Ramos starred at the plate and behind it./CARMEN MANDATO
Friday, 2 p.m.
It is no longer simply the place where Mallex Smith (or Kevin Kiermaier) runs.
It isn't the park where Logan Morrison slams, or where Chris Archer whiffs. It isn't just the place where Corey Dickerson sprays, or where Evan Longoria grinds.
As of now, it is also the place where the Buffalo roams.
Wilson Ramos, the Buffalo, starred in Thursday night's 4-1 victory by the Rays over the Boston Red Sox. Ramos, who spent much of the year on the disabled list recovering from knee surgery, had an RBI double and a two-run homer. He also threw runners out at third and at second.
Yeah, Wilson.
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Faria had his sixth straight quality start for the Rays./CARMEN MANDATO
“That's my game,” Ramos said. “I concentrate a lot. The first for me is my defense. If I throw runners out and and call a good game, I'm happy. Hitting is extra. If I hit the ball well, I will be more happy.
“Right now, I feel a lot better at the plate. I'm happy I'm getting my timing back with my swing. Also, I feel so happy to be able to be aggressive and move good behind the plate.”
Wilson's big night was more impressive in that it came against the division-leading
Morrison isn't an all-star; he just plays like one./CARMEN MANDATO
Red Sox and early Cy Young favorite Chris Sale. It was only the third time in 18 starts he's allowed as many as four runs. Ramos had never faced him before.
So is that hard?
“Evidently, not very,” said Logan Morrison.
“Nope,” Ramos said. “After the first inning, I was looking for something special in my at-bat. I was trying to see his arm. I was looking at just his arm. He has so much movement. If I watched his movement, he'll kill me.”
Instead, it was, well, a stampede.
“Oh, man,” said teammate Steven Souza, Jr. “You saw it. He can change the game. Not only with his bat, but behind the plate. There is a reason he was an all-star. To add
Hechavarria has shined at shortstop for the Rays./CARMEN MANDATO
another threat in the middle of the order, and not just a measly hitter. He is one of the best in the game.”
The Rays also got yet another solid start from rookie Jacob Faria, who went six innings and gave up only one run.
So far, there has been a presence to Faria, who is now 4-0. The bigger the moment, the better he seems to pitch.
It was Faria's sixth straight quality start, making him the first pitcher since the Yankees' Masahiro Tanaka in 2014 to accomplish the feat.
Bourjos hit a home run to give the Rays the lead./CARMEN MANDATO
The Rays bullpen, which has struggled lately, got a shutout inning each from Brad Boxberger, Tommy Hunter and Alex Colome, who got his 23rd save.
Morrison had three hits for the Rays (raising his average to .267).
It was also a big night for Colome, who had allowed a run in each of his previous five outings.
The Rays, once again, are three games over .500. The Rays are now only 4 1/2 games back in the AL race.
Sale said he never considered pitching around Ramos. Asked if he hit his spot, he responded:
"Very rarely do you see good pitches go that far," Sale said. "You don't want to do that. I jut kind of sucks the energy out of us. That's on me. I have to be better right there."
The Rays and Red Sox play again tonight (7:10 p.m. at the Trop) when Jake Odorizzi pitches against Boston's Drew Pomeranz.
Boxberger pitched well again for the Rays./CARMEN MANDATO
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