Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a bevy of roster moves. Kutter Crawford, Jack Lopez and John Schreiber was sent back to Worcester as the Sox called up 28 year old former Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Michael Feliz. Josh Taylor was also removed from the Covid List and the Sox brought back an old friend. Today the Sox signed none other than former 2013 Red Sox player Jose Iglesias. Iglesias was traded at the deadline back in 2013 for Jake Peavy and Iglesias still made it to the ALCS that year with the Detroit Tigers. First they brought back Travis Shaw and now Iglesias, almost time for Clay Buchholz to make the big comeback.
OUT
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As for the game, the Sox are in deep doo doo now. The Tampa Bay Rays have arguably the better pitching staff but the Red Sox prided themselves on having the better offense. The Rays pretty much stomped out the Sox' AL East hope and the notion the offense is better with a 19 hit, 11 run attack. Chris Sale got no help from his defense as the Sox committed three errors throughout the game. Sale was charged with 5 runs but only 1 was earned before Sale was knocked out in the fourth inning. The sad part was the Sox broke out early against Ryan Yarbrough to take a 7-1 lead but the four run fourth by the Rays put Tampa back in the game. The Rays scored runs in every inning after the sixth to tie the game and Sox manager Alex Cora let Garrett Whitlock (7-3, 1.86 ERA) blow the save and the game. The Sox managed to score 10 runs of their own but the two run tenth inning proved to be too much as the Rays iced the AL East with an 11-10 win in 10 innings at Fenway Park.
A microcosm of today's game
Sale got the ball in the top of the first and Randy Arozarena struck out swinging to start. Wander Franco tripled into the right field corner and scored on the Nelson Cruz single to center. Yandy Diaz beat out a roller to third but Jordan Luplow struck out swinging. Manny Margot also beat out a roller to third to load the bases but Austin Meadows struck out swinging to end the inning with the Rays up 1-0.
Cruz puts Tampa on top
The Sox answered against Yarbrough in the bottom of the first as Taylor Motter grounded back to the mound to start. Kyle Schwarber singled to center and Hunter Renfroe singled to left to move Kyle to third. JD Martinez singled to center to score Schwarber to tie the game but Rafael Devers struck out swinging. Bobby Dalbec walked to load the bases but Alex Verdugo lined back to Yarbrough to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Martinez ties it up
Francisco Mejia grounded back to the mound to start the top of the second before Taylor Walls flied out to right. Arozarena struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox exploded in the bottom of the second as Christian Vazquez singled to left to start. Jonathan Arauz popped up to left but Motter doubled to left to score Vazquez. Schwarber was hit with a pitch and Renfroe doubled to left to score Motter. Martinez was intentionally walked for some inane reason and Devers ripped a base hit to center to score Schwarber. Dalbec doubled off the Monster to score Schwarber and Renfroe and Verdugo hit a sac fly to center to score Devers. Vazquez grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-1.
Motter starts the scoring
Franco singled to left to start the top of the third before Cruz struck out swinging. Diaz flied out to right but Luplow drew a walk. Margot struck out swinging to end the inning. Yarbrough had to come out of the game and Shawn Armstrong came in to pitch the bottom of the third. Arauz grounded out to short, Motter struck out swinging and Schwarber took strike three to end the inning.
The Rays rallied in the top of the fourth as Meadows flied out to center to start. Mejia flied out to left and all Sale needed was one more out and the game was essentially over. It didn't happen as Walls beat out a roller, Arozarena singled to right and Franco singled to right to load the bases. Cruz hit a routine pop up to Verdugo...WHO DROPPED IT! Not only did all three runners score, Cruz made it all the way around as well to put Tampa back in the game. Diaz and Luplow both singled down the third base line and that was it for Sale. Rather than finish the inning, Sale was pulled after 3 2/3 innings and 5 runs allowed. Garrett Ricards came in to face Margot and Manny lined out to center to end the inning with the Rays down 7-5.
"Thanks a lot, Verdugo" - Sale
Renfroe lined out to third to start the bottom of the fourth before Martinez grounded out to second. Devers singled to center and Dalbec flied out to right to end the inning.
Meadows grounded out to short to start the top of the fifth before Mejia flied out to right. Walls struck out swinging to end the inning. Adam Conley came in to pitch the bottom of the fifth and Verdugo struck out swinging to start. Vazquez struck out swinging and Arauz popped up to Conley to end the inning.
The Rays got another run in the top of the sixth as Arozarena took strike three to start. Franco singled to center but Cruz struck out swinging. Diaz singled to right and Luplow singled to left to score Franco. Margot grounded out to third to end the inning with the Rays down 7-6.
Luplow drives in a run
JT Chargois came in to pitch with Joey Wendle in the game for Luplow to begin the bottom of the sixth. Motter tripled to left to start and Schwarber walked to put runners at the corners. Renfroe ripped a base hit to left to score Motter but Martinez banged into a double play. Devers was intentionally walked to put runners at the corners but Dalbec forced Devers at second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-6.
