Rays/MLB

Tonight: Rays vs. Red Sox

By TIMES STAFF WRITER
Published April 28, 2006

WHEN/WHERE: 7:15; Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg.

TV/RADIO: Ch. 66; 1250-AM, 820-AM (Spanish). PROBABLE PITCHERS: Red Sox - RHP Matt Clement, 2-1, 6.17; Rays - LHP Casey Fossum, 0-1, 7.77.

RAYS TICKETS: Available at Tropicana Field box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, through devilrays.com and at the Devil Rays Dugout store in WestShore Plaza in Tampa.

PROMOTIONS: College students with ID can get a $5 Beach ticket and $1 beers; former Red Sox infielder Jody Reed will sign autographs from 5:45-6:45 at the major-league alumni offices on Centerfield Street.

RAYS INFORMATION: (727) 825-3250.

WATCH FOR ...

FOSSUM'S FLIPS: Rays starter Casey Fossum likes to change speeds and isn't afraid to get slower, slower and slower, sometimes into the 40-mph range, against Manny Ramirez and other big Boston hitters. Fossum is 1-2 with a 3.80 ERA against his former team.

SHIFTY MOVES: The Rays will again try to limit the impact of Boston DH David Ortiz by using their "34" defense, a radical shift in which they use 41/2 outfielders and leave the left side of the infield unguarded.

MATT ON THE MOUND: Sox starter Matt Clement, who was hit on the head by a line drive during a July 2005 start at the Trop, is 3-0 with a 2.86 ERA overall against the Rays.

SATURDAY: Red Sox: Lenny DiNardo (0-1, 7.43); Rays Doug Waechter (0-1, 6.28)

SUNDAY: Red Sox: Curt Schilling (4-0, 2.60); Rays: Scott Kazmir (2-2, 4.30)

MONDAY: Rangers: Kameron Loe 0-2, 5.20; Rays: Seth McClung 1-3, 9.27

TUESDAY: Rangers: John Koronka 3-1, 3.75; Rays: Mark Hendrickson 1-0, 0.00 UPDATE

[Last modified April 28, 2006, 01:45:31]