Written by Tommy Rancel at ESPN.com
Prior to the game, Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell said he was looking for ace pitcher David Price to “lead the way” as the Sox enter the final leg of an 11-game, four-city road trip. Facing the Tampa Bay Rays, the organization that drafted Price first overall in 2007, the lefty did just that, leading his new club to a 6-2 win and into a tie for first in the American League East.
Entering the game, Price was 0-3 with a 3.98 ERA as a visitor to his former home, Tropicana Field, in three starts. He was dominant in this one, tossing eight shutout innings with eight strikeouts. He walked two and allowed just two singles. It was the ninth time this season that Price, the league leader in innings (177 2/3), worked eight or more innings in a start.
“That’s a tough team for me to pitch against, it doesn’t matter if it’s here or on the road,” said the 2012 Cy Young Award winner.
Once upon a time, Price was a fireballing southpaw with a big arm and little control. Playing that role these days for the Rays is prized prospect Blake Snell. Snell was unable to complete the fourth inning after surrendering two runs. Most of the damage was self-inflicted as five walks pushed his pitch count into the mid-90s after just 11 outs. Boston’s league-leading offense would add four more runs against the Rays’ bullpen — including Xander Bogaerts’ 15th home run of the season — but the story was Price.
Price, who will turn 31 on Friday, has come a long way since his wild rookie season of 2009. These days, the fastball is more low-to-mid 90s. The once vaunted slider has been replaced by an array of other offerings. The location issues of the past? Those have been replaced with an elite GPS system.
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