As for the game, the Boston Red Sox are in big, BIG trouble. Their supposed ace Chris Sale is out of gas, just like everybody outside of Boston predicted before the year started. He has an ERA of over 4 since August began and combined with the pathetic offense, this team that many were a pre-season favorite to win it all is about to fall flat on their face. This was one of the most frustrating games of all time as the Sox looked completely lifeless for 8 innings only to rally in the 9th to tie the game. The Sox then squandered chance after chance from the 10th to the 13th inning. They broke through in the 14th only for the Rays to tie it then FINALLY putting the game away in the 15th for a mind boggling 13-6 victory at Tropicana Field.
The Sox struck first in the top of the first inning as Tampa starter Matt Andriese drilled Xander Bogaerts to start. Dustin Pedroia hit a comebacker but Bogaerts made it to second. Andrew Benintendi singled to right to score Bogaerts to give the Sox a quick lead. Benintendi was foolishly thrown out at second trying to steal before Mookie Betts lined out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Sale took the mound in the bottom of the first inning and immediately crapped his pants. Kevin Kiermaier singled to left and moved to second on the ground out by Steven Souza Jr. Evan Longoria slammed a single to left to score Kiermaier to tie the game. Trevor Plouffe walked on 5 pitches that weren't even close and Adeiny Hechavarria walked on 4 straight pitches. Somehow Sale got Wilson Ramos to bang into a double play to end the inning but it was tied 1-1.
The Sox rolled over and died in the top of the second inning as Mitch Moreland grounded out to first, Rafael Devers flied out to center and Brock Holt whiffed badly to end the inning. Suddenly Sale was on fire in the bottom of the second inning. Peter Bourjos popped up to second before Sale blew away Cesar Puello. Danny Espinosa was rung up for strike three to end the inning.
Still nothing doing in the top of the third inning as Sandy Leon grounded out to first to start. Jackie Bradley Jr got a base hit up the middle but Bogaerts lined out to center. Pedroia flied out to right to end the inning. Sale found the concept of the Tampa Bay Rays offensive in the bottom of the third and he blew away Kiermaier to start. Souza Jr and Longoria watched strike three go by to end the inning.
The Sox struck back in the top of the fourth inning although Benintendi popped up to third to begin. Betts whiffed but Moreland blasted an opposite field bomb to take the lead. Devers struck out to end the inning but it was 2-1.
The lead lasted 23 seconds as Sale got rocked in the bottom of the fourth. Plouffe walked but Hechavarria flied out to right. Ramos smashed a two run no doubt home run to left to give the Rays the lead. Bourjos hit a ground ball to Devers who picked it up and spiked it like a football before doing the Lambada. Peter reached on the error but Sale struck out Puello and Espinosa to end the inning, but it was 3-2 Rays.
The Sox managed to knock Andriese out in the top of the fifth inning although Holt grounded out to second to start. Leon and JBJ stroked back to back singles to chase Andriese. This was a huge miscalculation by Rays manager Kevin Cash which will be explained later. Sergio Romo replaced Andries and got Bogaerts to pop up to first. Pedroia flied out to center to end the inning but the starter was gone. Sale returned for the bottom of the fifth and got Kiermaier to fly out to left. Souza Jr grounded out to short but Longoria singled. The alert Leon gunned down Longoria trying to steal to end the inning.
Benintendi flied out to center to start the top of the sixth but Betts singled. Cash promptly pulled Romo for Dan Jennings. A wild pitch moved Betts to second but Moreland struck out. Devers walked and Sox manager John Farrell sent in Sam Travis to pinch hit for Holt. Cash countered by bringing in Chaz Roe. Farrell then made the idiotic decision to re-pinch hit Tzu-Wei Lin for Travis. Lin had FIVE big league at-bats since July and naturally he struck out badly to end the inning. Another squander on the shoulders of Farrell. Right on cue the Rays attacked in the bottom of the sixth inning. Plouffe struck out but Hechavarria crushed an absolute moonshot to left to increase the lead. Ramos struck out but Bourjos crushed a triple to dead center. Farrell had seen enough and came out to get Sale. Chris was furious and started screaming at Farrell to get back in the dugout. Farrell completely ignored him and took the ball. Sale shouted invectives and heaved his glove as he left. Sale had run out of gas this year as he allowed 4 runs in just 5 2/3 innings. Austin Maddox came in and Corey Dickerson pinch hit for Puello only to fly out to end the inning. Still, Sale was gone and it was 4-2.
Steve Cishek had the ball for the top of the seventh and got Leon to ground out to start. JBJ and Bogaerts both grounded out to second to end the inning. Maddox returned for the bottom of the seventh although Espinosa greeted him with a single. Kiermaier struck out but Souza Jr walked. Longoria popped up to first and Maddox struck out first to end the inning.
