K'd the side; and Lester in Game 2. Today he showed a much better start than the brief attempt before Friday's rainout: eight innings, with just two hits and seven K's, not to mention a WHIP for the game of 0.625--not too shabby!
On offense, the Sox got timely hits in both games, slowly building their leads so that going into the 9th in each case, the closers could do what they're paid for--CLOSE. In game 1, it was tied at 1 as the Sox came up on the bottom of the 8th. Gathright got on and Dusty added a pair of runs to the Hose total with a shot to the cheaps--final score: 3-1. In the nightcap, the Hose had a three zip lead going into the bottom of the 8th, but Tampa's meat of the order was coming up in the 9th. An insurance run would be nice. You asked, you received. Bay provided a fan a souvenir and the score was four zip. Wags closed and Sox win.
Very nice. Texas leads in their first game, 6-1, top of 7th, so, worst case, the Sox maintain their Card lead at three with twenty to go. If Seattle can win even one today, the lead goes up to four. Keep hoping.
Speaking of hoping, Jenn, earlier today, the O's were tied with Mr. Hankie's Yankees at three. I was hoping for an O's sweep of the Evil Empire, which would have left us just six behind. But, it wasn't to be as the Stripes woke up and finished out the Birds, 13-3.