The Game of Baseball

James Shields will be on the mound in Tampa Bay Friday night as the Rays make their first appearance in the ALCS in team history. Daisuke Matsuzaka who had an 18-3 record will take the hill for the Boston Red Sox as they will try to make it back to the World Series for the second consecutive year. Boston defeated the Colorado Rockies in the 2007 World Series.

Boston will come back with staff ace Josh Beckett in the second game of the series, as Scott Kasmir toes the rubber for the Rays Saturday. As the series returns to Fenway, for game three Matt Garza will be the pitcher for Tampa Bay, and face Boston hurler Jon Lester. Shields had a 14-8 record for the Rays in their first winning season in the franchise's existence. It was a break through campaign for the team winning the American League East, and defeating the Chicago White Sox in the ALDS. Boston the American League Wild Card winner defeated the Los Angeles Angels in the division series playoffs.