Red Sox – Rays to Battle in ALCS
Friday, October 10th, 2008 | Sports
The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Devil Rays will open up the 2008 American League Championship Series in Tampa Bay on Friday, October 10th. Japanese sensation Daisuke Matsuzaka will start for the Boston Red Sox while the Tampa Bay Rays will counter with 14-game winner James Shields. Both teams will possess a huge home field advantage throughout the series. The Rays won the season series 10-8 over the Red Sox, but 8 of those 10 wins came at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay. Likewise, 7 of the Red Sox 8 wins against the Rays came at Fenway Park in Boston, while the team struggled mightily in Tampa Bay. Much will ride on the health of Red Sox ace Josh Beckett who did not fair well against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Game 3 of the ALDS. Beckett is slated to start ALCS Game #2 in Tampa on Saturday, October 11th and if he can return to form that led the Marlins to the World Series title in 2003 and the Red Sox to the World Series title in 2007, it could end up being a short ALCS.
