ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- It wasn't Chad Fox, but it wasn't far off.
Invoking memories of the Red Sox' ill-fated bullpen-by-committee 15 years ago, the Red Sox bullpen suffered an ugly meltdown in the eighth inning, turning a 4-0 lead into a dispiriting 6-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Six outs away from an Opening Day shutout, Joe Kelly and Carson Smith combined to cough up six runs, thanks in no small part to four walks in the inning. Denard Span had a bases-loaded triple for the big blow.
In 2003, Fox lost the season opener on a walkoff, three-run homer by Carl Crawford in the ninth. That game, too, was also a 6-4 defeat in which the Red Sox also led 4-0.
The loss spoiled a brilliant effort by Chris Sale who allowed just one hit over six innings, striking out nine. At 92 pitches, he was lifted in favor of Matt Barnes who tossed a perfect seventh.
The Sox raced to a 3-0 lead in the second thanks to run-scoring double by Xander Bogaerts (three hits) and a two-run, inside-the-park homer by Eduardo Nunez -- the first by a Red Sox player on Opening Day in exactly 50 years.
Rafael Devers accounted for the only other run when he roped a double to right, scoring Bogaerts in the seventh.
WHO: Red Sox vs. Rays
WHEN: 4 p.m.
WHERE: Tropicana Field
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI 93.7 FM
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Chris Sale (2017: 17-8, 2.90) vs. RHP Chris Archer (2017: 10-12, 4.07)
BOX SCORE: MLB.com
LIVE COVERAGE FROM BEDARD (McAdam will be in the comments)
6:59: Bradley Jr. grounds out weakly second to first to end the game. FINAL: Rays 6, Red Sox 4.
6:57: Red Sox have life ... Nunez doubles to left field with two outs to bring the tying run to the plate.
6:54: Bogaerts lines out to leadoff. Devers grounds out to second on a nice pick by Miller.
6:52: Alex Colome in to, suddenly, close it out for the Rays.
6:46: Chopper over Smith by Hechavarria can't be converted by Bogaerts as the Rays plate another run and have now batted around in the eight. RUN: Rays 6, Red Sox 4.
Inning over, finally.
6:43: Span rips a triple down the right-field line on a full count, two-out pitch and the Rays have the lead. RUNS: Rays 5, Red Sox 4.
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
Eduardo Nunez with your run of the mill inside the park 2-run HR to put the Red Sox up 3-0 pic.twitter.com/Sw2QDMMVgT
— Boston Sports Info (@bostonsportsinf) March 29, 2018
First pitch
Kiermaier starts off 2018 with a bang pic.twitter.com/oIhH4Thfbk
— The Big Inning (@big_inning) March 29, 2018
- The Red Sox announced a slew of roster moves Thursday morning. LHP Bobby Poyner and RHP Marcus Walden were selected to the active major league roster. INF Marco Hernandez (shoulder) was placed on the 60-day DL. RHP Austin Maddox (shoulder) was placed on the 10-day DL 2B Dustin Pedroia (knee) was placed on the 10-day DL. RHP Tyler Thornburg (right shoulder) was placed on the 10-day DL.
- This is the 118th A.L. season opener for the Red Sox. They're 58-58-1 all-time and have won their last three openers. It also marks the 77th time they've opened on the road (34-41-1), having opened away from Fenway in 19 of the last 23 seasons.
- Thursday marks the first time since 2006 that someone other than Dustin Pedroia is the second baseman on Opening Day.
- Since 1981, Poyner becomes only the fourth Red Sox player to make an Opening Day roster without previously playing above Double A. The others: Shea Hillenbrand (2001), Jackie Bradley Jr. (2013), Ben Taylor (2017).
- Alex Cora said starter Chris Sale isn't on a particular pitch count today, despite it being his first outing, and first since being struck in the hip last Saturday. "Not really,'' said Cora. "We've still got to take care of him, but the game will dictate.''
- Cora got a little emotional talking about his major league debut and how it's being received in his native Puerto Rico. "For me to be here, we've got a lot of fans in the Northeast,'' said Cora, "but there's an island and they're very excited...I've gotten a lot of texts from back home. There's a lot of people that care and they're very happy for me. I know they'll be watching. They've been looking forward to this day for a while -- not only for what I mean to them, but my Dad was very important to a lot of people back home. He was the founder of the Little League chapter in my hometown (of Caguas) and for them to see me in this situation, they go back and think about him. They're very appreciative of what my family has done for them back home and to see me be successful and be on this stage is amazing for them. Not only for Caguas, but for Puerto Rico and everything we've been going through. We're not there yet, but at least today, it's one of those happy days for my island. You guys know how proud I am -- I'm a Puerto Rican and wherever I go, I represent my island with pride. Today, to have a Puerto Rican manager for a big league team, I know is very special for them.''
- LHP Drew Pomeranz threw Wednesday in Fort Myers and Eduardo Rodriguez threw 67 pitches Thursday morning.