As for the game, this might be the worst Boston Red Sox season when all is said and done. If the Sox fall behind at all or allow more than three runs, they don't win. Case in point, the Sox took a 1-0 lead on Nick Martinez and the Tampa Bay Rays only for the Rays to rally for 3 runs against Sox starter Payton Tolle (3-3, 2.70 ERA) in the bottom of the fourth. The Rays got a fourth run in the bottom of the sixth and at that point, the Sox haven't won a game all season when trailing after 8 innings or by multiple runs. Then the Sox rallied with 3 straight hits to start the top of the eighth to pull within a run. Kevin Kelly came in and snuffed out the Sox rally with 3 straight outs. Bryan Baker slammed the door in the ninth inning easily and the Rays had sent the Sox to their third straight loss with a 4-3 victory at Tropicana Field.
Dr. Grace hates failed rallies
Martinez got the ball in the top of the first inning and Duran flied out to center to start. Ceddanne Rafaela popped up to first and Wilyer Abreu popped up to short to end the inning. Tolle got the ball in the bottom of the first and Yandy Diaz got a base hit to right to start. Junior Caminero doubled to center but Chandler Simpson hit a bullet to Caleb Durbin who doubled off Diaz at third. Tolle dropped a pop up by Ryan Vilade for an error and Vilade made him pay with a base hit inside the bag at first to move Caminero to third. A passed ball moved Vilade to second but Austin Slater grounded out to short to end the inning.
Willson Contreras struck out swinging to start the top of the second and Masataka Yoshida grounded out to second. Mickey Gasper popped up to short to end the inning. Cedric Mullins popped up to third to start the bottom of the second and Ben Williamson grounded back to the mound. Nick Fortes flied out to right to end the inning.
Durbin lined out to left to start the top of the third but Isiah Kiner-Falefa doubled to left. Marcelo Mayer grounded out to short to move Kiner to third and Duran got a base hit to center to score Isiah. Rafaela flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Richie Palacios struck out swinging to start the bottom of the third and Diaz flied out to right. Caminero struck out swinging to end the inning.
Williamson made a great catch to rob Abreu of a base hit to start the top of the fourth and Contreras grounded out to second. Yoshida lined out to left to end the inning. The Rays struck back in the bottom of the fourth as Simpson's bunt attempt was snuffed out by Gasper to start. Vilade doubled to left but Slater popped up to third. Mullins got a base hit to right to score Vilade and took second on the throw. Williamson doubled to left to score Mullins and Fortes did the same to ice the game. Palacios grounded out to second to end the inning with the game already over 3-1 Rays.
Gasper flied out to right to start the top of the fifth and Durbin lined out to left. Kiner also lined out to left to end the inning. Diaz walked to start the bottom of the fifth and Caminero flied out to left. Simpson took strike three and Vilade lined out to center to end the inning.
Simpson made a good running catch to rob Mayer of a hit to start the top of the sixth and Duran struck out swinging. Rafaela grounded out to second to end the inning. Slater grounded out to short to start the bottom of the sixth and Mullins popped up to short. Williamson got a base hit in the hole at short and Fortes was hit with a pitch. Palacios got a base hit to center to score Williamson. Diaz flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox down 4-1. That was it for Tolle who gave up 4 runs off 9 hits and a walk in 6 innings of work.
Abreu doubled to center to start the top of the seventh but Contreras popped up to first. Yoshida grounded out to first to move Abreu to third and Gasper flied out to right to end the inning. Tommy Kahnle came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Caminero grounded out to second to start. Simpson struck out swinging but Vilade singled to left. Slater beat out a roller to third but Vilade got caught in a rundown to end the inning.
The Sox somehow rallied in the top of the eighth as Durbin got a base hit to left to start. Kiner got a base hit to center and Mayer somehow doubled to right to score both runners. With the tying run at second, Kevin Kelly came in to face Duran. Jarren grounded out to first to move Mayer to third but Rafaela grounded out to second. Abreu grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox still down 4-3.
Mayer comes through
Garrett Whitlock came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth as Mullins took strike three to start...only for Gasper to muff the ball allowing Cedric to reach. Williamson hit a bullet to Rafaela who threw out Mullins at first. Fortes got a base hit to right but Palacios grounded out to first to end the inning.
Taylor Walls took over at second with Bryan Baker on to start the top of the ninth. Contreras popped up to second, Yoshida grounded out to first and Gasper grounded out to first to end the game. The Rays had won it 4-3.
Rays win
Nice going, Jackass
Jackass of The Night is Ceddanne Rafaela. He was 0 for 4 and left the tying run on third in the top of the eighth.
The Good:
Chad Durbin was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa was 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored.
Marcelo Mayer was 1 for 3 with 2 rbis.
Tommy Kahnle pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Garrett Whitlock pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Willson Contreras was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Masataka Yoshida was 0 for 4.
Mickey Gasper was 0 for 4.
Payton Tolle took the loss by allowing 4 runs in 6 innings off 9 hits and a walk.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Wilyer Abreu was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
This team can't win if they're down by 3 or in the ninth. That's the most embarrassing part of this miserable season is how gutless they are. They've had a historically bad offense all season with Roman Anthony, Trevor Story, Jarren Duran, Carlos Narvaez, Caleb Durbin and Marcelo Mayer all underperforming. Now with Anthony and Story out, the offense didn't really get any better. Rumors are swirling that the Sox are going to be sellers at the deadline and Sonny Gray, Aroldis Chapman and Willson Contreras are as good as gone. At this point, its hard to argue selling because what they're doing didn't work. You can't blame Sox GM Craig Breslow for injuries, but relying on too many second year players is biting them big time. The worst part is there's still 97 games remaining in the season to go. The loss dropped the Sox to 27-38, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox look to avoid a sweep tomorrow afternoon against the Rays when Jake Bennett (1-1) takes on Drew Rasmussen of Tampa Bay. The game begins at 1:10 PM at Tropicana Field.
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