Time is running out for the Tampa Bay Rays, and they have no one to blame but themselves. A key defensive error by rookie Wil Myers led to an offensive tear by the Boston Red Sox in Game One and a halted offense mixed with two David Ortiz home runs thwarted their effort in Game Two. Now, both teams head south to settle their score under the dome at Tropicana Field. Arguably their best, most consistent pitchers will be taking the mound in what some could consider the last shred of desperation the Rays can muster. For the Sox, Clay Buchholz will be given the job as executioner while Alex Cobb will play savior for the Rays. Both pitchers missed a good chunk of the season due to injuries and both came back hot. But even as impressive as their seasons have been only one can be victorious.

The Red Sox, who lost their last two regular season games going into the American league Division Series, have been nearly unstoppable. As a team they’re batting .352 with 19 runs scored, 18 of which have been batted in. Ortiz has been the only member to go deep, both of which came in Game Two which also happened to be the first time Big Papi has had a multi-home run game in the postseason. Jacoby Ellsbury has been doing his part by getting on base with a .556 average with two stolen bases to boot. He has also yet to walk. As for Buchholz, this will be his first start in the postseason since the 2009 ALDS against the Los Angeles Angels in which he went five strong innings, only allowing two earned runs in what turned out to be a 7-6 loss and sweep of the series. This season Buchholz is 12-1 with a 1.74 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 16 starts. In the two games in which Buchholz has faced the Rays he is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, has only allowed five hits and five walks and has struck out 17. In fact, his first game in Boston against the Rays was a no-hitter until Kelly Johnson in the top of the eighth inning. The Sox still won 5-0 with the loser in the contest being Alex Cobb.

Cobb has had an equally remarkable season for the Rays. He is 11-3 with a  2.76 ERA and 134 strikeouts in 22 games despite missing two months after taking a line drive shot to the head from Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer. The unfortunately reality for Cobb is that he is 0-1 against the Red Sox and the Rays in general are 0-4 against the Sox in any games in which he has taken the mound in 2013. It’s already bad enough that the Rays are batting .194 as a team with James Loney and Delmon Young leading the way; however, the Red Sox are now 14-6 against the Rays this season, winning six out of nine games in Tampa. It’s difficult to find anything that can be said in Tampa’s favor, but it’s just not there. The Rays have been a team who constantly finds themselves with their backs against the wall, perhaps this is what they need for the light to turn on and the bats to come alive.