Snell got the ball in the top of the first and Mookie Betts greeted him by popping up to first. Andrew Benintendi grounded out to second and Hanley Ramirez whiffed to end the inning. Price came out for the bottom of the first and Matt Duffy grounded out to firat to begin. Kevin Kiermaier grounded back to the mound and Carlos Gomez was rung up for strike three to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the second as JD Martinez flied out to the right field wall, Xander Bogaerts flied out to left and Rafael Devers struck out in a high fastball to end the inning. Price began the bottom of the second by getting CJ Cron to pop up to second. Wilson Ramos flied out to a running Betts in right and Brad Miller flied out to center to end the inning.
Once again the Sox failed to score in the top of the third. Eduardo Nunez popped up to short and Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to second. Christian Vazquez somehow lined a base hit but was thrown out trying to steal to end the inning. NOTHING has changed from last year, they still cant hit and still run into outs. Price came back for the bottom of the third and froze Adeiny Hechavarria for strike 3 to begin. Daniel Robertson flied out to left and Rob Refsnyder whiffed to end the inning. The game was 40 minutes in and already done with the third inning.
The Sox mustered nothing in the top of the fourth as Betts flied out to the left field wall. Benny The Kid grounded out to short but somehow Ramirez singled. Martinez miraculously drew a walk but Bogaerts flied out to left to end the inning. Price ran into trouble in the bottom of the fourth although Duffy grounded out to third to start. Kiermaier singled but Gomez hit one up the elevator shaft. Cron singled to left but Ramos flied out to right to end the inning.
Snell was unhittable in the top of the fifth as Devers flied out to the right field wall, Nunez was thrown out on a squibber in front of the mound and JBJ popped up to third to end the inning. The Rays got the leadoff man on in the bottom of the fifth as Miller sliced a single to left but was erased on the Hechavarria force. Robertson banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox failed to score in the top of the sixth as Vazquez lined out to a running Gomez in right. Betts somehow walked but Benny The Kid flied out to left. The Sox played hit and run as Ramirez blooped a single to right and Betts made it to third. That was it for Snell as Rays manager Kevin Cash came out with the quick hook after 5 2/3 shutout innings. Chaz Roe came in and Martinez froze on a 3-2 curve right down the middle to end the inning, some clutch hitter huh? The Rays also had trouble being clutch against Price in the bottom of the sixth as Refsnyder was frozen on a cutter on the outside corner to start. Price froze Duffy as well before Kiermaier lined out to left to end the inning. 6 innings, 3 hits and 5 k's for Price.
The Sox somehow scored in the top of the seventh as Bogaerts doubled off the left field wall to start. That was it for Roe as Cash lifted him for lefty Jose Alvarado. Devers hit a seeing eye single up the middle that scored Bogaerts with the game's first run. Nunez hit a high chopper that Miller fielder but nobody covered the bag and Eduardo slid into first safely for a hit. Unfortunately Nunez was kicked in the face as he slid, causing the trainer to sprint out of the dugout like a madman to check on him. Nunez stayed in the game as JBJ botched the bunt attempt before banging into a double play. Vazquez whiffed on a pitch that bounced in the dirt to end the inning. Absolutely pathetic offense but somehow the Sox led 1-0.
Price had one last good inning in the bottom of the seventh. Devers dropped a pop up by Gomez down the left field line but Carlos popped up the next one to center. Cron also popped up to center then Ramos singled up the middle. Miller popped up to left to end the inning. 7 innings, 4 hits and no runs allowed by Price. He was outstanding.
Matt Andriese cruised in the top of the eighth as Betts grounded out to short, Benintendi popped up in foul terrirory to third and Ramirez whiffed badly to end the inning. Matt Barnes came in after Price tossed 76 pitches and froze Hechavarria for strike three to begin. Dernard Span pinch hit for Robertson and walked. Joey Wendle pinch hit for Refsnyder and lined out to third. Duffy popped up to first to end the inning.
Span and Wendle remained in the game in the top of the ninth as Martinez led off by grounding out to short to begin. Bogaerts resumed his quest to set a major league record for doubles with one to center, moving to third on the groundout by Devers. Nunez swung at a pitch in the dirt that was flubbed at home, Nunez made a mad dash to first....OUT! Oh wait, Sox manager Alex Cora challenged that Bogaerts had crossed home plate but in record time, the umps said no dice. Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel was brought in to lock down the first win of the year for the Sox. Mitch Moreland took over at first as Kiermaier whiffed to start. Kimbrel caught Gomez looking for strike three and blew away Cron to end the game. The Sox had won it by the skin of their teeth 1-0.
Hero of the Night is David Price. He tossed 7 shut-out innings, scattering 4hits while striking out 5.
The Good:
Hanley Ramirez was 2 for 4.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Christian Vazquez was 1 for 3.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Craig Kimbrel earned his first save of the season by striking out the side in the 9th inning.
The Bad:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 4.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 3 but walked.
JD Martinez was 0 for 3 but walked.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 but drove a run.
Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 4.
Honorable Mention:
Mitch Moreland played first base in the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Well that was a win shades of 2017. Once again the incompetent Red Sox offense failed to produce time and time again while the pitching was lights out. The Tampa Bay Rays offense is terrible and so far both Price and Chris Sale have looked outstanding. A few insane fans have already written off JD Martinez as a bust but apart from Xander Bogaerts, the entire team hasn't done much the first two games. Matt Barnes has looked good the first two games but other relievers need to earn Cora's trust or else he's going to burn out just like Junichi Tazawa would. Still, whether its 1-0 or 10-0 every win counts and this was a win. Fans don't have to like Price but they have to respect the effort tonight. Tomorrow evening the Sox look to take the three game set with Rick Porcello set to make his season debut against.....not a damn a clue. Tampa's scheduled starter was supposed to be Chaz Roe but since he was used tonight, nobody knows who's pitching. Either way the game starts at 6:00 PM at Tropicana Field.
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