All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 11-1 loss to the Rays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
A Tale of Two Teams: It's not an accident the Rays are 6-2 against the Red Sox and, dating back to last season, 13-3 over the last 16. Those aren't fluky results or the result of a small sample size. The Rays are better, deeper, more athletic and superior in virtually every way. While the Red Sox out a succession of rookies and journeyman to the mound, the Rays counter with hard-throwing pitchers who successfully repeat their deliveries, attack hitters and stick a game plan. "Their pitching is outstanding,'' said Ron Roenicke. "Their starters are good, their relievers are good. And that puts you in an elite class and that's why they are where they are.'' The Tampa lineup may not have the big names that the Red Sox boast and may not be able to match the Sox when it comes to power, but the Rays battle every at-bat and have a roster full of versatile players who can play multiple positions. "They don't give up any at-bats,'' Roenicke. "They get on base, they steal, they're very heads up on the bases. So they do a lot of things that allow them to win games.''
Hall Over His Head: When we last saw Matt Hall on Sunday, he was walking the ballpark against Toronto, issuing four passes and allowing six runs over 1.2 innings. He was optioned back to the alternate training site the next day, but with a rash of injuries to the pitching staff in recent days, was recalled. When starter Andrew Triggs complained of a pinched nerve in his neck after the first inning, Roenicke thought it was a good spot for Hall to face an all lefty-lineup. Wrong. Hall was shelled for four runs on six hits over 2.1 innings, walking two more. Hall has now made four appearances for the Red Sox this year. His totals are as follows: 8.2 innings pitched; 17 hits, 18 earned runs, 10 walks and nine strikeouts, good for an ERA of 18.69. The Sox believe that Hall possesses a quality curveball. The problem is, he can't locate it down in the strike zone and too often leaves it up where it can be pasted all over the ballpark. Even allowing for the shortage of healthy arms, there's really no reason to give Hall any more appearances over the final two weeks of the season as he's proven he can't be competitive at the major league level.
TURNING POINT
The Rays led 2-0 in the fourth and had two runners on when Austin Meadows shot a double to the right-center gap, scoring both runners and doubling the Rays' lead. The way Snell was pitching, that proved too big an obstacle -- even with five innings left to play.
TWO UP
Jackie Bradley Jr.: Bradley continued to enjoy solid at-bats, twice lining opposite-field doubles -- both of then against left-handed pitchers.
Bobby Dalbec: Dalbec saw his streak of consecutive games with homers come to an end at five, but he had two hits -- a single and double -- and knocked in the only run of the night for the Sox.
TWO DOWN
Robinson Leyer: Leyer faced five batters in the seventh, and after striking out the first hitter, allowed the next four to score.
Christian Vazquez: He had one hit in four at-bats, but it was a rough night all around. He was caught stealing, allowed three stolen bases, failed to handle a throw to the plate and hit into an inning-ending double play with two on.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"We had some good at-bats against him, but this is an elite pitcher. And it shows. We've been swinging the bat really well and then you come against this guy and things are different.'' Ron Roenicke on Blake Snell.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- For all their issues this season, the Red Sox have yet to be shut out through 42 games.
- Xander Bogaerts extended his hitting streak to six games.
- Domingo Tapia became the 27th pitcher to appear in a game by the Red Sox and 25th to appear in relief.
- The Rays became the first team in the modern era to field a starting lineup of all natural left-handed hitters.