Drew Pomeranz got the ball in the top of the first inning and the Rays pounced on him. Logan Forsythe led off by grounding out to short to start but Brock "The Hitman" Holt misplayed a ball hit by Kevin Kiermaier for a double. Pomeranz froze Evan Longoria on an outside curve for strike three but Brad Miller lined a base hit off the glove of Dustin Pedroia for an rbi single. Matt Duffy grounded out to second to end the inning but the Rays were up 1-0.
Dustin Pedroia returned to the lineup by beginning the bottom of the first with a bloop single to right against Jake Odorizzi. The Sox pissed on themselves as Xander Bogaerts whiffed badly on a hit and run and Pedroia was thrown out by a mile at second. David Ortiz grounded out weakly to short to end the inning.
Pomeranz came back for the top of the second inning and Tim Beckham whiffed on a 3-2 fastball. Steven Souza Jr walked on a full count but Corey Dickerson whiffed on a 94 mph fastball. Luke Maile whiffed as well to end the inning. Mr. Mookie Betts led off the bottom of the second by popping up to short to start before Hanley Ramirez popped up to second. Travis Shaw whiffed to end the inning.
Pomeranz opened the top of the third by getting Forsythe to pop up to right to start. Kiermaier popped up to left and Longoria was run up on a check swing in the dirt to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the third as Holt grounded out to first, Bryan Holaday flied out to center and Jackie Bradley Jr whiffed to end the inning.
Miller opened the top of the fourth inning with a single up the middle but Duffy flied out to right. Beckham walked but Souza took an inside fastball for strike three. Dickerson popped up to short to end the inning. Odorizzi got Pedroia to ground back to the mound to begin the bottom of the fourth before Bogaerts popped up to short. Ortiz popped up to second to end the inning.
A graphic on NESN showed Dutch Leonard pitched a no-hitter on this day 100 years ago before the top of the fifth began. Pomeranz struck out Maile on a breaking ball in the dirt before Forsythe grounded out to third. Kiermaier hit a little squibber to Pedroia who gloved it to first for the third out to end the inning. Mr. Mookie popped up to center to begin the bottom of the fifth before Ramirez tucked a cheap 298 foot pop up home run right around the Pesky Pole to tie the game. Shaw whiffed on a high fastball up and away but Holt doubled off the Monster. Holaday whiffed to end the inning but the game was tied 1-1.
Pomeranz returned for the top of the sixth and got Longoria to pop up to center to start. Miller popped up to Shaw into the shift before Duffy grounded out to short to end the inning. JBJ led off the bottom of the sixth with a pop up before Pedroia walked. Bogaerts doubled down the left field line and Souza made a diving catch to rob Ortiz of extra bases but Pedroia scored to give the Sox the lead. Mr. Mookie was intentionally walked and the Sox got a gift when Ramirez popped up to right but Miller and Souza got crossed up, letting the ball drop to score Bogaerts and advance Betts to third. Shaw earned the hat trick with his third strikeout to end the inning but it was 3-1 Sox.
Could Pomeranz pitch with the lead? NO! Beckham started off the top of the seventh with a single but Souza flied out to center. Dickerson whiffed on a high fastball but Maile crushed a 2 run home run into the Monster seats to tie the game. Sox manager John Farrell stormed out of the dugout and chucked a bag of sunflower seeds at Pomeranz as he ran off the mound. Pomeranz looked to be much improved until that home run, now leaving with a no decision at 6 2/3 innings of 3 run ball.
Matt Barnes replaced Pomeranz and immediately walked Forsythe. The alert Holaday gunned down Logan trying to steal to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Enny Romero took over for the bottom of the seventh as Chris Young pinch hit for Holt only to strike out swinging. Holoday grounded out to third before JBJ whiffed to end the inning.
The enigmatic Clay Buchholz was brought in to pitch the top of the eighth and Pedroia made an outstanding stab to rob Kiermaier of a sure hit to begin. Longoria then crushed a home run completely out of Fenway to give the Rays the lead. Miller grounded out to first and Duffy grounded out to third to end the inning with the Rays ahead 4-3.
The heart of the Sox order did nothing in the bottom of the eighth as Pedroia grounded out to third, Bogaerts looked at strike three on the outside corner and Ortiz grounded out to first to end the inning.
Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel hadn't pitched in 6 days so he was summoned to pitch the top of the ninth inning. Beckham took him for a single off the Monster on a 3-2 count before Nick Franklin pinch hit for Souza Jr, only to fly out to left. Dickerson flied out to deep right and the alert Beckham tagged up, moving to second. Pedroia made another play to make a bang bang throw to first on Maile.....OUT! But wait! Rays manager Kevin Cash challenged the call and sure enough Maile was ruled safe to put runners at the corners. Forsythe struck out to end the threat and the inning.
Rays closer Alex Colome came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning and Mr. Mookie grounded out to second to begin. Ramirez put the tying run on with a single in the hole at second but Shaw earned the golden sombrero with his fourth strikeout of the game. Ramirez made it to second on a passed ball and Young walked to put the go-ahead run on. Sandy Leon pinch hit for Holoday but took strike three down the middle to end the game. The Rays had won it 4-3.
Jackass of the Night is Clay Buchholz. He came in to protect a tie game and immediately coughed it up.
The Good:
Dustin Pedroia was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
Hanley Ramirez was 3 for 4 including 2 total rbis and a solo home run.
Brock Holt was 1 for 3 before leaving the game.
Chris Young walked once in two plate appearances.
Drew Pomeranz pitched well even if he did give up the home run at the end. He ended with 6 2/3 innings of 3 run ball.
Matt Barnes escaped the seventh inning.
Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Travis Shaw earned a golden sombrero by going 0 for 4 with 4 strikeouts.
Bryan Holaday was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Jackie Bradley Jr earned a hat trick by going 0 for 3 with 3 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
David Ortiz was 0 for 3 but drove in a run.
Mookie Betts was 0 for 3 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
That was a backbreaking loss considering the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Toronto Blue Jays tonight in their respective game. The Sox could have been just 1 game back of Toronto had they were able to pull out the game. The problem with this year's team is they are complete frontrunners. Once they fall behind they're almost guaranteed not to come back. If they are tied they find a way to win and if they have a lead, generally they keep it (tonight not withstanding) but if they are behind they don't fight back more often than not. The loss dropped the Sox to 73-59, 2 games behind Toronto for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow afternoon the Sox look to bounce back with tonight's birthday boy Steven Wright (13-6, 3.18 ERA) on the mound facing Drew Smyly. The game begins at 1:30 PM at Fenway Park.
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