Randy Arozarena got a base hit to center on the first pitch of the game in the top of the first by Rodriguez. Nelson Cruz flied out to center but Wander Franco took strike three. Yandy Diaz popped up to third to end the inning. Luis Patino got the start for the Rays in the bottom of the first and Kike Hernandez popped up to third to start. Jarren Duran got a base hit to center but Xander Bogaerts banged into a double play to end the inning.
Austin Meadows flied out to center to start the top of the second and Jordan Luplow took strike three. Manny Margot struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second as Rafael Devers clobbered his 28th home run of the season to start. JD Martinez struck out swinging and Kevin Plawecki flied out to center, but Hunter Renfroe doubled to left. Christian Vazquez popped up to second to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
The Rays tied it instantly in the top of the third when Brandon Lowe hit a home run all the way to Texas to tie the game. Mike Zunino struck out swinging, Arozarena was frozen for strike three and Cruz popped up to first to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the third as Franchy Cordero struck out swinging to start. Hernandez grounded out to third and Duran struck out swinging to end the inning.
Franco lined out to right to start the top of the fourth and Diaz struck out swinging. Meadows flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox rallied in the bottom of the fourth as Bogaerts got a base hit to right to start. Devers popped up to third and Martinez struck out swinging but Plawecki drew a walk. Renfroe then smashed his 19th home run of the season to put the Sox back on top. Vazquez struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 4-1.
Luplow struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth before Margot hit one up the elevator shaft. Lowe struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the fifth as Cordero singled to left to start. Hernandez walked and both runners moved over on the grounder to first by Duran. Bogaerts flied out to left and Devers was intentionally walked to load the bases for Martinez. With a chance to break the game open....Martinez flied out to center to end the inning. That would prove huge down the road.
The Rays got a run back in the top of the sixth as Zunino doubled to center to start before moving ver to third on the grounder to second by Arozarena. Cruz walked and Franco got a base hit up the middle to score Zunino. Despite just throwing 82 pitches, Sox manager Alex Cora pulled Rodriguez early AGAIN. Rodriguez pitched well, allowing just the two runs in 5 1/3 innings. Hiro Sawamura froze Diaz for strike three and Meadows lined out to left to end the inning with the Sox still up 4-2.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the sixth as Plawecki flied out to center to start. Renfroe and Vazquez both went down swinging to end the inning.
Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock came in to crap his pants in the top of the seventh although Luplow struck out swinging to start. Margot got a base hit to right and Lowe doubled him to third as Rays manager Kevin Cash pinch hit Ji-Man Choi for Zunino. The gamble worked as Choi doubled to center to clear the bases although he pulled up lame at second. Joey Wendle came in to run for the injured Choi but Arozarena walked. Cruz flied out to right and Franco grounded out to second to end the inning with the game tied 4-4.
Francisco Mejia took over behind the plate with Andrew Kittredge on the mound to start the bottom of the seventh. Cordero and Hernandez both struck out swinging but Duran beat out a roller to short. Bogaerts got a base hit to center to move Duran to third but Devers flied out to center to end the inning.
Diaz got a base hit to right to start the top of the eighth but Meadows struck out swinging. Mejia struck out swinging but Margot walked on four pitches not even close. Josh Taylor came in to pitch to Lowe but he walked him to load the bases. Wendle grounded out to second to end the inning. Martinez earned the hat trick by striking out swinging to start the bottom of the eighth before Plawecki got a base hit to right. Bobby Dalbec pinch ran for Plawecki but Renfroe struck out swinging. Vazquez also earned the hat trick with a swinging strikeout to end the inning.
Matt Barnes came in to vomit up his intestines in the top of the ninth as Arozarena hit a ground rule double into the right field stands to start. Cruz struck out swinging but Franco drew a full count walk. Diaz struck out swinging but Meadows walked on four pitches not even close. Mejia dropped a base hit to right...UNDER THE GLOVE OF RENFROE! All three runs scored and Mejia took second on the error. That was it for Barnes who failed to get the third out with two chances to do so. Martin Perez came in to intentionally walk Margot to set up a force but the gamble backfired as Lowe got a base hit to center to score Mejia and move Margot to third. Wendle grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Rays ahead 8-4.
Kevin Kiermaier took over for Meadows with Louis Head on to close out the bottom of the ninth. Cordero flied out to right, Hernandez popped up to third and Duran popped up to short just like that. the Rays had stunned the Sox 8-4.
Jackass of the Night is Matt Barnes. Yes Renfroe's error didn't help and Perez allowed one of his runs to score but he failed to keep the game tied in the top of the ninth, being charged with 4 runs.
The Good:
Jarren Duran was 2 for 5.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Rafael Devers was 1 for 3 with a walk and a solo home run.
Kevin Plawecki was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Eduardo Rodriguez tossed 5 1/3 innings of 2 run ball. He allowed 4 hits and struck out 8.
Hiro Sawamura got the final two outs of the sixth inning.
Josh Taylor got the final out of the eighth inning.
The Bad:
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Garrett Whitlock allowed 3 runs in 1 2/3 innings.
The Ugly:
Kike Hernandez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but walked.
Hunter Renfroe was 2 for 4 with a 3 run homer but his error led to 3 runs scoring to put the game out of reach.
Franchy Cordero was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Martin Perez allowed an inherited runner to score in 1/3 of an inning.
Honorable Mention:
Bobby Dalbec played first base in the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
What a disaster in a season that's rapidly falling apart. The Sox have been in a tailspin since the All-Star break and this game proved that the Rays are still the team to beat in the AL East. The Sox bats got men on base but couldn't drive them in after Renfroe's home run and the vaunted bullpen failed big time today. Barnes has been brutal lately and Whitlock allowed his first runs since June. It may be time to switch the roles for those two if Barnes continues to struggle with the game on the line. The Rays are beginning to pull away and the New York Yankees are breathing down their neck. Cora once again pulled Rodriguez too early and is he not learning anything? Can't he see with his own eyes what's happening to his bullpen that's clearly overworked? Its just a series of unfortunate events that Whitlock had his worst game since June and Renfroe's error put the game out of reach. Would it kill Cora to sacrifice a game and keep a starter out there just to give the bullpen a rest? Kevin Kennedy and Jimy Williams used to send Tim Wakefield out for 8 innings no matter what happened just to give the bullpen a breather. Cora is the complete opposite and that's probably more to do with the useless analytics than anything. Anyway it was a bad loss and the Sox need to make a stand soon or they'll be too far out to come back with only 47 games left in the season. The loss dropped the Sox to 65-50, 5 games behind the Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow against the Rays when they send Nathan Eovaldi (9-7) to the mound up against Josh Fleming of the Rays. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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