Rick Porcello was outstanding Saturday afternoon at Tropicana Field, but Alex Cobb was just a little better.
The Boston Red Sox right-hander tossed a complete game, giving up one run in Boston’s 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Cobb dazzled all day as he held the vaunted Red Sox’s offense to just two hits in 7 2/3 innings. The Red Sox couldn’t get a runner past first base against the Tampa Bay right-hander as they failed to score a run in a Porcello start for the ninth time this season.
Boston loaded the bases in the ninth inning against the Rays closer, Alex Colome, but Chris Young popped out to end the game.
The Red Sox fell to 50-38 with the loss, while the Rays improved to 46-43 with the win.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Stifled.
The Red Sox were unable to provide Porcello with run support, as Cobb and Colome held them to just three hits.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Colome slammed the door in the ninth.
The Red Sox tried to rally when Xander Bogaerts walked with one out and Mitch Moreland followed with a double. But Colome struck out Hanley Ramirez and got Young to pop out to end the game.
ON THE BUMP
— Porcello was masterful Saturday in St. Petersburg, Fla. The right-hander tossed a complete game (eight innings), allowing one run on six hits while striking out seven and walking none. He threw 111 pitches, 80 for strikes, in his one of his best outings of the season.
The Rays struck first in the bottom of the second inning when Steven Souza Jr. scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jesus Sucre.
Porcello surrendered just three hits after the second inning as he logged what might have been his best start of the season. He showed good command of all four pitches in his arsenal, including devastating sink to his two-seam fastball. The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner pounded the strike zone and kept the Rays off balance, but it wasn’t enough to get the win.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox tried to put together a rally in the ninth inning against Colome as Bogaerts walked with one out and Moreland followed with a double. But the Rays closer struck out Ramirez for the second out of the inning. Colome then elected to intentionally walk Andrew Benintendi to load the bases, but the hard-throwing closer got Young to pop out to the shortstop to end the game.
— Bogaerts went 1-for-3 with an infield single and a walk.
— Sandy Leon went 0-for-2 with a walk.
— Mookie Betts went 1-for-3 with a single.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Not great.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will finish out the first half of the season Sunday against the Rays. David Price will take the hill for Boston, and Chris Archer will oppose him. First pitch from Tropicana Field is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
