Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. Kevin Plawecki was removed from the Covid List and Connor Wong was optioned back to Worcester. We'll be seeing Wong in September if he doesn't get hurt by then. Least Plawecki is okay....for now.
As for the game, say good night to the 2022 Boston Red Sox. Needing big wins over the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays to keep pace in the AL East and wild card races.....they've fallen flat on their faces instead. This time it was Rays ace Shane McClanahan that did the damage, holding the Trevor Story-less offense to just one measly run in 6 1/3 dominant innings. Josh Winckowski (3-4, 4.38 ERA) tossed a solid game but was tagged for three runs in six innings. Jake Diekman allowed the huge insurance run in the seventh inning as the Sox bats were silenced by the Rays bullpen. The Rays have now taken the first three games of this four game set including this one 4-1 at Tropicana Field.
Live look at the Red Sox
Rays take the lead
How did HE hit one out?
Bogaerts got a hit?
Winckowski deserved better
McClanahan got the ball in the top of the first inning and Rob Refsnyder hit one up the elevator shaft to start. Rafael Devers and JD Martinez both grounded out to second to end the inning. Winckowski got the ball in the bottom of the first and Yandy Diaz grounded out to short to start. Ji-Man Choi took strike three and Harold Ramirez grounded out to short to end the inning.
Xander Bogaerts popped up to second to start the top of the second before Alex Verdugo struck out swinging. Christian Vazquez grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox haven't hit the ball out of the infield since Verdugo got picked off last night. Isaac Parades grounded out to first to start the bottom of the second and Jonathan Aranda lined out to second. Randy Arozarena walked but Taylor Walls grounded out to second to end the inning.
Bobby Dalbec finally hit a ball out of the infield but it was right to Josh Lowe to start the top of the third. Jeter Downs struck out swinging and Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox haven't had a baserunner since Verdugo got picked off last night. Josh Lowe walked to start the bottom of the third and Francisco Mejia got a base hit to left. Diaz beat out a double play ball and Choi got a base hit to center to score Lowe, putting the Rays up for good. Ramirez iced the game by blooping a single over the head of Downs to score Diaz. Parades lined out to right and Aranda struck out swinging to end the inning but the game was over 2-0.
The Sox boneheaded baserunning continued in the top of the fourth although Refsnyder struck out swinging to start. Devers managed to double to right but was foolishly thrown out at third trying to advance on a wild pitch. Martinez struck out swinging to end the inning. Arozarena grounded back to the mound to start the bottom of the fourth but the .167 hitting Walls hit a home run all the way to Sarasota to increase the lead. Lowe lined out to left and Mejia struck out swinging but the Rays led 3-0.
Somehow Bogaerts got a base hit off the glove of Diaz to start the top of the fifth and shockingly Verdugo got a base hit to center to move Xander to third. Naturally Christian Vazquez banged into a double play to score Bogaerts and Dalbec struck out on three pitches not even close to end the inning with the Sox hopelessly down 3-1.
Diaz struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth and Choi grounded out to second. Ramirez lined out to second to end the inning.
The Sox quit in the top of the sixth as Downs lined out to short to start. JBJ grounded out to short and Refsnyder struck out swinging again to end the inning. Parades took strike three to begin the bottom of the sixth and Aranda flied out to center. Arozarena grounded out to second to end the inning and Winckowski's night. Apart from one bad inning he hung in there to toss 6 solid innings and allowed just 3 runs, too bad he had no run support.
Devers flied out to left to start the top of the seventh and that was it for McClanahan after 6 1/3 dominating innings. Jason Adam came in and Martinez grounded out to second, but Bogaerts doubled to right. Bogaerts stole third but Verdugo grounded out to first to end the inning. Sox manager Alex Cora sent up the white flag by having Jake Diekman pitch the bottom of the seventh although Walls struck out swinging to start. Lowe walked but Mejia flied out to right. Diaz hit a seeing eye single to right and Refsnyder lollygagged the throw to third....and Lowe came all the way around to score on yet another mental error this series. Choi walked but Ramirez grounded out to third to end the inning with the Rays up 4-1.
Brett Phillips took over for Ramirez with Ryan Thompson now on the mound for the top of the eighth inning. Vazquez grounded out to short, Dalbec struck out swinging and Downs grounded out to short to end the inning. Phillips Valdez came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Parades grounded out to short to start. Aranda lined out to right and Arozarena walked. Walls grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Colin Poche came in to close out the top of the ninth and JBJ grounded out to third to start. Refsnyder got a base hit to third but Devers struck out swinging. Martinez popped up to short to end the game. The Rays had won it 4-1.
Jackass of the Night is JD Martinez. He was 0 for 4 with a strikeout and his offense was badly needed against McClanahan.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 3 with a stolen base and a run scored.
Alex Verdugo was 1 for 3.
Phillips Valdez tossed a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 3.
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Jeter Downs was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3.
Jake Diekman allowed a run in the 7th inning.
The Ugly:
Rob Refsnyder was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Josh Winckowski took the loss but tossed 6 solid innings and allowed just 3 runs.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox needed to make a statement against the AL East and they did...."I surrender!" They've played 10 games against the Rays and New York Yankees and have gone 3-7 so far. The bats were completely silenced by McClanahan and it ruined a good start by Winckowski who's been struggling since his callup. The bottom of the order is a bonifide black hole but the top of the order didn't do much in this one. Its a shame the season turned out the way it did so far because they looked to have found their footing in May and June but injuries decimated the rotation. The season is far from over but in terms of trying to win the AL East, a 15 game deficit with an injured rotation with 73 games left is too much for any team to overcome. Sox GM Chaim Bloom screwed up big time by spending 10 million on James Paxton knowing he probably wasn't going to pitch this season. The loss dropped the Sox to 47-42, 15.5 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to avoid the sweep tomorrow night when Kutter Crawford takes on Drew Rasmussen. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Tropicana Field.
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