Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Richards labored through 1 2/3 innings and the offense wasn't able to provide much help to Boston's bullpen in a 8-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.
Tampa Bay snapped a seven-game losing streak with the victory at Tropicana Field. The Rays scored eight runs on six hits and nine walks.
The Red Sox recorded just six hits and two walks of their own.
Boston fell to 44-30 while the Rays improved to 44-31 and 1/2 game back of the American League East-leading Red Sox.
Here's how it went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Lopsided.
Tampa Bay scored two runs in the first, three in the second and it never was close after that.
ON THE BUMP
-- Richards had a night he will want to forget.
The right-hander allowed five runs (four earned) on three hits and four walks. He didn't make it through two innings after throwing 28 of his 54 pitches for strikes in 1 2/3. Richards allowed a pair of home runs including an Austin Meadows two-run shot in the first and Mike Zunino's solo blast in the third.
-- Brandon Workman somewhat limited the second-inning damage by inducing a bases-loaded ground ball for the final out of the frame.
Workman came back out for the third and got out of another jam with runners on second and third and two outs. He walked two in the third, but didn't allow a hit in 1 1/3 innings.
-- Yacksel Rios pitched the fourth and fifth and didn't allow a hit. He retired the side in the fourth before walking one in the fifth. He finished the night with two strikeouts.
-- Josh Taylor worked the sixth inning and got out of a jam with runners on first and third with two outs.
-- Matt Andriese came on for the seventh and gave up a three-run homer with two outs. It helped the Rays take a 8-1 lead after a third home run.
Andriese returned for the eighth before concluding with three runs on two hits and five strikeouts. The three-run homer was Andriese's lone, but costly, mistake.
IN THE BATTER'S BOX
-- Boston struck first in the first inning.
Alex Verdugo reached on a one-out walk before he went to second on a wild pitch and later scored on an RBI-single by Xander Bogaerts. Bogaerts, however, got caught stealing third for the final out with runners on first and second.
-- The Red Sox scored their second run of the game in the eighth.
Rafael Devers stroked a leadoff double before scoring two batters later on an RBI-single by Christian Vazquez.
-- The Red Sox left 10 runners on base while going 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
-- Boston went without a hit during the fourth, fifth and seventh innings. It was retired in order during the ninth, too.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
Josh Taylor has been dominant recently. (You can read more about it here.)
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will look to get back in the win column Thursday as the return to Tropicana Field for the third and final game of their series against the Rays. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. ET and you can watch live on NESN.