Motter scores a run
The Rays answered in the top of the seventh with Josh Taylor now on the mound. Meadows flied out to left but Mike Zunino pinch hit for Mejia and doubled to left. Zunino moved to third on the Walls grounder to short and Sox manager Alex Cora wanted Adam Ottavino to face Arozarena. Naturally Arozarena got a base hit to center to score Zunino. Franco lined out to short to end the inning with the Rays down 8-7.
Rays inch closer
The Sox got to JP Feyereisen in the bottom of the seventh as Verdugo grounded out to third to start. Vazquez flied out to center but Arauz pounded his third home run of the year to increase the lead. Motter struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 9-7.
Home run Arauz
Jose Iglesias returned after an 8 year absence to take over for Motter to start the top of the eighth. Cruz hit a home run all the way to Charlotte, North Carolina to cut the lead but Diaz struck out swinging. Austin Davis came in to face Wendle and got him to ground out to short. Margot flied out to center to end the inning with the Rays down 9-8.
Cruz launches one
David Robertson came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Schwarber took strike three to start. Renfroe walked but Martinez and Devers both struck out swinging to end the inning.
Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock came in to close out the top of the ninth and immediately Verdugo misplayed a ball hit by Meadows for an inside the park home run. Zunino and Walls both struck out swinging before Arozarena grounded out to third to end the inning with the game tied 9-9.
So much for that lead
Kevin Kiermaier came in for Meadows with Colin McHugh taking over on the mound for the bottom of the ninth. Travis Shaw pinch hit for Dalbec and pounded a ground rule double into the left field seats. Verdugo was intentionally walked and Franchy Cordero pinch ran for Shaw. The Sox blew it as Vazquez hit one up the elevator shaft and Arauz grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Arozarena started at second base in the top of the tenth and Franco was retired on a squibber to start. Cruz ripped a base hit to right to score Arozarena with the go-ahead run and Brandon Lowe pinch hit for Diaz. Lowe got a base hit to right and Renfroe turned and threw the ball into the bullpen for an error to score Cruz. That was it for Whitlock as Stephen Gonsalves came in to face Wendle. Joey walked but was forced at second by Margo. Kiermaier forced wendle at second to end the inning with the Rays up 11-9.
Lowe with the decisive blow
Arauz started the bottom of the tenth at second and moved to third on a balk. Iglesias ripped a base hit to right to score Arauz and put the tying run at first. Schwarber struck out swinging but Renfroe reached on an error. Martinez lined out to right but Devers walked to load the bases. For some reason Cora wanted ice cold Kevin Plawecki to pinch hit for Cordero and Kevin grounded out to short to end the game. The Rays had won it 11-10.
Rays win
Jackass of The Night is Garrett Whitlock. He came in with a 9-8 lead and left trailing 11-9 by allowing three runs.
Jackass Whitlock
The Good:
Taylor Motter was 2 for 5 with an rbi and 2 runs scored.
Jose Iglesias singled and drove in a run.
Hunter Renfroe was 3 for 5 with a walk, 2 rbis and a run scored.
Kyle Schwarber got a base hit, a walk, was hit with a pitch and scored two runs.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 4 with 2 walks, an rbi and a run scored.
Travis Shaw singled as a pinch hitter.
Austin Davis tossed 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
Stephen Gonsalves tossed 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
The Bad:
Kevin Plawecki was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Chris Sale allowed 5 runs (1 earned) in just 3 2/3 innings. He allowed 10 hits and a walk while striking out six.
Josh Taylor was charged with a run in 2/3 of an inning.
Adam Ottavino was charged with a run in 2/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
JD Martinez was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but walked, drove in a run and scored a run.
Alex Verdugo was 0 for 3 with a strikeout and an error but walked.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Jonathan Arauz was just 1 for 5 but the one hit was a home run, he also scored 2 total runs.
Garrett Richards allowed a run in 2 1/3 innings.
Honorable Mention:
Franchy Cordero ran for Shaw in the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
It doesn't matter what the situation is, the Rays ALWAYS seem to find ways to win. The Rays had lost their starter after two innings and trailed 7-1 to Chris Sale.....and still found a way to win. The Verdugo error was the catalyst as there's no chance in hell Tampa comes back if the play is made. The error kept the game close and gave Tampa hope to win. Naturally, they did. It should be noted after Sale left the game the Sox bullpen allowed SIX runs. Sox manager Alex Cora burning the A-Team out by July sent the Sox on a path of destruction they couldn't recover from. The Rays needed a clutch hit and got it inning after inning until getting the big one from Lowe that turned out to be the difference in the game. The worst part was the Sox offense did everything right, scoring 10 runs in the game and getting clutch hits of their own. Its unfair to blame Plawecki after sitting on the bench ice cold for 10 innings and come up in a do or die situation. The defense was awful, the pitching was awful and the Rays simply wanted it more. All you can do is tip your cap to Tampa and come back fighting tomorrow. The loss drops the Sox to 79-61, 9 games behind the Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to rebound against the Rays tomorrow night when Eduardo Rodriguez (11-7) takes on Drew Rasmussen of the Rays. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
