Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. Kevin Plawecki was placed on the Covid List and Connor Wong was called up from Worcester to replace him. This marks the first time all three players the Sox got in the Mookie Betts trade are on the same roster.
As for the game, the Sox simply cannot beat AL East teams. It doesn't help the Sox are trudging out rookie pitchers that can't get it done like Brayan Bello, but the overall fact is the Sox cant get over the hump. The Tampa Bay Rays proved that by knocking out Bello and the Boston bullpen for 14 hits and 10 runs. The Sox bats rallied down 5-1 to tie the game 5-5 but the Rays kept coming. They rallied for 2 runs in the sixth and 3 in the eighth against Jake Diekman and Phillips Valdez. Just another sign the Sox can't compete this year as the Rays stomped them 10-5 at Tropicana Field.
Lowe puts the Rays up
Phillips keeps the Rays up for good
Matt Wisler got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jarren Duran struck out swinging to start. Christian Vazquez popped up to second and JD Martinez grounded out to third to end the inning. Bello got the ball in the bottom of the first and the Rays wasted no time pounding him. Yandy Diaz was plunked and Ji-Man Choi walked, but somehow Randy Arozarena struck out swinging. Jonathan Aranda got a base hit to right to load the bases and Josh Lowe effortlessly singled to center to score two runs to put the Rays up just 8 batters into the game. Francisco Mejia banged into a double play to end the inning with the score 2-0 Tampa.
Josh Fleming came in to pitch the top of the second and Xander Bogaerts doubled to right to begin. A wild pitch moved Xander to third and Verdugo hit a grounder to Choi who did nothing with it to score Bogaerts. Bret Phillips made an amazing catch to rob Trevor Story of a double and Franchy Cordero struck out swinging. Rob Refsnyder forced Verdugo at second to end the inning with the Sox down 2-1.
Bello got pounded in the top of the second inning as the .111 hitting Luke Raley walked on 6 pitches not even close to start. Taylor Walls lined out to left and Phillips took strike three, but Diaz doubled down the left field line to score Raley. Choi effortlessly got a base hit to left to score Diaz, Arozarena walked and Aranda easily got a base hit to right to score Choi. Somehow Lowe struck out swinging to end the inning with the Rays up 5-1.
The Sox rallied in the top of the third as Bobby Dalbec somehow drew a walk to start. Dalbec was forced at second by Duran but Vazquez doubled to left and Martinez cleared the bases with a double to left as well. Bogaerts walked to put the tying run on but Verdugo lined out to left and Story struck out swinging to end the rally with the Sox down 5-3.
Sox manager Alex Cora left Bello in to pitch the bottom of the third and Mejia doubled to right to start. Raley struck out swinging but Walls dropped down a bunt to catch the Sox asleep only for the alert Vazquez to throw him out at first with no advancement. Phillips flied out to left to end the inning.
The Sox struck again in the top of the fourth although Cordero struck out swinging to start. Refsnyder got a base hit to center and moved to second on the grounder to second by Dalbec. Duran got a base hit to left to score Refsnyder but was thrown out at second trying to stretch a double to end the inning with the Sox down 5-4.
Bello trudged out for the bottom of the fourth and Diaz got a base hit to left to start. Choi struck out swinging and Arozarena banged into a double play to end the inning. That was it for Bello who recovered to end his day allowing 5 runs in just 4 innings. Not good enough at all.
The Sox rallied against Luke Bard in the top of the fifth although Vazquez lined out to right to start. Martinez doubled to right and Bogaerts ripped a base hit to right to score JD to tie the game. Verdugo singled to left and both runners pulled off a double steal...but Story grounded out to third. Naturally Cordero earned the hat trick by striking out swinging to end the inning with the game tied 5-5.
Austin Davis came in to pitch the bottom of the fifth and Aranda struck out swinging to start. Lowe struck out swinging but Mejia singled to right. Raley grounded out to first to end the inning.
Refsnyder tried to start a rally by walking to start the top of the sixth but Dalbec lined out to second. Duran forced Refsnyder at second and got thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning....but wait, Sox manager Alex Cora challenged that Duran was safe. Umps ruled Duran was safe but Vazquez struck out swinging to end the inning. That's six men left on base to this point. Jake Diekman came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and guess what he did? Hit Walls with a pitch to put the first guy on AGAIN! Phillips would have walked but swung at ball four and lined out to left. Diaz effortlessly pounded a double to left to score Walls to put the Rays up for good. That was it for Diekman as Kaleb Ort came in with Harold Ramirez pinch hitting for Choi. Of course Ramirez ripped a base hit to right to score Diaz to ice the game. Ramirez was thrown out at second trying to steal and Arozarena grounded out to short to end the inning with the game all but over 7-5.
The Sox quit in the top of the seventh as Martinez flied out to right to start. Bogaerts flied out to left and Verdugo lined out to center to end the inning. Phillips Valdez came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Aranda flied out to center to start. Lowe grounded back to the mound and Mejia popped up to short to end the inning.
Yu Chang came in for Aranda with Colin Poche now on to pitch the top of the eighth. Story grounded out to third, Cordero earned the golden sombrero by striking out swinging and Refsnyder flied out to right to end the inning. Valdez returned for the bottom of the eighth and got his lunch handed to him. Raley hit a routine grounder to Dalbec who kicked the ball over to first for an error although Walls forced Raley at second. Phillips got a base hit to right to move Walls to third and Diaz hit a sac fly to right to score Walls. Ramirez singled to center, Arozarena singled to right and Chang singled to left to score Ramirez. Lowe flied out to center to end the inning with the Rays up 10-5.
Mercifully Jason Adam put an end to the torture in the top of the ninth. Dalbec, Duran and Vazquez all struck out swinging to end the game. The Rays had won it 10-5.
Rays win
Jackass Diekman
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a stolen base.
Austin Davis pitched a scoreless fifth inning.
Jackass of the Night is Jake Diekman. He allowed the go-ahead runs to score in the sixth inning.
The Good:
JD Martinez was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis and a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 3 with a walk, rbi, stolen base and a run scored.
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a stolen base.
Rob Refsnyder was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Austin Davis pitched a scoreless fifth inning.
The Bad:
Trevor Story was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Franchy Cordero earned the golden sombrero by going 0 for 4 with 4 strikeouts.
Brayan Bello got lit up for 5 runs in just 4 innings. He allowed 7 hits and 3 walks.
Phillips Valdez allowed 3 runs in 2 innings.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts but stole a base, drove in a run and scored a run.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Kaleb Ort allowed an inherited runner to score in 2/3 of an inning.
Final Thoughts:
Bello clearly isn't ready for the big time yet but the only reason he's here is 4 out of the 5 starters are out with injuries. He was thrown right in the fire and was told to sink or swim....and he sank. Still, even when he was gone the bullpen allowed 5 more runs. The Sox might have been able to come back if the bullpen did their job. Its just a sign of the times that the Sox can't compete with the AL East. They've yet to win a series this year and we're a week out from the all-star break. Things need to change and fast or else they'll be sellers at the deadline. Bogaerts, Devers, Martinez, Eovaldi and Vazquez are free agents at the end of the year and we could be seeing the last of them unless they can start beating teams in their own division. The loss dropped the Sox to 47-40, 14.5 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to rebound tomorrow night against the Rays when Chris Sale makes his long awaited season debut against Corey Kluber of Tampa. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Tropicana Field.
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