The Red Sox’s trip to Florida this week likely will be remembered as a success, but they did fall short of a sweep.
Boston on Wednesday fell to the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 in the series finale of a three-game set at Tropicana Field. Although the Red Sox struck first, grabbing a 2-0 lead in the third inning, they couldn’t hold onto it, with a two-run fifth for Tampa ultimately sinking the visitors.
The Red Sox played the game under protest due to a remarkably frustrating 14-minute delay in the top of the eighth. Rays manager Kevin Cash moved a reliever to first base for one batter, then moved him back to pitcher to face Rafael Devers. For some reason the umpires had a tough time understanding and/or communicating what the rules were, leading to visible frustration from both sides.
The Red Sox fall to 56-47 with the loss, while the Rays climb to 58-47 with the win.
Here’s how it went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Unusual.
The 12:10 first pitch was odd enough, but the downright ludicrous delay later in the game was even zanier.
ON THE BUMP
— David Price wasn’t exactly bad Wednesday afternoon, but his inability to preserve a two-run lead was a black eye on his outing. The left-hander went six innings, allowing three runs on four hits with eight strikeouts and a pair of walks.
Price got through the first three innings with relative ease, retiring the side in order in the second and third. However, he allowed a leadoff homer to Tommy Pham in the fourth inning, trimming the Red Sox’s previously 2-0 lead in half.
Things didn’t get much smoother in the fifth. Michael Brosseau singled to center to begin the frame, moving to second on a wild pitch the next at-bat. Joey Wendle proceeded to single to center to score Brosseau and tie the game, and Guillermo Heredia followed that up with a go-ahead double to left, putting the Rays up 3-2. Though the damage had been done, Price ended the inning without further issue.
The southpaw pitched a clean sixth inning to end his afternoon.
— Heath Hembree took over in the seventh and wandered into a tough spot, giving up a one-out double to Wendle. After recording the second out, Hembree intentionally walked pinch-hitter Ji-Man Choi, ending his outing.
— Colten Brewer replaced Hembree, first walking Travis d’Arnaud after getting him into a full count. But with the bases loaded, Brewer escaped the jam, getting Pham to ground out to third.
— Josh Taylor handled the eighth, walking one and striking out a pair in a hitless, scoreless inning.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox jumped on Rays starter Charlie Morton relatively quickly, plating a pair in the third inning.
Brock Holt singled to left to kick off the frame, then moved to third on a Mookie Betts double two batters later. The next hitter, Devers, hit a soft grounder that snuck into left, bringing both runners home to put the Sox up 2-0.
— J.D. Martinez led the Red Sox with two hits.
— Betts, Devers and Holt had one hit apiece.
— Xander Bogaerts, Andrew Benintendi, Mitch Moreland, Christian Vazquez and Jackie Bradley Jr. all went hitless, as did Sam Travis in his pinch-hit at-bat.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Correct.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox now will return home for a huge four-game set against the New York Yankees. Rick Porcello is set to get the ball for the Red Sox in the series opener and will be opposed by Masahiro Tanaka. First pitch Thursday at Fenway Park is set for 7:10 p.m. ET.
