Red Sox Wrap: Late-Inning Rally Falls Short In Boston’s 8-7 Loss Vs. Rays

It was thrilling, but the Red Sox couldn’t quite get it done.

Boston amassed 12 hits and took an early lead, but ultimately lost 8-7 to the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox tried to rally in the ninth and had the winning run at the plate twice, but the Rays held off the threat, played rally killer and stopped Boston from getting its second consecutive win.

With the loss, the Red Sox fell to 6-10, while the Rays climbed to 9-8.

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Here’s how it all went down:

GAME IN A WORD
Strange.

The game easily could have been a much higher scoring affair. But between some weird plays and leaving a slew of men on base — the Rays left 25 men on — that wasn’t the case.

ON THE BUMP
— Ryan Brasier ran into a bit of trouble early when he put two on with two out in the first, but he was able to escape the jam.

— Colten Brewer took over in the second and got the first out before giving up back-to-back doubles to get the Rays on the board 3-1.

Tampa Bay threatened to do more damage with two on, but Brewer was able to escape.

Things didn’t go as well for Brewer in the fourth after the first two batters reached on an error and single. Boston threw Yoshi Tsutsugo out at second on a Kevin Kiermaier groundout, but Michael Perez plated two runs on a single that fell into no-man’s land in the center field to come within a run.

The Rays appeared to tie it a batter later when Perez scored from first on a deep double from Austin Meadows. But a review at home plate ruled the throw indeed was in time and the score remained 4-3.

— Marcus Walden got the ball for the fifth and surrendered an RBI-triple to Joey Wendle to tie things up at 4-4.

A two-out walk was enough for Roenicke to remove Walden for Jeffrey Springs, who got out of the inning with a Kevin Kiermaier strikeout.

— Springs gave up a leadoff single to Perez before getting the next two outs in the sixth. But a walk to Yandy Diaz and Ji-Man Choi single gave the Rays their first lead of the night.

Jose Martinez grounded out to end the inning.

Things got ugly for Springs in the seventh when he gave up two runs on three straight hits to give Tampa Bay back the lead 7-5.

— Phillips Valdez came in to clean up the mess and did just that with some help from Plawecki.

Valdez walked Meadows and tried to steal second but was caught in the act to end the inning.

The right-hander returned for the eighth and started off strong by getting two straight outs, but the Rays’ bats woke up and strung together three straight hits to drive in a run and make it 8-5.

A walk to Kiermaier loaded the bags but a groundout ended the inning and the possibility of the game being broken wide open.

— Dylan Covey was responsible for the ninth and pitched a clean inning.

IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Boston wasted no time getting to work and put together a three-run first.

Alex Verdugo singled and J.D. Martinez drew a walk to bring Xander Bogaerts to the plate. The shortstop doubled to left field to bring in a run before Michael Chavis made it 2-0 on a groundout.

Kevin Plawecki plated Bogaerts with a single for the 3-0 lead.

— Martinez finally got the home run monkey off his back in the third when he absolutely crushed the heck out of the ball for his first round-tripper of the season to make it 4-1.

— The Red Sox made some noise in the fifth by loading the bases with one out, but Xander Bogaerts grounded into an inning-ending double-play to end the threat.

— The Rays’ lead didn’t last long when Michael Chavis led the sixth off with a double and was driven home a batter later when Plawecki singled to make it 5-5.

— Boston brought the tying run to the plate in the eighth with two outs. Christian Vazquez pinch hit for Jackie Bradley Jr. to load the bases full of Red Sox for Jonathan Araúz — who collected his first two major league hits earlier in the game.

And the 22-year-old got the biggest hit (so far) of his career when he drove in two with a single to cut into Tampa Bay’s lead 8-7.

Kevin Pillar grounded out to end the inning, but the Red Sox had life.

— Martinez kept it going in the ninth with a one-out single to bring the winning run to the plate in Bogaerts, but he lined out to right for out No. 2.

Michael Chavis struck out swinging to end the game.

— Plawecki, Araúz and Martinez led the way with three hits apiece.

TWEET OF THE GAME
Have yourself a day, Jonathan!

UP NEXT
The Red Sox continue their set with the Rays with Game 2 on Tuesday night. First pitch from Fenway Park is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.

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