Tropicana Field

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Over the course of 162 games, every manager in baseball has to balance the desire to win with the necessity of protecting his pitchers for the weeks and months to come. Bobby Valentine has adhered to the rules in his first season as manager of the Red Sox, even using outfielder Darnell McDonald to pitch in an extra-inning game earlier this month rather than overwork the bullpen. But there was something different in the stale air of Tropicana Field on Thursday night.

Tim Hudson scattered four hits over 7 2-3 innings, David Ross homered and the Atlanta Braves beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 on Sunday. Hudson (3-1), who is 8-1 overall against the Rays, retired nine in a row before Ben Zobrist opened the fourth with a line single to right. Ross put the Braves up 1-0 on an opposite-field, solo-homer to right in the third. Jason Heyward made it 2-0 on a two-out, RBI single during the sixth. Jonny Venters, who replaced Hudson after B.J. Upton had an infield single with two outs in the eighth, loaded the bases by hitting both Matt Joyce and Carlos...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - His handshake could send you to the disabled list; that's how strong he is. But that strength no longer could translate to his limbs, and the fatigue he experienced was so severe that it ended the career of one of the great New England athletes. Rocco Baldelli had it all. He was a five-tool player. He could run with anyone - including Carl Crawford, a player he came up with through the Rays organization. He could hit, hit for power, and played center field as well as anyone in baseball, with a terrific arm. But little by little, what was first diagnosed...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Over the course of 162 games, every manager in baseball has to balance the desire to win with the necessity of protecting his pitchers for the weeks and months to come. Bobby Valentine has adhered to the rules in his first season as manager of the Red Sox, even using outfielder Darnell McDonald to pitch in an extra-inning game earlier this month rather than overwork the bullpen. But there was something different in the stale air of Tropicana Field on Thursday night.

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Betting on baseball is a foolish proposition. Having spent a few summer weekends in Vegas and returned with just enough money to pay for a cab, I can attest to this fact. But tonight had all the signs of trouble. The red-hot Red Sox had cooled their jets with a day off. The Rays had the surprisingly good James Shields on the mound, a guy who has been lights out at home. By now you've heard what happened. Shields went the distance in a 4-0 victory.

James Shields helped ruin Carl Crawford’s return to Tropicana Field. Shields pitched his AL-leading third shutout of the season, cooling Boston’s red-hot offense and helping the Tampa Bay Rays end the first-place Red Sox’s nine-game winning streak with a 4-0 victory Tuesday night. “I know those guys over there, whenever the Red Sox are in town, they take it up a notch,’’ Crawford said. “I expected him to pitch one of his best games and he did.’’ In addition to cutting into their deficit in the AL East standings, the third-place...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - His handshake could send you to the disabled list; that's how strong he is. But that strength no longer could translate to his limbs, and the fatigue he experienced was so severe that it ended the career of one of the great New England athletes. Rocco Baldelli had it all. He was a five-tool player. He could run with anyone - including Carl Crawford, a player he came up with through the Rays organization. He could hit, hit for power, and played center field as well as anyone in baseball, with a terrific arm. But little by little, what was first diagnosed as a...

Cody Ross homered and drove in four runs, Felix Doubront won his third consecutive start and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 on Thursday night. Ross extended Boston's lead to 5-2 on a two-run single off reliever Wade Davis with two outs in the eighth. Doubront (4-1) allowed two runs and six hits over 5 2-3 innings. The left-hander was hit on the ear by a ball during batting practice Tuesday and cleared one day later to make his scheduled start. Matt Moore (1-4)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine sent relief pitcher Andrew Miller out to try and perform what he termed a "Houdini act" in the sixth inning Wednesday night. The Rays had runners on first and third with no outs and designated hitter Luke Scott at the plate. Miller had to somehow find a way to keep the game tied at 1. He did his job, getting Scott to swing at a high fastball and pop the ball up to shallow right field. The runner at third, Matt Joyce, wouldn't dare try to score.

Clay Buchholz found some positives even in a tough loss. Jeremy Hellickson pitched six solid innings, Luke Scott had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat Boston 2-1 on Wednesday night, snapping the Red Sox's five-game winning streak. Buchholz (4-2) gave up two runs and six hits over five-plus innings. "Change up came back tonight," Buchholz said. "I felt really good throwing that. " Buchholz, who took a grounder off his foot during the sixth inning, had allowed four or more runs in all seven of his previous starts this season.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine sent relief pitcher Andrew Miller out to try and perform what he termed a "Houdini act" in the sixth inning Wednesday night. The Rays had runners on first and third with no outs and designated hitter Luke Scott at the plate. Miller had to somehow find a way to keep the game tied at 1. He did his job, getting Scott to swing at a high fastball and pop the ball up to shallow right field. The runner at third, Matt Joyce, wouldn't dare try to score.

Cody Ross homered and drove in four runs, Felix Doubront won his third consecutive start and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 on Thursday night. Ross extended Boston's lead to 5-2 on a two-run single off reliever Wade Davis with two outs in the eighth. Doubront (4-1) allowed two runs and six hits over 5 2-3 innings. The left-hander was hit on the ear by a ball during batting practice Tuesday and cleared one day later to make his scheduled start. Matt Moore (1-4)

Clay Buchholz found some positives even in a tough loss. Jeremy Hellickson pitched six solid innings, Luke Scott had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat Boston 2-1 on Wednesday night, snapping the Red Sox's five-game winning streak. Buchholz (4-2) gave up two runs and six hits over five-plus innings. "Change up came back tonight," Buchholz said. "I felt really good throwing that. " Buchholz, who took a grounder off his foot during the sixth inning, had allowed four or more runs in all seven of his previous starts this season.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - His handshake could send you to the disabled list; that's how strong he is. But that strength no longer could translate to his limbs, and the fatigue he experienced was so severe that it ended the career of one of the great New England athletes. Rocco Baldelli had it all. He was a five-tool player. He could run with anyone - including Carl Crawford, a player he came up with through the Rays organization. He could hit, hit for power, and played center field as well as anyone in baseball, with a terrific arm. But little by little, what was...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - His handshake could send you to the disabled list; that's how strong he is. But that strength no longer could translate to his limbs, and the fatigue he experienced was so severe that it ended the career of one of the great New England athletes. Rocco Baldelli had it all. He was a five-tool player. He could run with anyone - including Carl Crawford, a player he came up with through the Rays organization. He could hit, hit for power, and played center field as well as anyone in baseball, with a terrific arm. But little by little, what was first diagnosed as a...

Tim Hudson scattered four hits over 7 2-3 innings, David Ross homered and the Atlanta Braves beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 on Sunday. Hudson (3-1), who is 8-1 overall against the Rays, retired nine in a row before Ben Zobrist opened the fourth with a line single to right. Ross put the Braves up 1-0 on an opposite-field, solo-homer to right in the third. Jason Heyward made it 2-0 on a two-out, RBI single during the sixth. Jonny Venters, who replaced Hudson after B.J. Upton had an infield single with two outs in the eighth, loaded the bases by hitting both Matt Joyce and Carlos...