The good news was the Boston Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of their second round NBA playoff series but the bad news was the Boston Red Sox lost to the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays once again asserted their dominance over the Red Sox by holding the pathetic Sox offense to just one big hit the entire game. The Rays pounced on Kutter Crawford (2-2, 2.24 ERA) for three runs in the top of the first but the Sox answered with a three run bomb by Tyler O'Neill off Zach Eflin in the bottom of the first. The Sox would be held scoreless the rest of the game while the Rays would get another run off Crawford and one more against Greg Weissert. Eflin and the Rays bullpen would allow just 5 hits and a walk after the first while winning the game 5-3 at Fenway Park.
The Rays jumped on Crawford in the top of the first inning as Yandy Diaz got a base hit to center to start. Randy Arozarena lined out to center and Josh Lowe did the same, but Harold Ramirez walked. Amed Rosario tripled off the glove of a diving Ceddanne Rafaela and scored on the Richie Palacios base hit to center. Jose Caballlero got a base hit to right to move Palacios to third then promptly stole second. Alex Jackson took strike three to end the inning with the Rays up 3-0.
The Sox answered against Eflin in the bottom of the first as Jarren Duran took strike three to start. Wilyer Abreu got a base hit to left but Connor Wong lined out to short. Rafael Devers doubled down the right field line and Tyler O'Neill belted his 10th home run of the season to tie the game. Dominic Smith grounded out to first to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Jose Siri grounded out to first to start the top of the second but Diaz doubled to center. Arozarena grounded out to first and Lowe lined out to left to end the inning. Vaughn Grissom grounded out to short to begin the bottom of the second but Romy Gonzalez got a base hit to right. Rafaela flied out to center but Gonzalez stole second. Duran lined out to first to end the inning.
Ramirez struck out swinging to start the top of the third before Rosario flied out to center. Palacios popped up to third to end the inning. Abreu doubled to center to start the bottom of the third but Wong flied out to left. Devers popped up to short and O'Neill flied out to center to end the inning.
The Rays took command in the top of the fourth as Smith let a pop up by Callabero drop in for a double then Jose stole third. Jackson took strike three but Siri hit a sac fly to left to score Jose. Diaz got a base hit to right but Arozarena flied out to left to end the inning with the Rays ahead 4-3.
Smith grounded out to second to start the bottom of the fourth before Grissom grounded out to third. Gonzalez took strike three to end the inning.
Lowe flied out to center to start the top of the fifth before Ramirez took strike three. Rosario grounded out to third to end the inning. Rafaela popped up to first to start the bottom of the fifth before Duran got a base hit to left. Duran was thrown out at second trying to steal and Abreu hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.
Crawford returned for the top of the sixth and Palacios flied out to right to start. Caballero took strike three and Jackson struck out swinging to end the inning. Crawford battled but allowed 4 runs in 6 innings of work off 7 hits and a walk.
Kevin Kelly came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Wong hit one up the elevator shaft to start. Devers was retired on a nubber in front of the plate and O'Neill lined out to left to end the inning.
Greg Weissert came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Siri grounded out to first to start. Diaz grounded out to short but Arozarena singled to center. Arozarena was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning. Smith grounded out to first to start the bottom of the seventh but Grissom got a base hit to right. Grissom moved to second on the grounder to first by Gonzalez but Rafaela lined out to second to end the inning.
The Rays struck again in the top of the eighth as Lowe doubled to left to start. Austin Shenton pinch hit for Ramirez and walked before Rosario doubled to left to score Lowe. Palacios struck out swinging and Jonny DeLuca pinch ran for Shenton. Caballero struck out swinging and Jackson grounded out to short to end the inning with the Rays up 5-3.
Garrett Cleavinger came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and somehow Sox manager Alex Cora pinch hit Rob Refsnyder for Duran. Refsnyder struck out swinging and even more inexplicable, Garrett Cooper pinch hit for Abreu and also struck out swinging. Wong got a base hit to left but Devers took strike three to end the inning.
Chase Anderson came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Siri popped up to first to start. Diaz flied out to right and Arozarena struck out swinging to end the inning. Jason Adam came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and O'Neill walked to put the tying run on. Naturally Smtih struck out swinging, Grissom took strike three and Gonzalez whiffed to end the game. The Rays had won it 5-3.
Rays win
Jackass Smith
Romy Gonzalez was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but stole a base.
Jackass of the Night is Dominic Smith. He was 0 for 4 with a strikeout including the ninth inning with a man on base.
The Good:
Jarren Duran was 1 for 3.
Wilyer Abreu was 2 for 3 with a run scored.
Tyler O'Neill was 1 for 3 with a walk and a 3 run home run.
Chase Anderson pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Rob Refsnyder struck out as a pinch hitter.
Garrett Cooper struck out as a pinch hitter.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 3.
The Ugly:
Connor Wong was just 1 for 4.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Vaughn Grissom was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Romy Gonzalez was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but stole a base.
Kutter Crawford took the loss by allowing 4 runs in 6 innings on 7 hits and a walk. He also struck out six.
Greg Weissert allowed a run in two innings of work.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox HAVE to do something to create some offense. Either call up Niko Kavadas, make a trade, anything. The Sox offense hasn't scored more than 4 runs in eight days now and its not getting any better. Vaughn Grissom looks completely lost along with Rafaela, Cooper and Smith. Apart from Refsnyder and Abreu, nobody is hitting well and Devers isn't jacking the ball anymore. Who knew losing 2 of your 3 best hitters would cause this to happen? The problem is Trevior Story has an injury history but nobody thought Masataka Yoshida and Triston Casas would go down. Apart from the first inning, the Rays won the game 2-0 meaning the Sox pitching did the best they could. Crawford looked mortal and Weissert gave up a run but the Sox bats were silent apart from one lucky hit in the first inning. The Sox have no chance to compete if they can't score. The loss dropped the Sox to 21-20, 5.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to rebound tomorrow night against the Rays when Nick Pivetta (1-2, 3.60 ERA) takes on Aaron Civale of Tampa. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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