ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Hoping for a sweep of their weekend series here, the Red Sox bats were silenced by the Tampa Bay Rays, managing just three hits in a 3-2 defeat.
The Sox were without a hit – and had just one baserunner – through five innings. In the sixth, Brock Holt drew a leadoff walk against Rays starter Jake Odorizzi. Jackie Bradley Jr. then cranked a two-run shot into the seats in right to tie the game at 2-2.
But the tie didn’t last long. After Eduardo Rodriguez set down the first two hitters in the bottom of the inning, Jesus Sucre homered deep to left.
The Rays had nicked Rodriguez for solo runs in the first and fifth. In the first, a fielding error by Rafael Devers – his third in as many games – opened the door for the first run. Even Longoria singled home a run with the bases loaded on an infield hit to short in the fifth.
David Price, pitching for the first time since July 22, make his first regular season relief appearance in seven years and retired all six hitters he faced over two innings, needing 21 pitches while recording two strikeouts.
GAME NO.: 149
WHO: Red Sox (85-63) vs Tampa Bay Rays (72-77)
WHEN: 1:10 p.m.
WHERE: Tropicana Field
TV: NESN
RADIO: WEEI (93.7 FM)
PITCHERS: Eduardo Rodriguez (5-5, 4.19) vs. Jake Odorizzi (8-8, 4.52)
BOX SCORE: MLB Gameday
SERIES TO DATE: This represents the final game of the series and the final meeting of the season between the teams. The Red Sox have won the first two and own an 11-7 edge in the season series to date. A win today would give the Sox a sweep for the second straight time at Tropicana Field.
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
- Eduardo Rodriguez did well to minimize the damage in the first inning. The Sox made two errors behind Rodriguez, the most damaging of which was a bobble by third baseman Rafael Devers, leading to an unearned run. The Rays had a run, runners at the corners and no out, but Rodriguez kept the baserunners in place and limited the Rays to just one. For someone who has a history of big innings in the early going sometimes getting away from him, it was a positive sign.
- Devers is in the middle of a defensive slump, with the first-inning flub marking his third in as many games in this series and the fourth in the last seven games. A number of these have come on relatively routine plays and many are plain sloppy. But it's a concern with the post-season approaching and the prospect of routine outs not being converted when every play is magnified.
- Mookie Betts left the game in bottom of the fifth, replaced by Rajai Davis in right field. Betts has a right thumb contusion, presumably the result of a mini-collision with Tampa Bay first baseman Lucas Duda in the fourth. His removal from the game was likely a precautionary move, but for hitters, thumbs are tricky things and can linger, affecting grip and swing.