Mellow dramatics

So it was yesterday, too. After starting in an inexplicable offensive slumber against a pitcher without a victory in two months, the Red Sox found the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings more to their liking, closing in on another come-from-behind victory.

But instead of a rollicking celebration at home plate, the Sox found themselves yelling and cursing and smashing bats against their helmets (Kevin Youkilis), unable to advance Julio Lugo from second base despite his arrival there with no outs in the ninth. So, with more frustration than exultation, they fell, 6-5, to the Devil Rays, consoled only by a comeback in the Bronx that fell short, too, the Yankees losing to the Orioles, 6-3, in 10 innings after staging a ninth-inning revival. So Boston's American League East lead remained at five games.

"The interminable ninth inning at Fenway . . . it's always like that," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "If you have the lead, you are never comfortable."

He experienced that when the Sox rallied for a 2-1 victory in the ninth Tuesday. And more of the same seemed in the offing yesterday. With the Red Sox down, 6-4, Coco Crisp began the ninth with a bunt single, placing the ball perfectly up the third base line. Lugo followed with an 11-pitch at-bat that ended with a run-scoring double to center field that brought the 36,413 to their feet.

But he would get no farther. Dustin Pe droia, who bunted foul on the first pitch from Al Reyes (Tuesday's losing pitcher) before the sign was taken off, struck out swinging. So did Youkilis. And after David Ortiz walked on a 3-and-2 pitch, Manny Ramírez finished the game with yet another strikeout swinging.

"You've got plenty of confidence in those three guys coming up, in Pedroia and Youkilis and David and Manny, all those guys," Lugo said. "Man, you've got to take your chances with those guys all the time."

But confidence is not the same as producing. And the Sox couldn't yesterday. With Daisuke Matsuzaka failing to continue the recent stretch of dominance by Sox starting pitchers, allowing six runs in six innings, the Boston offense found itself in an early deficit. Matsuzaka allowed one run in the first inning, and the Devil Rays poured it on in the third.