Price: The way I'm pitching is 'crushing me right now'

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Matt Moore insisted it didn't give him any extra satisfaction to outpitch David Price.

''I might be different than a lot of guys. I really don't think about it as Moore vs. Price,'' the Tampa Bay Rays left-hander said after stringing together seven spotless innings to beat the 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner and Boston Red Sox 4-0 on Wednesday.

''I think of it as myself vs. the Red Sox, that matchup,'' Moore added. ''But it was a little bit different getting to square up against one of your buddies.''

Moore (4-5) allowed three singles, walked two and struck out five to outperform Price (8-5), the former Rays ace who fell to 1-3 in five career starts against his old team.

''That is great. I think everybody in this building has admiration for David Price and what he means to the organization,'' Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said.

''Any time you compete against him is special. ... Matt Moore was a young pitcher when he was here,'' Cash added. ''They follow him, listen to him, and to go toe-to-toe with that guy has to be special for Matt. And he was outstanding.''

Price was beaten by the Rays for the second time this season, yielding four runs and nine hits over 6 1/3 innings. The left-hander, who walked one and struck out 10, also lost to Tampa Bay 12-8 at Fenway Park on April 21.

''I need to pitch better. It's nothing else, it's not bad luck - it's me. I've got to get better,'' Price said, adding that the way he's pitched this season has been ''unacceptable.''

''I'm just putting us behind the 8-ball in a lot of games. I'm not setting the tone the way that I need to,'' he said. ''It's crushing me right now, but I'll get there.''