James Shields is not among the people who consider Fenway Park America's Most Beloved Ballpark.
Shields extended his personal misery at Fenway on Friday, allowing five runs in a blur of a sixth inning to turn a 3-0 lead into a 5-3 deficit. The big hits were a three-run game-tying homer by Jason Bay and an ensuing two-run shot by J.D. Drew, but Shields was most annoyed that he walked David Ortiz before facing Bay.
"The big at-bat of the inning was Big Papi," Shields said. "That's a situation where we're up 3-0 and I've got to attack the zone no matter what. He's not really hitting too well right now, and I've got to take advantage of it."
The lack of aggressiveness was uncharacteristic, and costly.
"There's been a couple games this season where I've cost the team the win," he said. "If I bear down in those situations we've got that win no problem."
RED SOX 7, RAYS 3: Jason Bay and J.D. Drew hit home runs in a blur of a sixth inning as the Rays and starter James Shields turned a 3-0 lead into a 5-3 deficit in a hurry. Carl Crawford and Jason Bartlett had three hits each for the Rays, but they didn't score after the fourth.
