Rays-Red Sox notebook: Price apologizes twice
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- David Price spent the past few days mending fences.
The Tampa Bay Rays left-hander issued a "deep apology" Monday for calling two TBS analysts nerds in a Twitter rant Saturday after allowing seven runs during a 7-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of the American League Division Series.
"I'm a person that I feel that takes pride in character, and that was probably the exact opposite of that," he said. "I hurt a lot of people. I embarrassed myself, I embarrassed my family, I embarrassed this organization. And it's not good."
Price previously sought forgiveness for another ALDS incident. He called Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz on Saturday to apologize for accusing the slugger of admiring a home run too long.
Following Saturday's game, Price said, "He steps in the bucket and he hits a homer and he stares at it to see if it's fair or foul. I'm sure that's what he'd say. But as soon as he hit it and I saw it, I knew it was fair. Run."
Ortiz said he was simply waiting to see if the ball was fair. He told NESN.com, "We had a good talk. It's all good, man."
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The Rays entered Game 3 with a four-game home losing streak in the postseason, their last win coming in Game 2 of the 2008 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
On the flip side, the Red Sox entered Game 3 having lost three consecutive postseason road games dating to the 2008 AL Championship Series against the Rays.
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Both Rays starting pitcher Alex Cobb (26) and third baseman Evan Longoria (28) had birthdays Monday. It was the 13th time in major league history a pitcher made a postseason start on his birthday, and the first since 2003. Just three of those previous starters earned a win.
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Julianna Zobrist, a Christian alternative recording artist and the wife of Rays second baseman Ben Zobrist, sang the national anthem Monday. The last time she performed the duty, her husband hit a two-run walk-off homer against the Texas Rangers on Sept. 7, 2012.
