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King Of The Hill

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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 14, 2008

Star Of The Game: Matt Garza

The Rays got 13 hits - and four home runs - in Monday's 9-1 victory against Boston in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. "You can talk about the hitting all you want," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "Matt Garza is the reason we won the game. He did not permit them to come back." Garza, who pitched to two batters in the seventh inning before his exit, allowed six hits, walked three and struck out five on 116 pitches. In the first two innings, Garza stranded three runners in scoring position. Garza got the leadoff batter out six times. The Red Sox's 3-4-5 batters (David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis, J.D. Drew) were 0-for-9 against him.

Key Decision

With two runners on in the eighth and the Rays leading 5-1, Maddon stuck with Rocco Baldelli (hitting only .219 against right-handers) instead of using left-handed batting Gabe Gross as a pinch-hitter, a percentage move (especially because Gross was going to enter for defensive purposes). Baldelli, a Rhode Island native and New England favorite, smashed a three-run homer off the Sports Authority sign above the Green Monster. The Rays led 8-1 - and it was over.

Play Of The Game

The Rays led 1-0 in the third when B.J. Upton stepped up, none out, runners on second and third. On the fourth pitch from Jon Lester, Upton crushed a three-run homer over the Green Monster, giving Tampa Bay a 4-0 advantage. "That was big," Maddon said. "The three-run homer is always a nice result." Upton, who had only nine homers in the regular season, already has five homers in Tampa Bay's seven postseason games.

Quirky Play

Upton led off the fifth with a single off Lester's glove. With the shift on, Carlos Pena dropped down an unexpected bunt toward third base. Boston's Kevin Youkilis fielded it, knowing he had no shot at Pena, but he whirled and whipped a throw to get Upton, who took a wide turn at second base and couldn't make it back.

Critical Moment

With the Rays leading 5-0, Garza began to unravel in Boston's seventh inning. Jason Varitek walked on a 3-2 pitch, then went to third on Alex Cora's single. Enter reliever J.P. Howell. Jacoby Ellsbury lifted a sacrifice fly, driving in Boston's only run. Then Howell got red-hot Dustin Pedroia (two homers in Game 2; double, single and walk in his first three at-bats on Monday) with an inning-ending double-play ball.

Crunching The Numbers

Remember Boston's 2-0 shutout win in Game 1 at Tropicana Field? Tone-setter? Doesn't look like it now. In fact, the past four teams that opened a postseason with a road shutout victory all went on to lose that series - the 2004 Minnesota Twins (Yankees, ALDS); the 2001 Cleveland Indians (Mariners, ALDS), the 2000 Seattle Mariners (Yankees, ALCS); and the 1986 Boston Red Sox (Mets, World Series). The last team to earn an opening-game road shutout win and take the series was the 1983 Philadelphia Phillies (after winning 1-0 at the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLCS).

Our Take

The Rays are playing in their first postseason. But get this: All the pressure has shifted onto the Red Sox, the defending World Series champions. With Lester (3-0, 0.90 ERA in previous games against the Rays this season) on the mound, Red Sox fans had to be penciling in a victory for Game 3. Not this time. Garza's command and the four-homer offensive attack made it one of the most crisply played games of Tampa Bay's season. Tonight's opponent, knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, is 19-5 career against the Rays. Those numbers don't mean as much because the Rays are loose and pressure-free. They are assured of a return trip to Tropicana Field - minimum. But if Tampa Bay's power-hitting trend continues, that may not even be necessary (as crazy as that may sound).

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