The Sox wasted no time scoring in the top of the first as Mr. Mookie Betts launched the third pitch of the game from Chris Archer into the left field seats for a leadoff home run. Dustin Pedroia struck out and Xander Bogaerts lined out to third, but Mitch Moreland walked. Andrew Benintendi grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Too bad David Price gave up the lead almost instantly in the bottom of the first inning. Steven Souza Jr doubled to open the frame and moved to third on the Corey Dickerson ground out. Evan Longoria singled Souza Jr home to tie the game but he was erased on the Logan Morrison force. Wilson Ramos grounded out to end the inning but it was now 1-1.
Archer settled down in the top of the second inning as Hanley Ramirez whiffed to start. Jackie Bradley Jr also struck out before Christian Vazque lined out to center to end the inning. Price also settled down in the bottom of the second inning as Trevor Plouffe flied out to left to start. Brad Miller grounded out to first but Taylor Featherston walked. Peter Bourjos grounded out to end the inning.
The Sox wasted a golden chance to take the lead in the top of the third inning. Tzu-Wei Lin singled and Mr. Mookie walked....but Pedroia and Bogaerts whiffed. Moreland flied out to left to end the inning. The Rays tagged Price in the bottom of the third as Souza Jr walked and Dickerson doubled him to third. Longoria hit a sac fly to score Souza Jr to give the Rays the lead. Price recovered to strike out Morrison and Ramos but the Rays led 2-1.
Archer ran into trouble in the top of the fourth although Benny The Kid struck out to start. Ramirez and JBJ both singled but Vazquez flied out to right. Lin grounded out to end the inning, what a waste. Price recovered with a clean bottom of the fourth as Plouffe flied out to center to start. Miller grounded out to second and Featherston looked at strike three to end the inning.
The Sox wasted another baserunner in the top of the fifth inning as Mr. Mookie grounded out to third to start. Pedroia singled up the middle but Bogaerts flied out to right. Moreland whiffed to end the inning. Price cruised in the bottom of the fifth as Bourjos whiffed and Souza Jr flied out to right. Dickerson lined out to left to end the inning.
The Sox made a boo-boo in the top of the sixth inning. Benny The Kid lined out to first but Ramirez singled. JBJ popped up to left but Ramirez jogged around the bases forgetting there was only one out and he was doubled off first easily to end the inning. Nice going Ramirez.
Price returned for the bottom of the sixth inning and got Longoria to ground out. Morrison struck out but Ramos singled to left. Plouffe singled in the hole at short but Miller grounded out to end the inning. That was it for David Price who pitched pretty well apart from Evan Longoria being a pest.
The Sox took the lead in the top of the seventh inning. Vazquez struck out but Lin singled. Lin was erased on the force by Mr. Mookie but Pedroia cleared the bases with a 2 run jack to right. That was it for Archer as Tommy Hunter got the call. Bogaerts struck out but the Sox had taken a 3-1 lead.
Matt Barnes got the call to protect a 2 run lead in the bottom of the seventh and he immediately walked pinch hitter Mallex Smith. Bourjos sacrificed Smith to second and Souza Jr beat out an infield single to third, Smith moving to the base. That was it for Barnes as Joe Kelly was brought in just to give up a sac fly to Dickerson. Longoria flied out to right but Tampa had tied it 3-3
The Sox offense was done for the night in the top of the eighth inning as Adeiny Hechavarria came into play for Bourjos with Brad Boxberger now on the mound. Moreland flied out to left and Benintendi flied out to center, but Ramirez walked. JBJ walked as well but Vazquez whiffed to end the inning. The Rays stunned the Sox in the bottom of the eighth inning after Morrison worked a leadoff walk. Ramos lined out and Plouffe looked at strike three, but Miller launched a 2 run bomb to give the Rays the lead. Smith grounded out to first but the Rays had taken over 5-3.
Alex Colome got the ball to close it out in the top of the ninth but Lin greeted him with a single. Mr. Mookie popped up AGAIN and Lin was erased on the force by Pedroia. Dustin took second on defensive indifference but Bogaerts popped to short to end the game. The Rays had won the game 5-3 and had taken 3 out of 4.
Jackass of the Night is Joe Kelly. He allowed a sac fly to tie the game and the 2 run homer to lose it.
The Good:
Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 5 including a 2 run home run.
Hanley Ramirez was 2 for 3 with a walk.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Tzu-Wei Lin was 3 for 4.
David Price tossed 6 innings of 2 run ball, giving up 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5.
The Bad:
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Matt Barnes only retired one of the 3 men he faced while giving up a run.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 but walked, drove in a run and scored twice.
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 3 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
That was terrible. Any kind of momentum the Sox had built with that 6 game winning streak was flushed down the toilet by dropping 3 of 4 to the Rays. It wasn't just that they lost, it was how they lost. If they got creamed by falty starters, good on the Rays....but this was incompetent offense and shoddy relief. The Sox have looked lifeless and unmotivated most of the season but more so this series with crucial positioning in the AL East on the line. Its nice to see David Price keep the Rays off the board but Kelly.....ugh. The loss dropped the Sox to 50-39, just 3.5 games ahead of the Rays for first place in the AL East. Luckily for the Sox the All-Star break is here so they have 4 days to wash away the stench of this series. The Sox are back in action July 14th at home against the New York Yankees. That's a big series for the Sox to gain some momentum out of the break.
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