Red Sox’s Dynamic Offense Hits Snag As Boston Suffers First Series Loss

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Not even an ace could have saved the Boston Red Sox on Thursday.

Boston’s offense — regarded as dynamic, dangerous, daunting and probably some other positive adjectives that start with the letter “D” — produced just three hits in a 2-1, walk-off loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. It was a frustrating night at the plate for the Red Sox, whose offensive woes contributed significantly to the club’s first series loss of 2015.

“We got shut down tonight,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said point blank after Thursday’s defeat. “Credit their guys. They didn’t fall behind in the count. They stayed even for the most part.”

The Red Sox scored their only run Thursday when Daniel Nava lifted a sacrifice fly to center field after Pablo Sandoval led off with a double and advanced to third base on Mike Napoli’s groundout. Xander Bogaerts (soft single into right field in the fifth inning) and Allen Craig (base hit into left field in the seventh inning) produced Boston’s only hits following Sandoval’s two-bagger.

Rays starter Jake Odorizzi was fantastic, matching Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz pitch-for-pitch. Odorizzi didn’t factor into the decision, but he surrendered just three hits and issued three walks over 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball.

“Odorizzi does a good job of pitching at the top of the strike zone,” Farrell said. “With an overhand delivery, he makes it look like there’s some downhill plane just above an area where hitters can handle him. A fly ball pitcher.”

The Red Sox’s best chance to seize control of the series finale came in the seventh inning when Hanley Ramirez pinch-hit for Sandy Leon with runners on first and second and two outs. Brandon Gomes fell behind Ramirez 3-0 but battled back and stuck out the slugger looking on an offspeed offering.

“We had a couple of opportunities,” Farrell said. “I thought Hanley had an opportunity there in the top of the seventh and Gomes makes a quality 3-2 pitch with a changeup for strike three. But not many opportunities other than that.”

The Red Sox, whose fate was sealed when Rene Rivera singled home Desmond Jennings in the bottom of the ninth inning, went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base. Boston went 1-for-23 with runners in scoring position throughout the series, in which they scored just seven runs while dropping two of three.

“I think guys are trying to do their job,” said Farrell of his team’s inability to come up with a big hit, which proved problematic last season, too. “I don’t see us expanding the strike zone to the point where we’re chasing a number of pitches out of strike zone. We’re hitting into a shift at times. We’re not getting a base hit to fall.

“Mookie (Betts) looks like he’s got a tweener and (Kevin) Kiermaier makes a heck of a diving catch (in the fifth inning) to preserve a couple of runs. We’re not catching any breaks right now offensively.”

It’s hardly time to panic, especially since the Red Sox are 9-7 and offense is far down on Boston’s list of concerns after 16 games. But it’s a little off-putting to look at the box score and see that Mookie Betts, David Ortiz and Mike Napoli all are batting under .200.

Bogaerts owns the highest average among regulars at .302, and he broke an 0-for-14 slump Thursday. The next-highest averages belong to Sandoval and Ramirez, both of whom are hitting .263.

Should we stop throwing around those positive “D” words with regard to Boston’s offense? No, of course not. The unit has shown its potential and could break out again at any moment.

But one shouldn’t be oblivious to reality, either.

That would be dumb, defiant and potentially damning.

Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images