Tampa Bay Rays defeat Boston Red Sox, 5-3

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — They still believe because they have to believe.

The Red Sox might know, deep down, that seven games in the loss column with just 31 games to play is too much to overcome — too many bad losses, too many almosts and not quites — but they still act as if there is a chance for them to be playing into October.

There is that chance, of course, but it’s just getting slimmer with each loss. And by losing two of three in the weekend series to the Rays at ...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—Carlos Pena and Carl Crawford homered to back James Shields and help Tampa Bay retain a share of first place in the AL East with a 5-3 victory over Boston on Sunday night.

Keeping pace with the New York Yankees, the Rays rebounded from losing the opener of a crucial weekend series to win two straight and drop the third-place Red Sox 6 1/2 games behind in the division and wild card.

Shields (13-11) won for the sixth time in eight starts, allowing ...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It was for games like last night that the Red Sox awarded John Lackey a free agent contract of five years and $82.5 million. He was supposed to be a reliable, tested veteran who could handle the pressure of a pennant race and the American League East.

Perhaps next season, if he adapts to the expectations of pitching in a market such as Boston, Lackey will become that pitcher. But for now, he is one of the primary reasons the Sox have essentially f...