Mahtook hits 2-run homer as Rays rally past Red Sox 5-2

On the general topic of Ortiz’s power bestowals, here’s this from the Red Sox Twitter account… But facing a lineup for a third or fourth time also tests a starter and aids the team’s ability to evaluate its roster in preparation for next season.

On the night Boston celebrated David Ortiz’s 500th home run, the Red Sox slugger was the least of the Tampa Bay Rays’ problems.

“For us as an organization, I think it was [a hard decision]”, said Cash when asked about Moore getting sent down. “That wasn’t in my gut”. The Rays have won six of their last eight when scoring more than three runs.

It was a night of extremes and some lessons learned for Owens. Perhaps with a Henry Owens start that went just a bit too long, but more than that, with an offense that wasn’t up for the late-inning heroics that yesterday’s managed.

“I was a little overzealous at times”, Owens said. He said he didn’t see his home run clear the wall in left field, but his teammates certainly did.

The Astros (80-71) lead the Minnesota Twins by three games and the Angels by 3 1-2 for the AL’s second wild-card spot.

He’s struggled at Fenway Park, posting a 6.86 ERA in four starts. “I just wish it ended the way it started”.

Owens is showing to be a valuable asset for a trade or years to come. Moore had all of his pitches working – he was able to locate the fastball well enough to stay out of trouble, and his curve, which he threw 33 times, was untouchable. Drew Smyly gets the ball, and he’s 3-2 with a 3.64 ERA and 62 strikeouts this season.

“He’s hasn’t done what he’s done because he’s lucky”.

Arrieta needed a season-high 123 pitches to finish off his shutout of the Brewers on Tuesday at Wrigley Field and he’s now 39 1/3 innings beyond his previous career-high, but none of that seems to matters. Phil Gosselin led the Diamondbacks with a three-run homer and an RBI double. Asdrubal Cabrera’s bunt pushed Forsythe over to third and a sacrifice fly from Steven Souza Jr. allowed him to score. Carpenter went on to win a Cy Young Award with the St. Louis Cardinals after the Jays allowed him to leave, finishing second and third other years.

Owens exited the game to some applause after he retired Forsythe and allowed Longoria to single.

Owens got out of a bases-loaded, no-outs situation in the seventh with a groundout to first and a 1-2-3 double play.

– Travis Shaw carried the load offensively for Boston. Luke Maile was not bunting, but luckily he popped up, rather than hitting into a double play.

Matt Moore left the Tampa Bay Rays wanting more Tuesday night. Betts doubled to center.

“Xander Bogaerts is a very unsafe hitter”, Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

Shaw continued to impress with a two-run single to right-center.

“I’m a professional and I know what I have to do”, said Sandoval, listed as 5-11 and 255. “Those are the kinds of things I’m looking for out of myself”.

So, uhm, good luck, I guess. Now he’s tossed quality starts in his last two outings, beginning with his seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball against Baltimore. The homer was his second in as many at-bats and his third leadoff home run of the season – two of them at Fenway Park.