ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Everything you need to know from the Red Sox’ 6-4 loss to the Rays in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:
HEADLINES
Bullpen blows it: The game was served up on a platter to the bullpen after Chris Sale (six one-hit innings) and Matt Barnes (1-2-3 seventh) handed them a clean 4-0 lead to start the eighth. But things got off to a rough start when Joe Kelly walked No. 8 hitter Daniel Robertson. After striking out Rob Refsnyder, Kelly allowed an RBI double to Matt Duffy and then back-to-back walks to load the bases and was lifted for Carson Smith. Smith walked in a run and then struck out Wilson Ramos to make it 4-2 with two outs and lefty Denard Span up. Alex Cora said he wouldn't put rookie left-hander Bobby Poyner in that situation, and Smith gave up a bases-clearing triple on a 3-2 count.
What a first hit as a Ray!! Denard Span spanks a 3-run triple in the bottom of the eighth to give the @RaysBaseball their first lead on #OpeningDay. Watch all of the action live now on FOX Sports Sun! #RaysUp #MLB pic.twitter.com/QT2MbKqMlJ
— FOX Sports Florida (@FOXSportsFL) March 29, 2018
Chris Sale impressive: The ace did walk three batters — he only did that only four times all of last season — but he allowed just one hit (a soft groundball between first and second by Adeiny Hechavarria in the second inning) and struck out nine in a tidy six innings and 92 pitches. At one point he retired nine-straight and finished by sitting down the final seven batters he faced in order. Wouldn't say he was completely on top of his game (he's been more filthy) but he was pretty darn good.
"He did an outstanding job," Cora said. "Coming from a short outing in spring training, he gives us six and a chance to win the ball game. I think his slider was a little bigger than usual."
Nunez touches them all: Eduardo Nunez hit a sinking liner to left-center field that appeared to be largely routine, but both Denard Span and Kevin Kiermaier didn't get good jumps and got caught in between. Neither could get a glove on it and Nunez wound up with an inside-the-park home run that gave the Red Sox a 2-0 lead.
TURNING POINT/SECOND GUESS
Ok, fine. So rookie left-hander Poyner wasn't an option due to his lack of experience — "We're not going to put him in a spot like that," Cora said. And the Red Sox, given his lack of work in spring training, didn't want to put Craig Kimbrel in the position to make a four-out save by putting him into the eighth inning.
"We feel he's ready but I don't think it's fair for him to come in a situation ... it's not a clean inning," Cora said. "It's something we map it out, we talked about it and we stick to it. ... I'm not going to change my mind because there's a lot of stuff going on out there."
But Cora should have lifted Kelly earlier. Kelly gave up a walk, strikeout, RBI double before he issued another walk to bring up righty Carlos Gomez. Instead of allowing Smith to face Gomez and righty-lefty-righty, he was forced to face lefty-righty-lefty. Cora said the decision to go with Kelly to start the inning was due to matchups, but that was long done by that point for a pitcher who clearly didn't have it.
Kimbrel declined to answer questions after the game.
THREE UP
Chris Sale: Gave the Red Sox everything they would want and he didn't even have his dominating stuff.
Xander Bogaerts: It's no secret Bogaerts struggled last season after suffering a hand injury, but it's clear he is very healthy to start this season. Bogaerts finished 3-for-4 with two well-hit doubles and two runs scored. He was aggressive and put good swings on the ball. A very good sign. "I felt good," he said. "I'm trying to contribute. I have a lot of good hitters behind me and ahead of me, hopefully, it makes me better, try to get on base as much as possible. ... I'm just trying to put the bat on the ball, wherever it goes, it goes. Just trying to have a good approach."
Eduardo Nunez: Had a two-run, inside-the-park home run on a sinking liner to left-center and kept the Red Sox alive with a one-out double to left in the ninth.
THREE DOWN
The bullpen: I think this goes without saying.
Hanley Ramirez/J.D. Martinez: The Red Sox 3-4 hitters each went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. Martinez walked in his first at-bat but from there on out his timing appeared to be off and his bat a tad slow. After going homerless in the spring, not a great start for the big free-agent signing but it's just one game.
Jackie Bradley Jr.: The streaky center fielder looked like he's starting the season with a cold spell as he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and ended the game with a weak groundball to second as the tying run.
TOP PLAYS
Mookie Betts swung the first pitch of the season and he was robbed the esteemed Kevin Kiermaier at the left-center field wall.
First pitch
Kiermaier starts off 2018 with a bang pic.twitter.com/oIhH4Thfbk
— The Big Inning (@big_inning) March 29, 2018
First homer of 2018, just the way you drew it up. ? pic.twitter.com/8QawD06uwe
— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 29, 2018
TWO TAKES BEDARD WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER
Cora made the right decision on Kimbrel: Yeah, the eighth inning was a disaster but the season is so long and Kimbrel barely had a spring training, so the smart move was to hold him for the ninth. Other guys have to do their job too. But we did have some issues with the way Cora handled the eighth.
Xander is going to have a monster season: He looks completely back to his Silver Slugger status. Yes, it's just the first game but his approach seems so much better than last season when he was struggling and guessing. Now he's letting the game come to him and he's swinging with authority.