On a gloomy Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox fell to the Tampa Bay Rays 8-2 in their series finale.
The Red Sox had their chances to jump out in the Mother’s Day contest. Boston loaded the bases in the fifth inning and had runners on first and third with one out in the sixth, but couldn’t push any runners across in either frame.
Drew Pomeranz didn’t last long in his seventh start of the year. The left-hander allowed two runs through only three innings of work before being removed from the game with triceps tightness.
Boston’s bullpen kept the team in it for much of the contest, but a seven-run ninth inning for the Rays put the game out of reach.
With the loss, the Red Sox fall to 19-18, while the Rays improve to 19-21.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Dreary.
It was less-than-stellar weather conditions for Sunday’s matchup, which wound up lasting over four and a half hours. There wasn’t much to get excited about, either, making it a fairly bleak day at the ballpark.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
The Rays exploded for seven runs in the top half of the ninth inning. Much of the damage came off Heath Hembree, who allowed four runs on five hits in just 1/3 of an inning of work.
ON THE BUMP
— It was a short outing for Pomeranz. The left-hander struggled, allowing two runs on three hits through three innings of work before being removed from the game with an injury.
The Rays got to Pomeranz early. Corey Dickerson smacked a triple to deep center field and would later be plated by an Evan Longoria sacrifice fly.
Tampa Bay would play small ball to earn their second run of the game. After Pomeranz walked the first two batters of the second inning, Kevin Kiermaier would lay down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over. On the next batter, Jesus Sucre flared a sacrifice fly to score Brad Miller.
— Pomeranz would come out for the fourth inning, but experienced arm discomfort while throwing his warmup pitches. Red Sox manager John Farrell opted to take Pomeranz out of the game to avoid further injury.
Ben Taylor would enter the ballgame and was rudely greeted. After Kiermaier blooped a ground-rule double down the left-field line, Sucre picked up his second RBI of the game with a rocketed single to left.
Taylor would escape the fourth inning giving up just the one run. He’d stay on for the fifth and recorded a perfect frame.
— Fernando Abad entered in the sixth inning. The left-hander would allow a single to Sucre before being pulled with only two outs in the frame.
— Matt Barnes would come on and recorded the final out in the sixth. The seventh frame wasn’t as kind to Barnes, though, as he’d allow a run on three hits. The right-hander was yanked from the game after only recording two outs in the inning.
— Robbie Ross Jr. would record the final out in the seventh. He’d follow up with a scoreless eighth inning thanks to a stellar double play from Deven Marrero.
But the left-hander would run into trouble in the ninth, as Ross allowed a run on three hits in the inning before being pulled after two innings of work.
— The Red Sox would send their fifth reliever of the game to the mound in Heath Hembree, who recorded the final out in the ninth after allowing five hits and six runs scored.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Xander Bogaerts remains the hottest hitter on the Red Sox. After Mookie Betts lead off the game with a walk and a steal, Bogaerts laced a double down the left-field line to bring home Boston’s first run. The shortstop finished 1-for-3 with a walk on the afternoon
— Dustin Pedroia plated the Red Sox’s second run of the game. The second baseman ripped an RBI single in the fifth inning as part of his 1-for-4 day at the plate.
— Christian Vazquez was the only Red Sox hitter to record a multi-hit game. The Boston catcher went 2-for-4 in the game.
— Marrero continues to help his case for staying in the lineup. The third baseman went 1-for-4 with a ground-rule double in the fifth inning.
— Hanley Ramirez logged an infield single in the eighth inning and finished 1-for-4 on the day.
— Andrew Benintendi had an opportunity to break the game open with the bases loaded in the fifth frame. But unfortunately for the Red Sox, the rookie outfield flew out to center field.
— Mookie Betts, Benintendi, Mitch Moreland and Jackie Bradley Jr. all went hitless in the game.
TWEET OF THE DAY
A Mother’s Day shoutout from Hanley.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox hit the road for a quick two-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals starting Tuesday. Eduardo Rodriguez is scheduled to get the start for Boston and will be opposed by Lance Lynn. First pitch from Busch Stadium is set for 8:15 p.m. ET
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
