With their season less than tw0 weeks old, the Red Sox already have their second four-game losing streak.
The Red Sox grabbed a quick 1-0 lead in the second inning, but watched as the Tampa Bay Rays countered with five unanswered runs for a 5-1 victory at Tropicana Field.
Nathan Eovaldi was cruising for the first three innings, but a strange fourth for the Rays resulted in two runs and they added another two in the fifth.
The Sox managed just one hits from the fourth inning until the eighth before loading the bases with three straight one-out singles in the top of the ninth. But both Jose Peraza and Andrew Benintendi took called third strikes to strand three baserunners.
WHO: Red Sox (3-7) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (4-6)
WHEN: 6;40 p.m.
WHERE: Tropicana Field
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Nathan Eovladi (1-0, 2.45) vs. RHP Charlie Morton (0-1, 8.00)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI 93.7 FM
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Benintendi LF
Devers 3B
Martinez DH
Bogaerts SS
Moreland 1B
Vazquez C
Verdugo RF
Bradley CF
Peraza 2B
RAYS
Meadows LF
Lowe 2B
Diaz DH
Choi 1B
Tsutsugo 3B
Wendle SS
Renfroe RF
Kiermaier CF
Perez C
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
9:25 After his best game of the season Sunday night in New York, it's been a rough night for Xander Bogaerts. In each of his last three at-bats, he's come to the plate with runners on base, including twice with multiple runners on. And each time, Bogaerts has fanned for the final out of the inning.
8:58 Boston bats have gone into hibernation after a strong start -- just one hit over the last four innings.
8:44 Red Sox pitchers aren't not doing a good job of keeping baserunners in check. That's three stolen bases in the last two games and Red Sox catchers haven't had a chance.
8:17 Strange play all the way around. Austin Meadows triples to right, and with no out, the Rays' third base coach sent Michael Perez, who slides in just ahead of the relay throw.
8:01 A couple of tough breaks for Eovaldi there. He had Yoshi Tsutsugo struck out, but the home plate umpire called it a ball. Then, after a single by Joey Wendle, Hunter Renfroe hit a ball that got lost when the rings at Tropicana Field, costing Eovaldi a sure pop foul out. Then, Renfroe doubled to right-center, scoring two runs.
7:58 Breaking: this ballpark is a joke.
7:54 This is the best Eovaldi has looked in his first three starts -- an overpowering fastball that he's able to spot anywhere, making the rest of his pitches that much tougher.
7:41 Terrific catch by Bradley, who raced in and made a diving catch to save a run. Bradley always goes back on balls well, but that seems like it's third of fourth time this year that Bradley has come in for an outstanding shoestring catch.
7:25 J.D. Martinez with a ground rule double to left, which cost the Sox a run. Jose Peraza would have scored, but had to hold at third.
7:14 Jackie Bradley Jr. appeared to mistime his leap in CF, as Joey Wendle drives a triple over his head.
7:01 Mitch Moreland loves hitting at the Trop. He's hit seven in his last 12 games there. Turns on a curveball running down and in and clears the wall in RF.
6:45 Through 11 games, only once have the Red Sox scored in the first inning.
PRE-GAME NOTES:
- Third base coach Carlos Febles got an "inconclusive'' COVID-19 test in New York Sunday night and didn't travel with the team to Florida. He returned to Boston and will be tested again Wednesday. The Red Sox believe he isn't positive, but are taking all the necessary precautions. Infield coach Ramon Vazquez will coach third base for the two games at Tropicana Field.
- Infielder Bobby Dalbec is part of the Red Sox three-man taxi-squad in St. Petersburg, joining catcher Jett Bandy and pitcher Mike Shawaryn. "We're just trying to figure out what we would need if something did happen,'' said Ron Roenicke. "We feel like we have everything covered. We feel like we have plenty of outfielders; we didn't need an outfielder. We didn't really need a middle infielder because we have (Tzu-Wei) Lin and (Jonathan) Arauz, so I think it worked out well with Bobby. He can cover first and third and obviously, he's a power bat if something did comer up. He's swinging the bat better all the time. It's still hard to tell because there aren't real games that they're playing, so we just get reports on how he does and hopefully that translates, if we need to, good at-bats in the game.''
- With an off-day Monday and another on Thursday, Roenicke has the luxury of being aggressive over the next two games with his bullpen usage, but he doesn't want to overdo it. ''We can be aggressive, but I still have to be careful,'' he said. "I still don't like to pitch guys too much where we have a problem and we shut them down. I think it's critical in this season that we stay away from the IL list, because it's one sixth of a our season. So I'm trying to make sure that we get these guys enough interest and we won't have an issue. I'd I have to give them a today of, I feel better than if I kept pitching them and maybe they have to go on the 10 day IL. But certainly with the two games here, we can be more aggressive.
- LHP Josh Taylor threw an inning in a simulated game at McCoy Stadium. "IT went well today,' Roenicke said. "We'll give him two days off, then he'll throw again and then he'll be on an every other day (schedule). SO maybe another four outings and we feel like he may be ready.''
- LHP Darwinzon Hernandez was also schedule to throw in Pawtucket, but the team intends to stretch him out further so that he's available for multiple innings when he comes up.
- Roenicke said Martin Perez, who will start Wednesday, displayed far better command in his second start than he did in his first, especially when it came to his changeup. ''The stuff was maybe about the same,'' Roenicke said, "but command was way better. He used his off-speed pitches really well and threw them in the zone and threw a lot more strikes.''