It was a good game between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays tonight and the Sox came out on the right end of it. Tyler Glasnow of the Rays came out throwing smoke and held the Sox to just 1 run in 6 innings. Martin Perez allowed 3 runs in just 5 plus innings to put the Sox in a hole. The Sox chipped away with a run in the eigth and a home run by Christian Vazquez in the ninth to tie it up. The Rays scored in the top of the eleventh but the Sox answered in the bottom of the frame. The Rays took the lead again in the top of the 12th but Alex Verdugo was plunked on an 0-2 count and JD Martinez doubled over the head of Randy Arozarena to score both runners. The Sox had come from behind to win it 6-5 in 12 innings.
Perez got the ball in the top of the first and Yandy Diaz flied out to center on the first pitch. Randy Arozarena went down hacking but Mike Brosseau hit a ground rule double into the right field stands. Manny Margot flied out to left to end the inning.
The Sox looked to get to Glasnow early when Christian Arroyo led the bottom of the first off with a double down the third base line. Unfortunately Alex Verdugo went down swinging and JD Martinez could only advance Arroyo to third on a grounder. Luckily Glasnow spiked a curveball in the dirt and Arroyo made a mad dash home to give the Sox the lead. Xander Bogaerts took strike three to end the inning but it was 1-0 Boston.
Brandon Lowe grounded out to first to start the top of the second before Willy Adames flied out to center. Francisco Mejia grounded out to short to end the inning. The Red Sox did nothing in the bottom of the second inning as Rafael Devers grounded out to first to start. Christian Vazquez grounded out to third and Marwin Gonzalez took strike three to end the inning.
The Rays struck back in the top of the third although Kevin Padlo struck out swinging to start. Mike Zunino singled to left, Diaz walked and Arozarena singled to left to load the bases. Somehow Brosseau lined out to short but Margot beat the shift with a base hit to right to score both Zunino and Diaz to put the Rays ahead. Lowe was hit with a pitch to reload the bases but Adames took strike three on the inside corner to end the inning with the Rays up 2-1.
The Sox tried to fight back in the bottom of the third although Hunter Renfroe flied out to right to start. Franchy Cordero doubled off the Monster but Arroyo almost broke his back on a check swing strike three down and away. Verdugo grounded out to short to end the inning.
Mejia lined one off Perez for a base hit to open the top of the fourth but Padlo flied out to left. Zunino popped up to third and Diaz took strike three to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fourth as Martinez flied out to right to start. Bogaerts lashed a base hit to center but Devers went down hacking. Vazquez worked a walk and both runners pulled off a double steal, but Gonzalez took strike three to end the inning.
Perez returned for the top of the fifth and Arozarena was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to start. Brosseau flied out to center and Margot took strike three to end the inning. Glasnow dominated the bottom of the fifth as Renfroe popped up to first to start. Cordero and Arroyo both went down hacking to end the inning. 83 pitches through 5 for Glasnow.
Perez was chased early in the top of the sixth as Lowe walked to start. That was it for Perez as he allowed 3 runs in 5 innings of work.
Austin Brice came in and Adames singled to center. Lowe made it to third but Adames was thrown out at second trying to stretch a double. Mejia popped up to second but Joey Wendle pinch hit for Padlo and naturally hit a roller up the middle to score Lowe with the insurance run. Zunino flied out to right to end the inning but it was 3-1 Rays.
The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the sixth as Verdugo lined out to left to start. Martinez hit one up the elevator shaft but Bogaerts walked. Devers lined a base hit to right to move Bogaerts to third but Vazquez struck out swinging to end the inning.
Hiro Sawamura came in for the top of the seventh and Diaz popped up to first to start. Arozarena was plunked and Austin Meadows pinch hit for Brosseau, drawing a walk. Cordero then made a great jumping catch up against the Monster to rob Margot and double off Arozarena to end the inning.
Cody Reed came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Gonzalez grounded out to second to start. Renfroe doubled to right and Kike Hernandez pinch hit for Cordero. Hernandez struck out swinging and that was it for Reed. Pete Fairbanks came in and struck out Arroyo swinging to end the inning.
