Morton got the ball in the top of the first and Andrew Benintendi flied out to center to start. Rafael Devers whiffed and JD Martinez lined out to first to end the inning. Nathan Eovaldi came out firing in the bottom of the first inning. Austin Meadows and Brandon Lowe both struck out swinging before Yandy Diaz grounded out to first to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the second inning although Xander Bogaerts grounded out to short to start. Mitch Moreland struck his third home run of the season to give the Sox the lead. Christian Vazquez whiffed but Alex Verdugo singled to center. Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Eovaldi began the bottom of the second by getting Ji-Man Choi to fly out to left to start. Yoshi Tsutsugo whiffed but Joey Wendle tripled over the head of Verdugo. Hunter Renfroe took strike three to end the inning.
Jose Peraza got a base hit to right to open the top of the third but Benintendi whiffed. Devers lined out to center but Martinez hit a ground rule double to left. Bogaerts flied out to center to end the inning. Kevin Kiermaier struck out swinging to start the bottom of the third before Michael Perez grounded out to first. Meadows singled to center but JBJ made a diving catch to rob Lowe of a hit to end the inning.
The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the fourth as Moreland grounded out to second to start. Vazquez grounded out to short and Verdugo grounded out to first to end the inning. The Rays struck back in the bottom of the fourth thanks to some Tropicana luck. Diaz flied out to right to start. Choi whiffed but Tsutsugo walked after a blowns strike three call. Wendle singled to left and Renfroe hit a pop up to third....that hit the catwalk resulting in a dead ball. Naturally Renfroe doubled both runners in to put Tampa up for good. Kiermaier flied out to center to end the inning but it was all but over 2-1.
A one run lead may have been 100 as Morton cruised in the top of the fifth. JBJ and Peraza both flied out to center before Benintendi was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to end the inning. The Rays iced the game in the bottom of the fifth as Perez was plunked and Meadows tripled him home. Lowe singled home Meadows but Diaz banged into a double play. Choi flied out to center to end the inning with the Rays up 4-1. That was it for Eovaldi who didn't have it today, and when he doesn't have it, all hope is lost.
The Sox rolled over and died in the top of the sixth as Devers whiffed to start. Somehow Martinez doubled to center but Bogaerts whiffed. That was it for Morton as Aaron Loup was brought in to face Moreland. Sox manager Ron Roenicke countered by bringing in Michael Chavis to pinch hit for Moreland. Naturally Chavis grounded out to short to end the inning. Phillips Valdez came in for the bottom of the sixth and Tsutsugo popped up to third to start. Wendle singled to left and stole second but Renfroe flied out to center. Kiermaier walked and Roenicke pulled Valdez for Josh Osich. Perez whiffed to end the inning.
Vazquez popped up to first to start the top of the seventh and Kevin Pillar pinch hit for Verdugo....only to take strike three. JBJ grounded out to third to end the inning. Osich returned briefly in the bottom of the seventh although Meadows took strike three to start. Lowe singled to center and that was it for Osich. Ryan Brasier came in and Diaz singled Lowe to third and Choi hit a sac fly to score Lowe. Tsutsugo took strike three to end the inning with the Rays up 5-1.
Pete Fairbanks came in for the top of the eighth and Peraza flied out to left to start. Benintendi reached on an error and Devers walked, but Martinez whiffed. Bogaerts whiffed to end the inning. Jeffrey Springs came in for the bottom of the eighth and Wendle lined out to center to start. Renfroe flied out to left and Kiermaier whiffed to end the inning.
Ryan Thompson came in for the top of the ninth and the Sox had a meaningless rally. Chavis grounded out to short but Vazquez and Pillar stroked back to back singles. JBJ beat out an infield single to load the bases but Nick Anderson came in to freeze Peraza for strike three. The slumping Benintendi took strike three as well to end the game. The Rays had won it 5-1.
Jackass of the Night is Nathan Eovaldi. Not that the Sox were going to score any runs but he didn't do them any favors by putting them in a 4-1 hole in the 5th inning. 5 innings and 4 runs isn't gonna cut it.
The Good:
JD Martinez was 2 for 4.
Mitch Moreland was 1 for 2 and the hit was a home run.
Alex Verdugo was 1 for 2.
Kevin Pillar was 1 for 2.
Phillips Valdez got the first two outs of the sixth inning.
Jeffrey Springs pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Michael Chavis was 0 for 2.
Josh Osich was charged with a run in 2/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Rafael Devers was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but took a walk.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4.
Jose Peraza was just 1 for 4.
Ryan Brasier allowed an inherited runner to score but none of his own in 2/3 of an inning.
Final Thoughts:
Good news is Josh Taylor and Darwinzon Hernandez are getting close to be activated. The bad news is the Sox lost this game. Taylor can be a good lefty specialist when used right and Hernandez throws gas. The two of them are desperately needed considering some of the bums the Sox throw out there every night. Still, doesn't matter who is on the mound if the Sox can't score and that's the most frightening part. The offense just hasn't been there whether they're just not motivated because they play 3-5 runs from behind every night, or the fact that Sox management clearly left them out to dry this season. Either way its a recipe for disaster and the Sox are fading fast. Thankfully there's only 49 games in this miserable season to go. The loss drops the Sox to 3-8 on the season. Tomorrow night the Sox lose to the Rays again with Ryan Yarbrough shutting them down and Martin Perez (1-1, 5.06 ERA) taking the beating at 6:40 PM at Tropicana Field.
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