Sonny goes seven, Red Sox rally in eighth

Andy Sonnanstine's day is over.

The right-hander was the first Rays pitcher to go seven innings this spring.

He allowed five runs on six hits, walked two and struck out two. Jason Varitek reached him for a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to cut the Rays lead to 7-5

Jon Weber hit a pinch-hit home run, a two-run shot in the sixth that gave the Rays a 7-2 lead.

Sonny turned a 7-5 lead over to Grant Balfour, who came on to pitch the eighth and quickly got into trouble.

A two-out, two-run double by one-time Ray Nick Green tied the score at 7-7. A single up the middle by Angel Chavez gave the Red Sox their first lead of the game.

Izzy, Sheff and a five-run lead

Joe Maddon arrived less than an hour before first pitch. He and pitching coach Jim Hickey were caught in traffic as they neared the ballpark.

Maddon said the Rays have talked with Jason Isringhausen this morning and discussed ways to keep the reliever on the roster. Click over to Rays Confidential for the skinny.

Maddon knew the Tigers released Gary Sheffield this morning, but wasn't aware Sheffield said he would like to continue his career in Tampa Bay. Maddon said he took that as a compliment.

Don't hold you're breath, Gary. You don't fit in with your hometown club.

As for the game,

Mike Joyce and Gabe Gross both hit two-run homers in the fourth inning off Clay Buchholz. It was the first homers of the year for both.

Joyce has done nothing but impress Maddon since joining the team less than two weeks ago. His calf issues are behind him. Right now, he looks better than both Gabes - Gross and Kapler.

Rays lead 5-0 with the Sox coming to bat in the bottom of the fourth.

Rays at Red Sox

It's 11:30 and Rays manager Joe Maddon and pitching coach Jim Hickey aren't here at City of Palms Park, fueling speculation that perhaps they decided on the fifth starter, the Rays are about to trade Jeff Niemann or they were trying to sort out the Jason Isringhausen situation.

The boys are expected at the park around noonish. Keep you posted, but don't expect any "stop the presses" news.

The Rays are making the last of three trips in five days to Fort Myers, including one Monday. The Red Sox have all their guns in the lineup. Other than the two Gabes and Ben Zobrist, the Rays didn't bring any regulars.

Here are the lineups
Rays
Ben Zobrist SS
Adam Kennedy 2B
Willy Aybar 3B
Matt Joyce CF
Shawn Riggans C
Gabe Gross RF
Chris Richard 1B
Ray Sadler DH
Andy Sonnanstine P

Red Sox
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
David Ortiz DH
Kevin Youkilis 1B
J.D. Drew RF
Jason Bay LF
Mike Lowell 3B
Jed Lowrie SS
Jason Varitek C
Clay Buchholz P

Rays at Twins

Back at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, home to the Twins.

This is where James Shields was hammered Friday.

We'll see if Matt Garza can do better against his former team. You know, this is the first time he's every faced the Twins. OK, he's only been a Ray for one season, but still, it's spring training and we can use all the story lines we can get.

The Rays have the varsity going today. Expect some of the starts to play all nine innings.

Here are the lineups:

Rays
Akinori Iwamura 2B
Carl Crawford LF
Evan Longoria 3B
Carlos Pena 1B
Pat Burrell DH
Dioner Navarro C
Ben Zobrist RF
Gabe Kapler CF
Jason Bartlett SS
Matt Garza P

Twins
Denard Span CF
Alexi Casilla 2B
Michael Cuddyer RF
Justin Morneau 1B
Jason Kubel DH
Delmon Young LF
Joe Crede 3B
Jose Morales C
Nick Punto SS
Glen Perkins P

Rays win 11-2

The Rays win 11-2.

Manager Joe Maddon said Scott Kazmir looked his best this spring, especially his slider.

Jason Isringhausen pitched back-to-back for the first time this spring. Maddon said Izzy looked better today than Saturday.

This was the last time the Rays will play in Ed Smith Stadium.

The Reds head to Arizona next February, and Sarasota can't land another team.

And anyone that will move here is going to want a new stadium.

Goodbye, Ed Smith.

You weren't such a bad place.

Rock the Kazmir

Scott Kazmir's day is complete after Willy Aybar hit for the hot-hitting pitcher in the top of the seventh.

Not a bad day for the Rays lefty.

He went six innings - a spring-high for any Rays pitcher - allowed four hits, walked two, hit two batters and struck out five. The two runs came on Jay Bruce's home run.

Kaz was also 2-for-3 with a two-run double, an RBI single and a run scored.

The Rays lead 10-2.

Kaz at the bat, part two

Ben Zobrist has four RBIs in 43 at-bats this spring. Scott Kazmir has three in his last two at-bats today.

The Rays pitcher drove in another run with a soft single to center field in the fifth.

The Rays chased Bronson Arroyo, who allowed 14 hits and 10 runs (three earned) in 4 2/3 innings.

It's all Rays, 10-2.