Twice in the early going, the Red Sox held three-run leads Monday night. They didn't last.
The Tampa Bay Rays outscored the Red Sox 7-3 over the final six innings and held on for an 8-7 decision in a game that featured 28 hits and 12 pitchers and lasted nearly four and a half hours.
The Rays beat up the Red Sox bullpen in the middle innings, scoring two in the fourth, one in the fifth, another in the sixth and two more in the seventh.
The Sox got a two-run single from Jonathan Arauz (three hits, including his first in the big leagues) in the bottom of the eighth, but with the potential tying run on third, Kevin Pillar hit into a forceout to end the threat.
The Rays left 13 runners on base.
WHO: Red Sox (6-9) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (8-8)
WHEN: 7:35 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
SEASON SERIES: 1-1
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Ryan Brasier (0-0, 9.00) vs. LHP Ryan Yarbrough (0-2, 3.78)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI 93 FM
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Pillar RF
Verdugo LF
Martinez 3B
Bogaerts SS
Chavis 1B
Plawecki C
Peraza 2B
Bradley CF
Arauz 3B
RAYS
Meadows LF
Lowe 2B
Cruz DH
Choi 1B
Wendle SS
Tsutsugo 3B
Margot RF
Kiermaier CF
Perez C
11:30 What a night for Arauz. Smacks a single to center, scoring two and bringing the Red Sox to within a run in the eighth. His third hit of the night and was robbed of his fourth by Kiermaier's diving catch in the second.
10:26 On the ninth pitch of the at-bat, Kiermaier laces a double to left, scoring two. No idea why Springs was left in so long. No idea at all.
10:17 Other than Christian Vazquez and Mitch Moreland, Roenicke doesn't have much of a bench to call upon tonight. Rafael Devers may be unavailable with an ankle sprain and it's hard to see Andrew Benintendi getting an at-bat.
10:08 Back and forth they go. After falling behind in the top of the inning, the Red Sox take just two batters to tie it up - a leadoff Wall double by Chavis and an oppo single just inside the right field line by Kevin Plawecki.
9:41 Red Sox lose a chance to bust the game open as Xander Bogaerts hits into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play with the bases loaded.
9:25 Not even Kiermaier could spoil that one -- line single into CF for the first career hit for Arauz. You could hear his teammates in the dugout cheering as he ran to first base.
9:19 Walks have been an issue for the Red Sox bullpen tonight -- two for Brewer and now two for Walden, the second of which leads to his exit. Runners at the corners for Jeffrey Springs.
9:12 Joey Wendle triples to center, scoring Yandy Diaz and the Red Sox three-run lead has been erased.
9:06 Marcus Walden takes over for Brewer, and for the third straight inning, the Rays put the leadoff man on base.
8:54 Nicely executed relay from Alex Verdugo to Xander Bogaerts to Kevin Plawecki and Michael Perez is cut down at the plate -- with help from replay review.
8:50 Have to feel badly for Brewer this inning -- an error and two soft bloop hits into the outfield, and the Rays have two runs.
8:44 That's five errors on the season for Jose Peraza -- three at second, two at third. In shallow RF with the shift, bobbled a ball hit right at him.
8:34 J.D. Martinez snaps out in a big way, homering over everything in left. First homer of the year makes it 4-1 Red SOx.
8:12 Pro tip for Jonathan Arauz -- if you're looking for your first major league hit, you'd be best served to hit to someone other than Kevin Kiermaier. Fly ball to the warning track in center is tracked down by Kiermaier.
7:57 When the Sox scored their third run, it marked the first time this year that they had scored that many in the first inning this season.
7:53 It looked like Joey Wendle had a play at the plate on a chopper by Michael Chavis, but went to first for the sure out as the second Red Sox run of the inning scores.
7:50 Wall double by Xander Bogaerts scores Alex Verdugo from second and sends J.D. Martinez to third. That's just the fourth first-inning run the Red Sox have scored this season.
PRE-GAME NOTES
- LHP Brian Johnson asked for and was granted his release from the Red Sox organization. "He just felt like he wanted an opportunity,'' said Ron Roenicke. "Sometimes you need to go other places to have a better opportunity. So he asked for his release. Chaim (Bloom) did not want to keep from an opportunity to get back to the big leagues, although we would like to have him here for depth, but that's the decision that Brian wanted.'' Johnson was waived off the 40-man roster last winter and appeared poised to make the Opening Day roster as a back-end starter, but instead was sent to the alternate training site. Johnson was off the 40-man roster and out of options, both of which worked against him in terms of getting a look in Boston.
- Rafael Devers, who homered Sunday, sparking hope that he was busting out of a lengthy slump, was out of the lineup Monday night after injuring his ankle in the game. "He jumped at the first base bag and his ankle is a little iffy today,'' said Roenicke. "The trainers are working on him. He may be available tonight, later. But right now, that's why he's not in there.''
- In place of Devers, Jonathan Arauz was at third, still in search of his first major league hit. "The first four at-bats were great,'' said Roenicke. "He had a chance to get a hit on all four of them, squared up all of them. His last game in Tampa wasn't so great, but also, great pitching and they really pitched him tough. He was really disappointed after the last game and he wants to get that first big league hit. He's pretty calm and relaxed in most everything he does, as you can see. But we're very confident in what he can do. He definitely doesn't look like a guy that spent most of the time in (Single) A ball last year.''
- RHP Dylan Covey is stretched out, having thrown five innings in Pawtucket and could be in the mix for Thursday.
- LHP Martin Perez will pitch against Tampa Bay for the second time in a week when he starts Tuesday. The Rays were one of the teams interested in signing Perez last winter. "They had a couple of conversations with my agent,'' said Perez. "I just decided to sign with the Red Sox because when I was growing up, I was looking at all the time. Pitching at Fenway and for Red Sox fans is very special. It's something that was a dream for me. Having a chance to sign here and throwing the ball in a Red Sox uniform is pretty amazing.''
- C Kevin Plawecki said a big reason the Sox have pitched better in the last week is improved confidence. "I think the confidence level, along with getting some of those (better) results, has definitely played a big part as well. You get the guys rolling and start getting that confidence on the mound, you're definitely going to see those better results and you're going to see that swagger on the mound.''