Tommy Hunter got the ball in the top of the eighth inning and got Pedroia to fly out to right to start. Benintendi struck out and Betts flied out to right to end the inning. Matt Barnes came in to pour gas on the fire in the bottom of the eighth inning. He blew away Hechavarria but Ramos smacked yet another home run to incease the lead. Bourjos struck out but Farrell found out that Barnes shook off Leon to strike out the batter, so he sprinted out of the dugout. Farrell screamed and threw sunflower seeds at Barnes before kicking dirt at the pitcher on his way out. "The Human White Flag" Fernando Abad came in and gave up a single to Dickerson, but struck out Espinosa to end the inning with the Rays seemingly up for good 5-2.
Cash brought in closer Alex Colome to close the game out in the top of the ninth, but somehow the Sox rallied. Moreland walked and took second on a wild pitch. Devers hit a routine groundball to Espinosa but it went under his glove and Moreland scored, Devers moving to second. Christian Vazquez pinch hit for Lin and singled Devers to third to put the tying run on. Rajai Davis pinch ran for Vazquez and Leon singled in the hole at short to score Devers. Now it was 5-4 with the winning run on first. JBJ then hit a rocket to center that looked to be a sure triple when Kiermaier made one of the most amazing catches of the season to rob JBJ. Davis tagged up and went to third but that would have put the Sox on top.
Blake Swihart ran for Leon then Bogaerts hit a line drive off of Colome that ended up in left field, scoring Davis with the tying run and putting the go-ahead run at second. With the game on the line....Pedroia whiffed badly. That was it for Colome as Jose Alvarado came in and got Benintendi to ground out to end the inning. Still, the Sox had tied the game.
Swihart was now catching with Deven Marrero now at second base with Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel now on the mound for the bottom of the ninth. This is where Cash's bullpen management had come back to haunt him because he had already used his best relief pitchers with the bottom of the barrel left for extras. Meanwhile Farrell had used Maddox, Abad and Barnes with his best still to come. Things didn't look good when the pain in the ass Kiermaier walked to start the inning, but Kimbrel blew away Souza Jr. Kiermaier swiped second but Kimbrel blew away Longoria. Logan Morrison pinch hit for Plouffe and whiffed to end the inning. It was on to extra innings where the Sox are 13-2 this season.
Once again Kiermaier saved the Rays as he made another AMAZING leaping catch to rob Betts of at least a double to open the top of the 10th inning. Moreland flied out to right, which would have moved Betts to third and Devers whiffed to end the inning.
Addison Reed came in to pitch the bottom of the 10th and he got Hechavarria to ground out to short. The pain in the ass Ramos singled but Cash lifted him for Mallex Smith. Lucas Duda pinch hit for Bourjos but grounded out, putting the winning run at second. Reed intentionally walked Dickerson to set up a force as Brad Miller pinch hit for Espinosa...and struck out to end the inning.
Smith stayed in left with Jesus Sucre behind the plate along with Miller at second. Andrew Kitterdge was brought into pitch the top of the 11th and the Sox pissed on themselves again. Marrero doubled and Swihart caught the Rays asleep with a bunt single to put runners at the corners with nobody out. A freak play occurred when JBJ hit a ground ball to Hechavarria to fired home to Sucre, Marrero deciding to retreat to third. Unfortunately Swihart was already heading there and Marrero leaped to avoid the tag. Sucre threw to third and Swihart was safe, Marrero never heard a call so he went home safely. It looked like the Sox had 2 men in scoring position with a run in, but wait! Rays manager Kevin Cash challenged the call and even though it looked like Sucre missed the tag, Yankees manager Joe T.....I mean head of MLB operations Joe Torre ruled Marrero out. Bogaerts was intentionally walked to load the bases but the slumping Pedroia lined out to a leaping Hechavarria at short. Benintendi flied out to left to end the inning, what a huge squander.
Joe Kelly came in to pitch the bottom of the eleventh and he was on fire. Kiermaier grounded out to third, Souza Jr grounded out to second and Longoria flied out to left to end the inning.
Brad Boxberger came in to pitch the top of the 12th and Betts led off with a double. Moreland grounded out to move Betts to third and Devers was intentionally walked to put runners at the corners. They were stranded as Marrero and Swihart struck out to end the inning. Another squander....brutal. Kelly returned for the bottom of the 12th and struck out Morrison to start. Hechavarria grounded out to third and Smith grounded out to first to end the inning.
Austin Pruitt had the ball in the top of the 13th inning and got JBJ to ground out to first. Bogaerts singled to put the go-ahead run on AGAIN but Pedroia whiffed. A wild pitch moved Xander to second but Benintendi grounded out to second to end the inning. Squander, squander and more squander. Kelly returned for his third and final inning in the bottom of the 13th and got Sucre to ground out to begin. Dickerson whiffed and Miller flied out to left to end the inning.
