Garza flirts with no-hitter to beat Red Sox

[May 01, 2009]  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Tampa Bay's Matt Garza took a perfect game into the seventh inning and Evan Longoria homered and drove four runs to help the AL Championship Series MVP shut down the Boston Red Sox 13-0 on Thursday night.

Garza, facing the Red Sox at Tropicana Field for the first time since beating them in Game 7 of last season's ALCS, allowed his first baserunner on Jacoby Ellsbury's infield single leading off the seventh inning.

Ellsbury fouled off an 0-2 pitch and took two balls before hitting a squibber past Garza over the mound. The speedy Boston center fielder, who stole home against the Yankees on Sunday, easily beat shortstop Jason Bartlett's throw to first base.

The crowd of 20,341 gave the pitcher a standing ovation, and the right-hander got back on track by getting Dustin Pedroia to ground into a double play. David Ortiz walked with two outs, but was stranded when Jeff Bailey grounded out.

Garza struck out Jonathan Van Every and Jason Bay to begin the eighth. He received another round of cheers when Rays manager Joe Maddon replaced him with reliever Grant Balfour, who finished the combined one-hitter.

Garza (2-2) threw 75 of his 108 pitches for strikes, walked one and struck out 10 in 7 2-3 innings.

Things got so bad for the Red Sox, who lost for just the second time in 14 games, that Van Every was brought in from right field to pitch after reliever Javier Lopez gave up consecutive two-run doubles that hiked Tampa Bay's lead to 12-0 in the eighth.

Longoria had a three-run double off Josh Beckett (2-2) and hit his sixth homer of the season -- a solo shot in the sixth inning -- off Hunter Jones. Michel Hernandez also hit first career homer off Beckett, who allowed seven runs and 19 hits in 4 2-3 innings.

It was the second straight rough outing for Beckett, who gave up eight runs, 10 hits and four walks over five innings against the Yankees on April 25.

The Red Sox rallied from a 5-0 deficit to beat Cleveland 6-5 in 10 innings Wednesday night, but they had no answers against Garza, who also flirted with a no-hitter last June 26 against Florida.

The Marlins' Hanley Ramirez broke up that bid in Miami with a leadoff homer in the seventh inning, and Garza finished with a complete game one-hitter.

Including a pair of wins over Jon Lester in the ALCS, Garza is 7-1 lifetime against the Red Sox. He also beat them at Fenway Park this season, allowing one run and four hits in seven innings on April 9.

Notes: Boston 3B Mike Lowell was 0 for 2 and saw his hitting streak end at 13 games. He and 1B Kevin Youkilis left for defensive replacements in the sixth inning. ... Longoria is 9-for-19 with three homers and nine RBIs against Boston this season. ... Barring a setback, Rays RHP Chad Bradford, who's recovering from right elbow surgery, will throw a batting practice session on Sunday. ... Lopez remained in the game in the eighth, moving to right field when Van Every came in to pitch. Van Every gave up a RBI double to Hernandez, who finished with three RBIs.

[Associated Press; By FRED GOODALL]

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