The Boston Red Sox entered their game Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays with a four-game win streak, but they couldn’t stretch it to five.
Tampa Bay starter Alex Cobb and the Rays bullpen silenced Boston’s bats in a 4-1 win, while Rick Porcello failed to go as deep into his outing as the Red Sox would have liked. The Red Sox’s bullpen also gave up two home runs, which certainly didn’t help their case.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Deflating.
It almost seemed as though the air came out of the Red Sox after catcher Christian Vazquez was ruled out at home on a questionable replay call in the second inning. Boston looked poised for an early rally but didn’t do much offensively after that.
IT WAS OVER WHEN …
The Red Sox couldn’t get anything going in the ninth inning against Rays closer Alex Colome.
Colome has the most saves in Major League Baseball and he notched another Sunday.
ON THE BUMP
— Porcello actually was having a pretty solid day until he began to unravel in the fifth inning. The right-hander opened the game with a 1-2-3 inning and didn’t allow a hit until Rays first baseman Lucas Duda hit a ground-rule double to lead off the fourth.
But when the fifth rolled around, Porcello gave up a leadoff double to second baseman Brad Miller, who scored on a single from catcher Wilson Ramos in the next at-bat. Ramos scored after a one-out single by center fielder Kevin Kiermaier and a two-out single off the bat of third baseman Evan Longoria. Porcello was done after that frame, finishing his day with two runs on five hits with four strikeouts and an uncharacteristic three walks.
— Brandon Workman gave up only one hit in the sixth inning, but it was a solo home run to Ramos.
— Left-hander Robby Scott struck out Kiermaier to start the seventh, but he was pulled after Duda homered in the next at-bat. Addison Reed finished out the inning by getting Longoria to ground out and striking out designated hitter Logan Morrison.
— Fernando Abad got the first two outs of the eighth — the second was a strikeout to shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria on a 55-mph eephus pitch — but came out after Miller singled. Matt Barnes relieved Abad and gave up a single to Ramos but struck out pinch-hitter Peter Bourjos.
— It was business as usual for Craig Kimbrel, as he struck out the side in order.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Vazquez had the most productive day, going 2-for-4 with an RBIÂ single in the second inning.
— First baseman Sam Travis and center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. each went 1-for-3, while left fielder Andrew Benintendi went 1-for-4. Bradley and Benintendi had two strikeouts apiece, too.
— It was a rough day for the rest of Boston’s lineup as Xander Bogaerts (0-for-4), Mookie Betts (0-for-3), Mitch Moreland (0-for-3), Rafael Devers (0-for-4) and Brock Holt (0-for-2) all went hitless. Betts, Moreland and Holt did their part by walking, and Moreland scored the Red Sox’s lone run.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Despite the loss, there was plenty of love in the building, as the Red Sox, Rays, Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers collected donations for Hurricane Irma relief.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox get a day off before the Oakland Athletics come to Fenway Park on Tuesday to start a three-game series. Left-handers Eduardo Rodriguez and Sean Manaea are expected to square off for the Red Sox and A’s, respectively, in the 7:10 p.m. ET matchup.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