The Sox FINALLY broke through in the top of the fourteenth inning. Betts and Moreland stroked back to back singles to once again put the first two men on. Devers singled up the middle and for some reason Moreland broke for third. Betts scored and Moreland slid in....SAFE! Oh no, wait a minute. Cash challenged again and Joe Torre in his Yankees hat made the call....OUT! Instead of a 6-5 lead with 2 on and nobody out, it was 1 on, 1 out. Devers did go to second but Marrero and Swihart struck out to end the inning. Still it was 6-5 Sox and were 3 outs away from ending this damn thing.
The lead lasted approximately 17 seconds as Brandon Workman promptly served up a home run to...you guessed it....Kiermaier to tie the game. Souza Jr struck out but Longoria singled off the glove of Devers. A wild pitch moved Longoria to second but Morrison lined out to left. Hechavarria was intentionally walked but Smith struck out to end the inning. Still, after the Sox finally broke through, the Rays tied it instantly 6-6.
The Sox had enough of the Rays and they finally iced it in the top of the 15th inning. JBJ walked and Bogaerts singled. Pedroia hit a double play ball to Miller....BOBBLED INTO CENTER! JBJ scored and the Sox had the lead. Chase Whitley replaced Pruitt and Benintendi slammed a single to score Bogaerts with an insurance run. Betts flied out to right but Moreland singled. Pedroia broke for home and he slid......SAFE! Oh wait, Kevin Cash once again decided to challenge. Only problem for Cash is that Joe Torre had slipped into his Yankee pajamas and one of his assistant's made the call, SAFE! Rumors swirled after the game that the assistant was fired that night but another run was in.
The hits kept coming as Devers hit a double play ball to Morrison who stupidly fired home and Moreland was safe by a mile. Marrero put the exclamation point on the shoddy inning with a doubled to right that scored Moreland and Devers. Swihart flied out but JBJ was hit with a pitch. Bogaerts singled home Marrero and Pedroia grounded out to end the inning. The Sox removed all doubt about a comeback with a 7 run inning to take the lead 13-6.
Blaine Boyer was brought in to pitch the bottom of the 15th and Sucre grounded out to short to start. Dickerson singled and took second when nobody cared. Miller struck out and Cash for whatever reason sent up ice cold Curt Casali to pinch hit for Superman Kiermaier. A passed ball moved Dickerson to third but Casali struck out to end the game. The Sox broke their own record for strikeouts in a game with 24 and had FINALLY won it 13-6.
Hero of the Night could be anybody but I'll go with Xander Bogaerts. He set the table all night and eventually finished 4 for 7 with a walk, hit by pitch, 2 rbi's and 2 runs scored.
The Good:
Mitch Moreland was 3 for 7 with a walk, 3 total runs scored, 2 total rbis and a solo home run.
Christian Vazquez was 1 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Rajai Davis scored a run as a pinch runner.
Deven Marrero was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis and a run scored.
Sandy Leon was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 2 for 6 with an HBP and a run scored
Austin Maddox pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Fernando Abad got the final out of the 8th inning.
Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
Addison Reed pitched a scoreless 10th inning.
Joe Kelly pitched 3 scoreless innings.
Blaine Boyer pitched a scoreless 15th inning.
The Bad:
Brock Holt was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Tzu-Wei Lin struck out as a pinch hitter.
Chris Sale got lit up by the Rays for 4 runs off 6 hits and 3 walks in just 5 2/3 innings.`
Matt Barnes gave up a run in just 2/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 9 and headed to Jackass dishonors but scored a run.
Andrew Benintendi was just 2 for 8 but drove in 2 runs and scored one.
Mookie Betts was just 3 for 8 but scored a run.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 6 but walked twice, drove in 2 runs and scored twice.
Blake Swihart was just 1 for 4.
Brandon Workman got the win but allowed the tying run to score in the 14th inning.
Honorable Mention:
Sam Travis was penciled in as a pinch hitter but didn't get to bat
Final Thoughts:
This was without a doubt THE most frustrating game this season. Just when you think they were dead, they came back. Just when you think they had it in the bag, they squandered chance after chance. Just when you thought the game would be lost, the pitchers closed it out. Just when you thought the game was over, the pitchers gave it up. Still, after all of that...they won the game. Doesn't matter if its 9 innings or 19, doesn't matter if its 10-1 or 2-1, the bottom line is it was a big win as every game becomes more important. The Sox have 15 games left and are trying to hang on to win the division. The win propels the Sox to 84-63, 3 games ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night Rick Porcello (9-17, 4.64 ERA) is matched up with Alex Cobb. The bullpen is taxed so Porcello better go deep in the game that begins at 6:10 PM at Tropicana Field.
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