Rays Blank Sox, Take Game 1 (10/7/21)

Well this sucks. After the emotional victory over the New York Yankees in the Wild Card one game playoff it seemed like the Boston Red Sox were heading to the playoffs with momentum. Instead they fell flat on their face as the 100 win Tampa Bay Rays showed why they dominated the Red Sox to win the AL East crown. Shane McClanahan tossed 5 shutout innings for the Rays and their vaunted bullpen held the Red Sox scoreless the rest of the way. Eduardo Rodriguez lasted just 1 2/3 innings while allowing 2 runs to put the Sox in a hole. Nick Pivetta was rocked for 3 runs in 4 2/3 innings as the Rays cruised. The Sox offense outhit the Rays 9 to 6 but not one of them in the clutch when it was desperately needed. Prognosticators and irate Yankee fans predict the Rays will win in three games and it looks like that may happen after the Sox dropped Game 1 by a score of 5-0 at Tropicana Field. How many runs did the Sox score Dean Wormer?

                                                         

McClanahan got the ball in the top of the first inning and Kike Hernandez struck out swinging to start. Kyle Schwarber got a base hit in the hole at second then took second on the strikeout swinging by Xander Bogaerts. Rafael Devers struck out swinging to end the inning. The Rays wasted no time getting to Rodriguez in the bottom of the first inning as Randy Arozarena walked to start. Wander Franco doubled home Arozarena to put the Rays up for good two batters into the game. Brandon Lowe flied out to right but Franco moved to third on the fly out to left by Nelson Cruz. Yandy Diaz singled home Franco but Jordan Luplow grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox down 2-0.

                                                            Rays take the lead

The Sox blew a rally in the top of the second as Hunter Renfroe singled to left to start. Lowe bobbled a routine grounder by Alex Verdugo and everyone was safe. The rally ended as Bobby Dalbec banged into a double play and Christian Vazquez lined out to center to end the inning. Old Sox prospect Manny Margot walked to start the bottom of the second but Mike Zunino flied out to center. Kevin Kiermaier struck out swinging and Sox manager Alex Cora decided that Rodriguez just didn't have it tonight. Rodriguez was falling behind on every batter and Cora felt Garrett Richards was a better option. Richards got Arozarena to ground out to short to end the inning.

                                                          Rodriguez doesn't last long

The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the third inning as Christian Arroyo grounded out to third to start. Hernandez grounded out to second and Schwarber also grounded out to second to end the inning. Nick Pivetta came in to get tagged in the bottom of the third although Franco struck out swinging to start. Lowe grounded out to second but Cruz hit a home run all the way to Jupiter to increase the lead. Diaz walked but Luplow struck out swinging to end the inning with the Rays up 3-0.

                                                         Cruz adds to the lead

Bogaerts grounded out to second to start the top of the fourth but Devers got a hit to left. Renfroe popped up to first but Verdugo singled to center. Needing a clutch hit...Dalbec grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Margot grounded back to the mound to start the top of the fourth but Zunino singled to right. Kiermaier grounded into a double play to end the inning.

The Sox did nothing in the top of the fifth as Vazquez flied out to right to start. Arroyo singled to left but Hernandez popped up to first. Schwarber grounded into a force to end the inning. The Yankees struck back in the bottom of the fifth when Arozarena hit a home run all the way to Brazil to increase the lead. Franco flied out to left, Lowe grounded out to second and Cruz flied out to right to end the inning with the Rays up 4-0.

                                                        Arozarena hits one out

JT Chargois came in for the top of the sixth with Joey Wendle taking the place of Luplow to start. Bogaerts singled to center but Devers flied out to center and Renfroe banged into a double play to end the inning. Pivetta cruised in the bottom of the sixth as Diaz lined out to right to start. Wendle struck out swinging and Margo also went down hacking to end the inning.

David Robertson came in to pitch the the top of the seventh as Verdugo grounded out to third to start. Dalbec flied out to right and Vazquez grounded out to short to end the inning. The Rays embarrassed the Sox in the bottom of the seventh as Zunino flied out to left to start. Kiermaier flied out to center but Arozarena walked. Franco doubled to left to chase Pivetta from the mound. Josh Taylor came in and paid so little attention to Arozarena that Randy stole home to light up the crowd. popped up to second to end the inning but the Sox looked silly letting Arozarena steal home, trailing 5-0.

                                                          Arozarena steals home

J.P. Feyereisen came in to pitch the top of the eighth and the Sox blew another rally. Arroyo got a base hit to right but Hernandez flied out to right. Schwarber and Bogaerts ripped back to back singles to load the bases but Devers struck out swinging. Renfroe popped up to first to end the inning and Boston's final rally. Adam Ottavino came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Cruz grounded out to second to start. Diaz grounded out to short and Wendle lined out to left to end the inning.

Feyereisen came back for the top of the ninth and Verdugo struck out swinging to start. Dalbec hit one up the elevator shaft and Vazquez flied out to right to end the game. The Rays had shut out the Sox and took Game 1 by a score of 5-0.

                                                              Sad Devers

Jackass of the Night is Nick Pivetta. Not that the Sox were going to do anything offensively anyway, but Pivetta turning a 2-0 game into 5-0 put the Sox in a hole they couldn't get out of

                                         "Yeah you're out, Jackass. Now beat it!" - Cora

The Good:

Kyle Schwarber was 2 for 4.

Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4.

Christian Arroyo was 2 for 3.

Adam Ottavino pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

The Bad:

Kike Hernandez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 4.

Christian Vazquez was 0 for 4.

Eduardo Rodriguez allowed 2 runs in just 1 2/3 innings.

Nick Pivetta was charged with 3 runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Josh Taylor allowed Arozarena to steal home.

The Ugly:

Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Hunter Renfroe was just 1 for 4.

Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.

Final Thoughts:

Not the start the Red Sox were looking for, that's for sure. After their beat down of the Yankees, the Sox weren't given much of a chance in this series and this game proved why. The Sox couldn't even get one run off the Rays vaunted pitching and their offense made Eduardo Rodriguez look silly. Not only that but Arozarena stealing home made the Sox look like they don't belong out there with the 100 win Rays. This has been a season of redemption for the Sox after they fell from grace in 2019 and crashed last year. Still, if the bats don't wake up this season is going to end sooner rather than later. Still, this isn't a one game playoff so the Sox still have at least two more games to right the ship before its too late. The Sox need to make a statement in Game 2 and Chris Sale will be starting for them. If the Sox have any hope of extending this series, Sale needs to bring his A game. The Rays will counter with Shane Baz and Game 2 begins tomorrow night at 7:05 PM at Tropicana Field.