BOSTON — The Red Sox certainly bounced back from getting one-hit by the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.
Boston came out of the gate swinging Wednesday, putting up three runs on Rays starter Chris Archer in the first inning before the pitcher could even record an out. The Red Sox were up 5-0 by the second inning, and that proved to be all they needed from there on out.
Rick Porcello also turned in a great start in what turned into a 7-3 win for Boston.
Here’s how Wednesday night unfolded.
GAME IN A WORD
Offense.
After the Red Sox tallied just one hit in Tuesday’s game, they tagged Archer for five runs by the second inning. It was quite the turnaround, to say the least.
IT WAS OVER WHEN …
Mookie Betts hit a two-run home run in the second inning.
Being down 5-0 after just two frames certainly isn’t the goal in baseball, and with Porcello dealing, the Rays couldn’t catch up.
ON THE BUMP
— Porcello turned in a second straight quality start. The right-hander gave up another home run — his fifth of the year in just three starts — but he finished the night with three runs on six hits with only one walk and nine strikeouts over seven innings.
— Junichi Tazawa relieved Porcello in the eighth inning, and even though he walked Logan Morrison to start things off, he retired the side after that to get out of the inning clean.
— Noe Ramirez closed things out, and he surrendered a two-out single to Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier before striking out Hank Conger to end the game.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Betts snapped a 2-for-21 slump by going 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBIs, two walks, a stolen base and a monster two-run home run in the second inning.
— Dustin Pedroia (1-for-5)Â and Brock Holt (1-for-4) each left three men on base. Pedroia added a run to the box score, and Holt stole a base.
— Xander Bogaerts was having a night before he left in the fifth inning with left quad tightness. The shortstop went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Chris Young batted in his place and went 1-for-1 with an RBI.
— David Ortiz showed up big, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
— Hanley Ramirez and Christian Vazquez both went 0-for-4. Vazquez struck out four times for the golden sombrero.
— Travis Shaw went 2-for-4, and Jackie Bradley Jr. went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
Betts’ home run was somethin’ else.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox finish their series against the Rays with a Thursday matinee at Fenway Park. Red Sox ace David Price will go up against Rays right-hander Jake Odorizzi in the 1:35 p.m. ET game.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
