As for the game, make it four straight losses for the Boston Red Sox with the bats being the problem in this one. Jake Odorizzi of the Tampa Bay Rays held the high powered Sox offense to just 1 run in 7 innings of work. Meanwhile Clay Buchholz (1-4, 6.03 ERA) got hammered again, allowing 5 runs in 6 1/3 innings before being lifted in the seventh. The Rays tagged Clay for four early runs and overcame a second inning RBI triple by Xander Bogaerts. The Sox bullpen led by Junichi Tazawa and Craig Breslow held the fort but the bats did almost nothing against the Rays as Tampa walked away with this one 5-1 at Fenway Park.
Buchholz got hammered in the top of the first inning as Kevin Kiermaier led off with a grounder to second to start. Steven Souza Jr struck out swinging but James Loney lofted a ball down the left field line. It looked like Hanley Ramirez caught the ball then dropped it when he crashed into the wall but apparently the umpires flat out called he didn't make the catch. Sox manager John Farrell challenged the call but it was upheld. Not only that Ramirez had to be hauled off on a gurney, loaded into an ambulance and rushed to Mass General's ICU. Allen Craig took over in left as Evan Longoria doubled to left to score Loney and David Dejesus singled up the middle to score Longoria. Logan Forsythe flied out to left to end the inning but the Rays were up 2-0 and Hanley as out.
Odorizzi got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Mr. Mookie Betts grounded out to third to start. Dustin Pedroia doubled to right but David Ortiz struck out swinging. Allen Craig grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Rays struck again in the top of the second as Asdrubal Cabrera got a seeing eye single into right and Joey Butler hit a home run all the way to Vermont to put the game out of reach. Rene Rivera flied out to left and Kiermaier grounded out to second, but Souza Jr was hit with a pitch. Loney flied out to right to end the inning with the Rays up 4-0.
"HE hit one out?" - Boagerts
The Sox tried to fight back in the bottom of the second as Pablo Sandoval took strike three to start. Mike Napoli lined out to a running Kiermaier. Holt hit a triple into the right field corner and Bogaerts tripled nearly into the same spot to cut the lead. Sandy Leon grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox down 4-1.
Longoria struck out swinging to start the top of the third after almost getting his shoulder taken off. Dejesus grounded out to second but Forsythe doubled off the Monster. Cabrera blooped a single to right and took second on the throw home to keep Forsythe at third. Butler walked but Rivera struck out swinging to end the inning. Mr. Mookie doubled to center to begin the bottom of the third but Pedroia flied out to center. Ortiz flied out to center as well to move Betts to third, but Craig struck out swinging to end the inning.
Kiermaier lined out to right to start the top of the fourth before Souza Jr walked. Souza was thrown out at second trying to steal and Loney struck out swinging to end the inning. Sandoval grounded out to first to start the bottom of the fourth before Napoli flied out to left. Holt doubled to left but Bogaerts struck out swinging to end the inning.
Longoria flied out to left to start the top of the fifth before Dejesus grounded out to short. Forsythe singled to center but Cabrera flied out to right to end the inning. Leon struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth before Mr. Mookie flied out to center. Pedroia struck out swinging to end the inning.
Buchholz turned up the heat in the top of the sixth as Butler, Rivera and Kiermaier all struck out swinging in short order. Forsythe dropped a pop up by Ortiz for a "single" to start the bottom of the sixth before Craig singled off the glove of Dejesus. Sandoval grounded into a double play and Napoli flied out to right to end the inning.
Things fell apart in the top of the seventh as Souza Jr singled to left to start. Loney was retired on a squibber in front of the plate but Sox manager John Farrell had seen enough after 107 pitches. Buchholz battled but would be charged with 5 runs in 6 1/3 innings. He allowed 9 hits and 2 walks. Junichi Tazawa came in to pitch and Longoria walked. Dejesus singled to right to score Souza and Forsythe walked to load the bases. Cabrera popped up to short and Butler forced Forsythe at second to end the inning with the Rays up 5-1.
"Yeah you're out Clay, now beat it!" - Farrell
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the seventh as Holt lined out to left to start. Bogaerts flied out to let and Leon lined out to center to end the inning.
Craig Breslow came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Rivera popped up to second to start. Kiermaier grounded out to second but Souza Jr doubled down the left field line. Loney popped up to Craig to end the inning. Ernesto Frieri came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Mr. Mookie grounded out to short to start. Pedroia walked and took second on a wild pitch, but Ortiz flied out to left. Craig struck out swinging to end the inning.
Longoria flied out to center to start the top of the ninth and Brandon Guyer pinch hit for Dejesus. Guyer popped up to second and Forsythe did the same to end the inning. Erasmo Ramirez came in to close out the ninth and Sandoval grounded out to second to start. Napoli grounded out to second and Holt lined out to left to end the game. The Rays had won the game 5-1.
Rays win
Clay Jackass
Jackass of the Night is Clay Buchholz. Not that the Sox were doing much offensively but Clay putting them in an early hole cost them big time. He allowed 5 runs in 6 1/3 innings of work off 9 hits and 2 walks. He also struck out 9 batters.
The Good:
Dustin Pedroia was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Brock Holt was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with an rbi.
Craig Breslow tossed two scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Pablo Sandoval was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Mike Napoli was 0 for 4.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4.
Junichi Tazawa allowed an inherited runner to score but none of his own in 2/3 of an inning.
David Ortiz was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Allen Craig was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Honorable Mention:
Hanley Ramirez played left field in the top of the first inning.
Final Thoughts:
Losing Hanley sucked and that's a huge blow to the Red Sox offense if he's out a while. The real problem is the offense has become schizophrenic. Sometimes they hit, sometimes they don't. With the Red Sox starters allowing 4-5 runs a game means the offense HAS to produce. Still, Odorizzi was damn near unhittable and the Sox couldn't get untracked at all. Maybe the Hanley injury shook them up but they need to be mentally tougher than that if that's the case. Still, Sox analyst Don Orsillo said the Sox are losing way too many games to AL East opponents and he's right. If the Sox have any hope of making the playoffs, winning the division is a priority considering this isn't the classic New York Yankees anymore and the Sox beat the Rays two years ago. If Hanley is out, they're in trouble. The loss dropped the Sox to 12-14, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox look to avoid a fifth straight loss tomorrow night when Rick Porcello (2-2) takes on Drew Smyly of Tampa. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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