The Boston Red Sox will enter the All-Star break on a sour note.
The Red Sox had a late lead against the Rays on Sunday at Tropicana Field, but the bullpen couldn’t hold it en route to a 5-3 Tampa Bay victory. Brad Miller delivered the dagger with a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning off Joe Kelly.
With the loss, the Red Sox drop to 50-39, while the Rays improve to 47-43.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Heartbreaking.
The Red Sox had a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh inning, but the bullpen couldn’t close out the win.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Rays closer Alex Colome recorded his 25th save of the season.
ON THE BUMP
— Price had a solid outing, as he allowed only two earned runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts in six innings.
Steven Souza Jr. hit a double to lead off the bottom of the first inning, and he came around to score Tampa Bay’s first run on an Evan Longoria single. The Rays then tagged Price for another run in the third inning thanks to a walk, double and sacrifice fly to lead off the frame.
But the left-hander rebounded with 1-2-3 innings in the fourth and fifth, and he worked his way out of a mini jam in the sixth before exiting the game.
— Matt Barnes came on in relief in the seventh inning, and he proceeded to allow a run in only 1/3 innings.
— Joe Kelly allowed an inherited runner to score on a sacrifice fly, but he minimized the damage from there. Kelly stayed on for the eighth, and he allowed the game-winning two-run home run.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox got off to a fast start offensively when right fielder Mookie Betts hit a leadoff home run to left center field. It was his 16th homer of the season.
— The long ball helped Boston again in the top of the seventh inning when Dustin Pedroia hit a two-run homer, making it 3-2 Red Sox at the time. Betts scored the other run on the blast.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Pedroia’s homer sure was clutch.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and the rest of Major League Baseball will have a few days off for the All-Star break. Boston will be back in action next weekend against the New York Yankees, beginning with a Friday night matchup in the Bronx.
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
