As for the game, good grief that sucked. Tampa Bay Rays ace Blake Snell had the Red Sox tied up in knots, "Slick" Rick Porcello (6-2, 3.74 ERA) didn't have it, the Rays offense was on a mission and they avoided a sweep with a 6-3 victory at Fenway Park.
Snell established dominance early in the top of the first inning as he struck out both Mr. Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi to start. JD Martinez grounded out to second to end the inning. The Rays wasted no time pouncing on Porcello in the bottom of the first inning. Dernard Span doubled to left before CJ Cron walked. Matt Duffy singled to load the bases and Wilson Ramos hit a comebacker to the mound. Porcello fired home but Sandy Leon dove out of the way of the ball and covered his head for an error that scored Span to give the Rays the lead. Brad Miller scored Cron with a sac fly before Daniel Robertson singled to re-load the bases. Porcello got Mallex Smith to bang into a double play but the Rays were up 2-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the second as Mitch Moreland grounded out to third, Xander Bogaerts lined out to second and Eduardo Nunez looked at strike three to end the inning. The Rays iced the game early in the bottom of the second inning. Johnny Field grounded back to the mound but Willu Adames singled. Span walked but Cron whiffed. Duffy was plunked to load the bases and Ramos singled to right. Betts inexplicably turned arond and threw the ball into the centerfield bleachers which allowed all 3 runners to score. Miller popped up to second to end the inning but it was 5-0 Rays.
Snell was unstoppable in the top of the third inning as Rafael Devers whiffed to start. Sandy Leon singled but Jackie Bradley Jr flied out to left. Mr. Mookie lined out to left to end the inning. Porcello recovered to pitch a clean bottom of the third as Robertson grounded out to third to start. Smith grounded out to second and Field popped up to short to end the inning.
Still nothing for the Sox in the top of the fourth inning as Ramirez grounded out to short, Martinez whiffed and Moreland swung at air to end the inning. The incompetent Porcello came out for another beating in the bottom of the fourth although Adames grounded out to first to start. Span singled and stole second but Cron whiffed. Duffy singled home Span to increase the lead before Ramos singled to chase Porcello for the game. Rick didn't have it as he allowed 6 runs in 3 2/3 innings while giving up 8 hits. Brian Johnson came on in relief and struck out Miller to end the inning with the Rays up 6-0.
The Sox looked to rally when Bogaerts walked to open the top of the fifth but Nunez banged into a double play. Devers walked and Leon singled, but JBJ whiffed to end the inning. Johnson returned for the bottom of the fifth and Robertson lined out to center to start. Smith singled and stole second but Field whiffed. Adames flied out to right to end the inning.
Mr. Mookie tried to start a rally in the top of the sixth with a single and he stole second but Ramirez whiffed in the process. Martinez advanced Betts to second with a grounder to first but Moreland lined out to third to end the inning. Johnson came back for the bottom of the sixth as Span grounded out to second to begin. Cron singled but was erased on the force by Duffy. Ramos singled again as Duffy was thrown out at home on an infield single by Miller to end the inning.
The Sox took advantage of a mistake to get on the board in the top of the seventh inning against Matt Andriese. Bogaerts grounded out to third but Nunez doubled. Devers grounded out to third but Nunez broke for home. Miller was so stunned he threw the ball away, allowing Nunez to score. Leon whiffed to end the inning but it was 6-1 Rays.
The returning Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez came in for the bottom of the seventh and walked Robertson to start. Smith grounded into a double play and Field popped up to first to end the inning.
Andriese returned for the top of the eighth and cruised. JBJ flied out to left, Mr. Mookie grounded out to short and Ramirez looked at strike three to end the inning. Steven Wright got the call to pitch the bottom of the eighth and he got Adames to line out to right to start. Span walked but Cron lined out to center. Duffy looked at strike three to end the inning.
The Sox somehow rallied in the top of the ninth although Martinez flied out to right to start. Moreland belted a solo home run to cut the deficit but Bogaerts whiffed. Nunez singled and took second on defensive indifference before Devers doubled him home to cut the lead in half. Rays manager Kevin Cash brought in closer Alex Colome and he got Leon to ground out to first to end the game. The Rays averted the sweep with a 6-3 win.
Jackass of the Night is Rick Porcello. He got shelled for 6 runs in just 3 2/3 innings.
The Good:
Eduardo Nunez was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Rafael Devers was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
Sandy Leon was 2 for 4.
Brian Johnson pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
Hector Velazquez pitched a scoreless 7th inning.
Steven Wright pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
The Bad:
Hanley Ramirez was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 with an error but stole a base.
Mitch Moreland was just 1 for 4 but made the hit count as it was a solo home run.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 3 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
A rare stinker for the Red Sox offense but they're bound to happen when you face good pitching. Snell is on a hot streak of late and the Rays offense was due for a good game. These games are going to happen this season but hopefully not very often. This was one of the rare days the Sox looked lost offensively but Kudos to Johnson, Hector and Wright to slam the door on the Rays. The less said of this game the better. The loss dropped the Sox to 34-16, virtually tied for first place in the AL East with the New York Yankees. Tomorrow night the Red Sox return home to face the Atlanta Braves. Eduardo Rodriguez (4-1) takes on Julio Teheran at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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