All you need to know, in quickie form. about the Red Sox' win over the Rays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Sox grind one out: If this wasn't the strangest game of the season, it certainly is on a shortlist of candidates. The Red Sox led 5-2 by the third inning and batted around, sending nine men to the plate before their offense shut down and produced almost nothing for the next seven innings. Then, out of nowhere, the Sox scored four runs in the top of the 11th to post the win and expand their lead over the Rays in the American League East to a game and a half. There were all sorts of twists and turns to this one, including the 10th inning in which the Red Sox made two of three unforced outs on the bases. In that fateful 10th inning, they had the benefit of the automatic runner at second to open the inning, before collecting a single, a stolen base, an intentional walk, a stolen base and being the beneficiaries of a wild pitch -- and yet, amazingly, still failed to score even one run. At one point, Boston hitters were retired in 18 of 19 plate appearances. But they busted out in the 11th with a two-run "double'' from Rafael Devers -- doubtless, destined to undergo a scoring change in the near future, with an error charged to Tampa Bay first baseman Yandy Diaz -- and scored four times.
Rodriguez has a strange start: In an outing that seemed to typify his strange season, Eduardo Rodriguez was all over the place in his six innings of work. In the first inning, two errors and a walk helped lead to two unearned runs. He later surrendered a three-run homer to rookie sensation Wander Franco, who tied the game with one mighty swing. But in his four other innings, Rodriguez was much sharper, facing one batter over the minimum over the combined four frames. Before the game, Alex Cora noted that Rodriguez was more unlucky than anything else in his four previous starts and a winless streak that now dates back some six weeks. That was true of the first, where the Rays didn't hit the ball hard with two infield singles augmenting the two Sox infield errors. "All my pitches were working pretty good,'' said a satisfied Rodriguez. "The only mistake I made the whole game was the curveball to Franco that he hit out of the ballpark. After everything I've been through over the last six, seven, eight starts, this start feels really good.''
TURNING POINT
In the 10th inning, the Rays had the automatic runner at second (pinch-runner Brett Phillips) and Joey Wendle at first. Pinch-hitter Mike Zunino hit a chopper to third that Rafael Devers initially mishandled, forcing him to scramble into foul territory to recover the ball. Phillips should have been headed to third and may well have been safe had he hustled. But evidently forgetting there was a trail runner on first, Phillips went back to second base, making for an easy out for the Sox. Instead of (potentially) having the bases loaded and one out, needing only a fly ball to win the game, the Rays had two outs and first-and-second and the Sox were soon out of the inning.
TWO UP
Hunter Renfroe: Renfroe did a little bit of everything with a two-run homer, a run-scoring single in the 11th, two runs scored and an assist from the outfield.
Xander Bogaerts: The shortstop produced three hits and scored twice while also stealing a base.
ONE DOWN
Bobby Dalbec: The rookie first baseman, who had been far more productive at the plate of late, took a step backward with an 0-for-5 night that included four strikeouts.
QUOTE OF NOTE:
"For how weird it was, it was the way we wanted to play against these guys. We're not going to sit back against them.'' -- Alex Cora on his team's approach vs. Tampa Bay.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING:
* The victory was the 25th comeback win of the season for the Red Sox.
* J.D. Martinez extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
* Connor Wong became the first American League player to pinch-run in extra innings and score a run in his major league debut since Cal Ripken Jr. in 1981.
* The Red Sox improved to 18-8 vs. A.L. East opponents.
* The 60 RBI by Rafael Devers is the most for any Red Sox player in the first 73 games of a season since David Ortiz had 60 in 2016.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Rays continue their series Wednesday night at 7:10 p.m. with RHP Garrett Richards (4-4, 4.) vs. LHP Rich Hill (5-2, 3.64)