Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scoreboard - Live Odds - Sporting Events - Live Lines

(Sports Network) - Home field has clearly been a distinct advantage when the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays have faced one another this season. The first-place Rays hope that trend continues when the two American League East rivals continue a key three-game series tonight at Tropicana Field.

The Rays and Red Sox have met 10 times thus far in 2008, with the home team emerging victorious on each occasion. Boston swept a pair of three-game sets from Tampa at Fenway Park earlier this season, but the defending world champions lost all three clashes with the up-and-coming Rays in St. Petersburg back in April.

Tampa Bay asserted its home prowess again in Monday's series opener, getting home runs from both Gabe Gross and B.J. Upton and holding on for a 5-4 win over the Sox.

Gross blasted a two-run homer that snapped a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning, while Upton had a solo shot in the first. Carlos Pena and Jonny Gomes also knocked in runs to help the surging Rays to their sixth victory in seven games.

Tampa also received a solid showing out of starting pitcher James Shields (6-5), who held Boston to two runs on five hits over the first 6 1/3 innings.

The Red Sox scored twice off Rays closer Troy Percival in the top of the ninth to pull within a run, but J.P. Howell came on to retire Julio Lugo for the game's final out with the potential tying run on third base.

J.D. Drew hit a solo homer and Mike Lowell went 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Red Sox, who suffered their third straight loss and now trail the Rays by 1 1/2 games in the East standings.

Justin Masterson (4-2) was tagged with the loss after the Boston rookie gave up four runs and walked five over six innings.

The Red Sox played Monday's tilt without outfielder Coco Crisp. The switch- hitting center fielder will sit out this entire series as part of a five-game suspension for charging the mound in a June 5 matchup with the Rays at Fenway Park. Crisp was intentionally hit with a pitch by Shields in apparent retaliation for his rough slide into Tampa Bay second baseman Akinori Iwamura the night before.

Boston will have Tim Wakefield available for this evening's contest, and that historically has meant bad news for the Rays. The veteran knuckleballer is an astounding 19-3 in 39 lifetime games (29 starts) against Tampa Bay and 9-1 with a 2.52 earned run average over 21 appearances (15 starts) at Tropicana Field.

Wakefield is also coming off one of his best outings of the season, a seven- inning stint against St. Louis last Wednesday in which he did not allow a run and yielded just two hits to get the win. He has surrendered two runs or fewer in five of his last six starts.

The 41-year-old received a no-decision in an April 25 matchup with the Rays in St. Petersburg. In that game Wakefield permitted four runs (3 earned) and walked five over six innings.

Wakefield draws a tough mound opponent tonight in Matt Garza. The first-year Ray delivered a dominating performance this past Thursday, limiting Florida to only one hit -- a solo homer by Hanley Ramirez in the seventh inning -- and striking out 10 Marlins in a complete-game effort.

Like his team, Garza has been tough to beat at home this season. The right- hander is 4-1 with a 2.51 ERA in seven starts at the Trop thus far in 2008.

The 24-year-old owns a 2-1 record and 4.71 ERA in four career starts against Boston, but has recorded a loss and no-decision in his two previous battles with the Red Sox this season. In his most recent encounter with Boston, Garza was rocked for seven runs (5 earned) over 5 1/3 innings in a 7-4 loss.

Tampa Bay has been one of baseball's best home teams this year, bringing a stellar 31-13 mark as the host into tonight's showdown. Boston is just 19-25 on the road in 2008.