Mr. Mookie Betts began the incompetence by popping up to second to begin the game. Dustin Pedroia stroked a base hit to left field and Xander Bogaerts was hit by a pitch to put pressure on early. Mitch Moreland flied out and Hanley Ramirez grounded out to end the inning.
The news was grim as Bogaerts was carried out on a stretcher and had to be replaced by Deven Marrero in the bottom of the first inning. Marrero was now at third base with Tzu-Wei Lin at short. Sale turned up the heat by striking out Steven Souza Jr, Trevor Plouffe and Evan Longoria the end the inning.
The Red Sox were Riverboat gamblers in the top of the second inning and they were unsuccessful. Andrew benintendi led off with a base hit but Jackie Bradley Jr flied out to center. Benny The Kid was then thrown out trying to steal. Sandy Leon grounded out to end the inning. Logan Morrison singled to lead off the bottom of the second inning and Wilson Ramos flied out to center....only for JBJ to turn around and throw the ball up into the catwalk, allowing Morrison to reach third on the error. Sale struck out Taylor Featherston and Adeiny Hechavarria to end the inning then stared a hole into JBJ coming off the field.
The Sox struck first in the top of the third inning as Tzu-Wei Lin worked a walk. Mr. Mookie popped up but Pedroia singled Lin to third. Marrero scored Lin with a sac fly to give the Sox the lead. Moreland walked but Ramirez struck out to end the inning. That's four men left on base by Ramirez already but it was 1-0 Boston.
Sale did his part in the botton of the second inning by getting Peter Bourjos to pop up to begin. Mallex Smith singled and stole second but Sale whiffed both Souza Jr and Plouffe to end the inning.
The Sox offense was done for the night already in the top of the fourth inning. Benny The Kid, JBJ and Leon all grounded out in short order to end the inning. The Rays struck back in the bottom of the fourth. Longoria whiffed but Morrison singled and Ramos doubled him home to tie the game. Featherston struck out and Hechavarria grounded out to end the inning but it was now 1-1.
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the fifth inning. Lin walked but Mr Mookie popped up AGAIN. Pedroia struck out but Lin moved to second when the ball got away.....but was thrown out at third anyway to end the inning. Right on cue the Rays took the lead as Bourjos homered to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning. Smith flied out and Souza Jr struck out again, then Plouffe popped up to end the inning with Tampa up 2-1.
Once again the Red Sox rolled over and died in the top of the sixth inning with men on base. Marrero singled to start but Moreland grounded out. Ramirez left his seventh man on base after he flied out but Benny The Kid walked. With a chance to get back in the game, Jackie Bradley Jr lined out to end the inning. The Rays iced the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Longoria doubled and moved to third on the Morrison groundout. Ramos effectively ended the game with a 2 run home run. Featherston struck out again and Hechavarria popped up to end the inning but it was 4-1 Rays.
Three runs were more than enough cushion for Brad Boxberger in the top of the seventh inning. Leon struck out, Lin grounded out and Mr. Mookie struck out to end the inning. Sale came back for one last inning in the bottom of the 7th. Bourjos flied out, Smith grounded out and Souza Jr earned the golden sombrero with his 4th strikeout to end the inning. Sale battled but giving up three home runs usually means you are not going to win and he left trailing.
Tommy Hunter replaced Boxberger in the top of the eighth inning and Pedroia tried to start a rally with an infield single that was botched by Hunter, allowing Dustin to reach second. He was stranded as Marrero struck out and Moreland grounded out. Ramirez left his EIGHTH man on base when he grounded out to end the inning. Blaine Boyer got the call to pitch the bottom of the eighth inning. Corey Dickerson pinch hit for Plouffe and struck out. Longoria popped up but Morrison doubled. Ramos was intentionally walked and Featherston grounded out to end the inning.
Alex Colome came in to close out the top of the ninth. Benny The Kid struck out and JBJ grounded out, but Leon singled. Lin grounded into a force to end the game. The Rays had beaten Chris Sale 4-1.
Jackass of the Night is Hanley Ramirez. He left 8 men on base by himself in what was a winnable game for most of the night.
The Good:
Dustin Pedroia was 3 for 4.
Xander Bogaerts earned an HBP before leaving the game.
Deven Marrero was 1 for 2 with an rbi.
Andrew Benintendi was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Tzu-Wei Lin walked twice in 4 plate appearances and scored a run.
Blaine Boyer pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
The Bad:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4.
Chris Sale was mortal in this one. He took the loss while giving up 3 home runs and 4 total runs in 7 innings of work.
The Ugly:
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 3 but walked.
Sandy Leon was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
Another loss where the offense looked completely helpless with men on base. It wasn't like they were completely shut down as they had multiple men on frequently. Getting a clutch hit doesn't seem to matter to this crew, Ramirez in particular. The worst part isn't the fact they can't hit, but WHO they can't hit. All year they've been shut down by mediocre pitching that get lit up before and after the Sox play them. Its getting very annoying and fans are growing tired of it. The loss dropped the Sox to 49-37, just 4.5 games ahead of the Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow night with Drew Pomeranz (8-4, 3.64 ERA) going up against Jake Odorizzi at 7:10 in Tampa.
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