As for the game, it wasn't pretty but the Boston Red Sox defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in two out of three games including tonight's by the slimmest of margins. Sean Newcomb lasted just 4 2/3 innings for Boston but he didn't allow any runs. The only run scored in the game was a third inning home run just over the wall by David Hamilton. The real star of the game was the Boston bullpen. Greg Weissert (1-1, 2.08 ERA), Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten tossed 4 1/3 innings allowing just 1 hit between them to slam the door on the Rays. Slaten got the save and the Sox had beaten the Rays 1-0 at Steinbrenner Field.
Zack Littell got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jarren Duran grounded out to first to start. Rafael Devers drew a walk but Trevor Story struck out swinging. Wilyer Abreu struck out swinging to end the inning. Newcomb got the ball in the bottom of the first and Yandy Diaz walked to start. Curtis MEad flied out to right but Junior Caminero singled to right. Christopher Morel flied out to center and Jose Caballero struck out swinging to end the inning.
Romy Gonzalez grounded out to short to start the top of the second before Triston Casas flied out to center. Carlos Narvaez grounded out to short to end the inning. Danny Jansen flied out to center to begin the bottom of the second and Coco Montes took strike three. Jake Mangum grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the third as David Hamilton struck his first home run of the season just over the wall in right to start. Ceddanne Rafaela struck out swinging and Duran grounded out to short. Devers flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Walls got a base hit to center to start the bottom of the third but Diaz banged into a double play. Mead flied out to center to end the inning.
Story walked to start the top of the fourth but Abreu popped up to short. Gonzalez pounded a ground rule double to right and Casas was intentionally walked to load the bases. Naturally Narvaez popped up to short and Hamilton grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Caminero grounded out to short to start the bottom of the fourth but Morel got a base hit to left. Caballero struck out looking and Morel was gunned down at second trying to steal to end the inning.
Rafaela lined out to Walls to start the top of the fifth but Caballero dropped a fly ball by Duran for an error to push Jarren to second. Duran got himself thrown out at third trying to steal and Devers compounded it by getting a base hit to center. Story flied out to center to end the inning. Jansen walked to start the bottom of the fifth but Montes lined out to center. Mangum got a base hit to right but Walls struck out swinging. Once again, Sox manager Alex Cora refused to let a starter finish the fifth inning and yanked Newcomb after just 71 pitches. He allowed 4 hits and 2 walks and Greg Weissert came in to face Diaz. Diaz struck out swinging to end the inning.
Abreu doubled to start the top of the sixth but Gonzalez struck out swinging. Casas flied out to left and Narvaez struck out swinging to end the inning. Weissert returned for the bottom of the sixth and Jonathan Aranda pinch hit for Mead. Aranda popped up to short, Caminero struck out swinging and Morel took strike three to end the inning.
Garrett Cleavinger came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Hamilton struck out swinging to start. Rafaela grounded out to second and Duran went down hacking to end the inning. Garrett Whitlock came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Caballero struck out swinging to start. Jansen went down hacking and Lowe finished the trifecta by swinging at air to end the inning.
Mason Englert came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Devers flied out to center to start. Story grounded out to third and Abreu popped up to third to end the inning. Mangum grounded out to second to start the bottom of the eighth and Walls took strike three. Diaz got a base hit to center but Aranda flied out to left to end the inning.
Eric Orze came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Gonzalez grounded back to the mound to start. Casas grounded out to second and Narvaez lined out to a running Mangum to end the inning. Justin Slaten came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Caminero flied out to center to start. Morel went down hacking and Caballero took strike three to end the game. The Sox had won it 1-0.
Hero of the Night is Greg Weissert. He came into a 2 on, 2 out situation and tossed 1 1/3 hitless innings to earn the win.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 1 for 3 with a walk.
David Hamilton was 1 for 3 with a home run.
Sean Newcomb tossed 4 2/3 shutout innings allowing 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4.
Garrett Whitlock tossed 2 scoreless innings.
Justin Slaten earned his second save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Carlos Narvaez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout and caught stealing.
Trevor Story was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Wilyer Abreu was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Romy Gonzalez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Triston Casas was 0 for 3 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
Let's get the bad news out of the way first. The Boston Red Sox offense was once again silenced and if you take away Alex Bregman's game from yesterday, they haven't hit well since two weeks ago against the St. Louis Cardinals. Duran, Casas, Rafaela, Narvaez and Devers have been AWFUL and Connor Wong wasn't doing so hot either until he broke his finger. The Sox are too good to his this bad so maybe they'll turn it around, but with Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony chopping at the bit....heads might roll sooner rather than later. The other concerning sign was Cora yanking Newcomb with two out in the fourth. He forced his bullpen to toss 4 1/3 innings after tossing 4 yesterday. Yes they have an off-day tomorrow but remember the Sox bullpen has collapsed four years in a row (2022 was due to extreme circumstances) and another one might be the final nail in the coffin for Cora. The positive sign is Hamilton finally got a piece of one, Newcomb pitched decent while he was in and the bullpen was lights out. With the offense a titanic mess right now, the pitching held up in this one. The Sox have four injured starters so to get a start like that out of Newcomb is almost a miracle. Brayan Bello had his final rehab start tonight in Portland and Liam Hendriks pitched there as well. Fresh troops are on the way so the Sox just have to hold the fort for a few weeks. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox return home for a four game set with the Chicago White Sox. Garrett Crochet (2-1, 1.38 ERA) takes on old buddy Martin Perez of Chicago. The game begins Friday night at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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