Things just aren’t going well for the Red Sox.
Boston amassed eightr hits, but only could score once in its 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field.
Nathan Eovaldi started strong and was striking out guys, but it turned in a rough performance with four earned runs on six hits and a walk. He did amass six strikeouts.
Boston scored once in the second inning and made things quite interesting in the ninth by loading the bases to bring the tying run to the plate, but the Red Sox couldn’t get anything done.
There was some nice defense from Jackie Bradley Jr., though, as he flashed the leather in what was one of the only bright spots for the team.
With the loss, the Red Sox fell to 3-8, while the Rays climbed to 5-6.
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Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Ugh.
Another day, another game of things just not clicking.
ON THE BUMP
— The Rays appeared to tie the game at 1-1 in the third when Brandon Lowe smacked the ball to center. Bradley appeared to make the catch, but it was ruled it bounced before making it into his glove. Austin Meadows scored, but a review determined it indeed was a catch and Boston remained up by a run.
WNKPHUSNASNZL IS THIS MAN REAL?! pic.twitter.com/jFQ0KKQxU2
— NESN (@NESN) August 4, 2020
The Rays got on the board in the fourth and took a one-run lead.
Yoshi Tsutsugo drew a walk to lead off the inning before Joey Wendle singled. Hunter Renfroe came up big with a double to drive in both runners for the 2-1 edge.
(B)ring ‘em in, Hunter! pic.twitter.com/HJ6xdb4Mes
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) August 5, 2020
Eovaldi ran into more trouble in the fifth by hitting Michael Perez to begin the inning before Meadows drove him in with a triple.
Meadows then made it 4-1 when he crossed the plate on a Lowe single.
— Phillips Valdez took over in the sixth and gave up a one-out single and two-out walk, but that was enough for Ron Roenicke to make a change.
— Josh Osich got Perez to strike out swinging to end the frame.
The left-hander returned for the seventh and was removed after a one-out single from Lowe.
— Ryan Brasier took over and immediately gave up a single to Yandy Diaz to put runners on the corners with two outs.
A sacrifice fly off the bat of Ji-Man Choi to left made it 5-1.
Brasier got out of the inning with a Tsutsugo strikeout.
— Jeffrey Springs got the eighth and pitched a 1-2-3 frame.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Mitch Moreland made his return to the lineup instantly felt when he hit a solo home run to right to give the Red Sox. 1-0 lead.
https://twitter.com/NESN/status/1290786940606992384
— The Red Sox had a chance to add to their lead when Jose Peraza led off the third with a single. J.D. Martinez then smacked a ground-rule double to left, which held Peraza at third.
Boston ended up stranding both runners.
— Roenicke made an interesting decision in the seventh when he pinch-hit Kevin Pillar for Alex Verdugo, a move that didn’t make much sense unless the skipper wanted to swap out a right fielder for a right fielder.
Regardless, Pillar was called out on strikes.
— Martinez had a chance to bring Boston back in it with two men on in the eighth, but he went down on three pitches. Xander Bogaerts also went down by way of the K to end the inning.
— The Red Sox tried to get something going in the ninth with back-to-back singles from Christian Vazquez and Pillar before Bradley loaded up the bags with an infield single.
But the threat ended when Peraza and Andrew Benintendi both were caught looking at strike three.
— Martinez led the way with three hits. Vazquez, Bradley, Pillar, Moreland, Verdugo and Peraza accounted for other hits with one apiece.
TWEET OF THE GAME
It was so pretty we had to show you again.
Never a doubt. pic.twitter.com/tCEC3aR69p
— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 5, 2020
UP NEXT
The Red Sox wrap up their brief two-game set with the Rays on Wednesday night. Martin Perez is expected to get the ball for Boston, opposite of Ryan Yarbrough. First pitch from Tropicana Field is set for 6:40 p.m. ET.
