By JC De La Torre
The Boston Red Sox schooled the young Tampa Bay Rays, using timely hitting and a superb pitching performance from Dice K to beat the Rays in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series .
Boston's victory steals home field advantage from the Rays and gives them a 1 game to 0 lead in the series.
Daisuke Matsusaka walked the bases loaded with two out in the first inning, but the Rays could not score. Dice K went the first six innings without a hit before allowing to begin the 7th. Unfortunately, with runners at 1st and 3rd and no outs, the Rays failed to convert. Matsusaka would start the 8th but once again allowed 2 hits to start the inning. The Rays again would fail to convert...and the Red Sox got out of the inning. Meanwhile, the Red Sox got a run in the 5th with a sacrifice fly to right field. The Sox would add an insurance run when Carl Crawford's bid to dive and catch a fly ball by Kevin Youklis missed, and the speedy Dustin Pedroia scored. That would be it for the Sox as the Rays wasted a terrifc pitching performance by James Shields, who went 7 1/3, scattering 6 hits and the 2 runs. As solid as Shields was, Matsusaka was better, going 7 innings, allowing only 4 hits and no runs.
The Red Sox took the 2-0 lead into the 9th for their Closer, Jonathan Papelbon. Papelbon struck out Carl Crawford, popped up Cliff Floyd, and struck out Dioner Navarro.
Game 2 will be tomorrow night and its basically a must win for the Rays. A loss in Game 2 and the Red Sox will head back to Boston with a chance to win the series without having to come back to Tampa Bay.
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