Darwinzon Hernandez came in for the top of the eighth and walked Lowe to start. Devers dropped a line drive by Adames but nailed at second and Adames was thrown out trying to steal. Mejia walked but Wendle struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the eighth as Verdugo doubled over the head of Arozarena to start. Martinez also doubled past Arozarena to score Verdugo. The rally ended as Bogaerts struck out swinging and Martinez forgot how many outs there were when he was doubled off second on a line drive to center by Devers to end the inning. The Sox were still down 3-2.
Matt Barnes came in for the top of the ninth and Zunino went down hacking to start. Diaz grounded out to third and Arozarena struck out swinging to end the inning. Diego Castillo came in for the bottom of the ninth and Vazquez extended the game with a solo home run to tie up the game. Gonzalez grounded out to second, Renfroe struck out swinging and Hernandez went down hacking to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Barnes returned for the top of the tenth and Arozarena started the inning at second base. Meadows popped up to third to start and Margot struck out swinging. Lowe struck out to end the inning. The Sox had a chance to win in the bottom of the tenth with Andrew Kittredge now on the mound and Hernandez starting at second. Arroyo screwed up the bunt twice but did manage to get Hernandez to third with a grounder to second. Verdugo was intentionally walked to put runners at the corners but all Martinez could do was ground out to second, moving Verdugo to second. Once again with the game on the line, Bogaerts struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Rays took the lead in the top of the eleventh with Tanner Houck on the mound. Lowe started the inning at second and Adames effortlessly doubled him home to put the Rays up. Mejia moved Adames over to third with a sacrifice bunt but Wendle struck out swinging. Zunino struck out swinging to end the inning but it was 4-3 Rays.
Jeffrey Springs came on to close out the game with Bogaerts starting at second base. Devers wasted no time and drove Bogaerts home with a base hit to left to tie the game. Vazquez flied out to center and Gonzalez lined out to right to chase Springs. Ryan Thompson came in and got Renfroe to force Devers at second to end the inning with the game tied 4-4.
The Rays struck again in the top of the 12th inning with Phillips Valdez on the mound and Zunino at second. Diaz lined out to right but a wild pitch moved Zunino to third. Zunino scored on the groundout by Arozarena to give the Rays the lead. Meadows grounded out to short to end the inning but the Rays were up 5-4.
Thompson came back to close out the bottom of the 12th with Renfroe at second to start. Hernandez grounded out to third and Arroyo lined out to left, but Verdugo was drilled in the hip to give Martinez a chance. A wild pitch moved both runners over and JD hit one over the head of Arozarena to score both runners, THE RED SOX WIN 6-5 IN 12 INNINGS!!!
Hero of the Night is JD Martinez. His 2 out, 2 run double won the game in the bottom of the 12th inning.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 2 for 5 with an rbi.
Franchy Cordero was 1 for 2.
Darwinzon Hernandez pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Hiro Sawamura pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Matt Barnes pitched two scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Marwin Gonzalez was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
Kike Hernandez was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Tanner Houck gave up a run in the top of the eleventh inning.
The Ugly:
Christian Arroyo was just 1 for 6 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but scored a run.
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but was hit with a pitch, walked and scored 2 runs.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but walked and scored a run.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and hit the game tying home run.
Hunter Renfroe was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Martin Perez lasted just 5 innings and was charged with 3 runs.
Austin Brice allowed an inherited runner to score in an inning of work.
Phillips Valdez vultured the win by allowing a run in the top of the 12th inning.
Final Thoughts:
In the immortal words of Mr. America, "What a game!". This game was even more impressive for the Red Sox than last night's game. This one they were down but refused to quit again and again. They were down 3-1 but managed to tie it up. They were down again twice in extra innings and came back to win it. This is the kind of balls that hasn't been seen much in the last two years. Martinez has his "in-game video" back and sure enough, he's morphed back into the player he was in 2018-19. Kudos to Verdugo for taking one for the team to set up Martinez' game winner. Perez didn't look that bad in his outing and its not really Houck or Valdez' fault that have to start the inning with a runner on second. Barnes and Sawamura looked damn good and if Garrett Whitlock is anything special, this could turn into a reliable bullpen to shorten games considerably. As bad as the Sox looked against Baltimore, they've looked that much better against the Rays. Tomorrow afternoon the Sox look for the series sweep when they send Nathan Eovaldi (0-1, 1.69 ERA) out against Ryan Yarbrough of the Rays. The game begins on Youtube at 1:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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