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(Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox may be the reigning world champions, but the Tampa Bay Rays are the team currently residing in first place in the American League East. The two divisional foes continue their emerging rivalry with tonight's opener of a three-game series from Tropicana Field.

The upstart Rays own a half-game edge on the established Red Sox heading into this crucial set and moved into the top spot in the East with Sunday's 4-3 victory over Pittsburgh. Boston dropped a 3-2 decision at Houston yesterday.

Shawn Riggans went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI to lead the Rays to their fifth win in their last six games. Andy Sonnanstine (9-3) was sharp on the mound, as the Tampa starter held the Pirates to two runs and five hits over the first seven innings.

The Rays scored twice in the top of the eighth inning to break a 2-2 tie. Carlos Pena opened the frame with a single and raced to third on a Willy Aybar base hit, then scored the go-ahead run when Pittsburgh outfielder threw wildly to third on the play. Riggans added an RBI single later in the frame.

Boston lost the final two matchups of its three-game interleague series with the Astros to fall out of first place. In Sunday's rubber match, former Red Sox Mark Loretta delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning that snapped a 2-2 deadlock.

David Aardsma (1-1) was charged with the loss after allowing the eventual game-winning run to reach base in the eighth. Starter Josh Beckett threw a strong seven innings for Boston, allowing two runs on eight hits while striking out four batters.

Manny Ramirez and Dustin Pedroia each had solo homers to account for the Red Sox' lone runs.

Boston could find scoring difficult again this evening, with the Rays handing the ball to the talented James Shields in the opener. The right-hander has been awfully tough at home this season, having amassed a 3-1 record and an excellent 1.99 earned run average in eight 2008 starts at the Trop.

Shields was very strong on the road during his most recent mound trip, which came at Florida this past Wednesday. He held the Marlins to one run and just four hits without issuing a walk over seven innings to earn the win in a 15-3 Rays' rout.

That victory ended a seven-start winless streak for Shields, who had suffered three losses and four no-decisions over that stretch.

The 26-year-old will be facing the Red Sox for the fourth time this season. His last matchup with Boston was a short stay, as Shields was ejected in the top of the second inning for intentionally hitting Coco Crisp with a pitch and inciting a benches-clearing brawl June 5 at Fenway Park. Shields wound up with the loss in that game after giving up four runs in one-plus innings of work.

Shields is just 1-4 with a 5.66 ERA in seven lifetime starts against Boston. That lone win, however, was a two-hit shutout at Tropicana Field on April 27.

Crisp received a five-game suspension for his part in the aforementioned incident and began serving the penalty on Saturday. The outfielder will sit out this entire series.

Justin Masterson gets the starting assignment for Boston tonight and hopes to build on an impressive beginning to his big-league career. Through his first seven starts with the Red Sox, the rookie has compiled a 3-1 record and a 3.43 ERA while holding enemy hitters to a .195 batting average.

One of Masterson's wins came at the expense of the Rays on June 3, although the 23-year-old was touched for four runs and allowed two homers in six innings.

Masterson also surrendered four runs through six frames in his most recent start, a no-decision against Arizona this past Tuesday.

Boston has won six of the nine previous meetings between these clubs this season, but the defending champs were swept by the Rays in a three-game series at St. Petersburg back in April.

Tampa has also been one of baseball's best home teams this year, bringing a stellar 30-13 mark as the host into tonight's showdown. Boston is just 19-24 on the road in 2008.