After going seven innings without scoring, the Red Sox erupted for four runs in the top of the 11th and scored a big win in the first game of a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays, 9-5.
Rafael Devers drilled a two-run double between the legs of Yandy Diaz and Hunter Renfroe (single) and Kike Hernandez (sac fly) added to the lead.
The extra-inning rally came an inning after the Red Sox saw a run cut down at the plate on a wild pitch and the inning end with a strike-'em-out-throw-'em-out double play.
The win gave the Red Sox a 1.5 game lead over the second-place Rays.
WHO: Red Sox (43-29) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (43-30)
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Tropicana Field
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: BOS 3-0
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (5-4, 6.21) vs. RHP Andrew Kittredge (5-1, 1.34)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI-FM 93.7 FM
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Santana CF
Verdugo LF
Martinez DH
Bogaerts SS
Devers 3B
Renfroe RF
Vazquez C
Hernandez 2B
Dalbec 1B
RAYS
Diaz 1B
Franco 2B
Meadows DH
Arozarena LF
Margot RF
Mejia C
Lowe 3B
Walls SS
Kiermaier CF
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
T11: Another strange one as the Red Sox score two on what was (generously) scored a double by Devers -- a ball through the legs of Yandy Diaz -- and scored another on a single to RF from Renfroe.
T10: What a bizarre inning. Red Sox get a runner (Dalbec) cut down at the plate, and the inning ends on a strikeout-throw-out double play.
B8: Strong showing by Adam Ottavino, who works his way out of a first-and-second, no-out jam with a lineout, popup and strikeout.
T7: Red Sox offense has been throttled. Their last hit came in the third inning and the Tampa bullpen has retired 13 straight.
B5: In an instant, a three-run lead disappears for the Red Sox as rookie sensation Wander Franco goes down and hooks a slider for a three-run homer.
B3: After a rocky first inning -- most of which was not his doing -- Rodriguez has settled into a nice groove, having retired six of the last seven. Not an easy thing to take the mound after sitting nearly 40 minutes during a drawn-out top of the third for the Sox.
T3: Renfroe connects on a fat changeup and hammers it out to left and the Red Sox extend their lead to 5-2. Ninth homer for Renfroe
T3: J.D. Martinez continues his mastery of Yarbrough -- and extends his hitting streak to 11 games -- with a double down the left field line, scoring two and tying the game.
B2: Yandy Diaz gets a little too aggressive on the bases and is gunned down at third trying to stretch a double by Hunter Renfroe with a relay from Bogaerts.
B1: Second error of the inning -- this one, on a wild throw by Bogaerts -- allows two runs to score. Although in defense of Bogaerts, Kike Hernandez should have handled that bounced throw.
B1: Eduardo Rodriguez in trouble right from the start, with an error by Devers and a walk to Wander Franco.
T1: Red Sox have missed on some hanging breaking balls in the top of the first. Xander Bogaerts laced a single, but it seemed like he could have done more with that pitch from Andrew Kittredge, and now Rafael Devers pulls one foul from Ryan Yarbrough.
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox dropped a three-game series in KC (1-2), but are 11-6 in their last 17 games. The Sox are 14 games above .500, one shy of their season high (42-27 and 43-28)....The Sox will close out the season’s first half by playing 19 games in 20 days...Today begins a stretch of 16 consecutive days with a game, including a West Coast trip to play the A’s and Angels ...The Red Sox have begun three consecutive days in first place in the AL East, following a 26-day stretch in second place...They are 17-5 in their last 22 games vs. AL East teams (5-0-2 in their last 7 series). The Red Sox have won each of their last four games against the Rays and are 3-0 in 2021...Only six of the Sox’ first 106 games are against the Rays; from July 30-Sept. 8, 13 of the Sox’ 36 games (36.1%) will be vs. Tampa Bay...During their three-game sweep of the Rays from April 5-7, the Sox recorded a +17 run differential (26-9), batted .339 with a .903 OPS, posted a 2.10 ERA and .194 opponent AVG, committed no errors, and allowed no HR...Since August 2017, the Sox are 6-2-2 in their last 10 series at Tropicana Field (18-13 in games)...The Red Sox are 3-2 on their 10-day, 8-game road trip to play ATL (2-0), KC (1-2), and TB (3 G)...he Sox are an MLB-best 23-12 (.657) on the road, having won seven of their last nine games away from Boston...They are 20-17 (.541) at Fenway Park, the AL East’s second-best home record (TB, 19-14).....he Red Sox have homered in each of their last five games on this road trip...The Sox are an MLB-best 38-4 (.905) when scoring four or more runs, 33-3 when scoring five or more runs, 28-1 when scoring six or more runs, and 21-0 when scoring seven or more runs....The Red Sox lead the majors with 24 come-from-behind wins this season...The largest lead they have relinquished in a loss is two runs, done only five times....The Sox lead the AL in runs scored with 2 outs (158). The Sox lead MLB in 2-strike RBI (148), 20 more than any other team (SF-128)...Rafael Devers (27) and Xander Bogaerts (23) rank first and tied for second respectively in two-strike RBI. With RISP & two outs, the Sox lead the majors in AVG (.281), slugging percentage (.503), OPS (.872), and HR (tied, 14). The Sox are 20-11 (.645) in games decided by one or two runs, MLB’s second-best record behind CLE (21-10)...Red Sox relievers rank fifth in the AL in ERA (3.77)...They have an MLB-high six pitchers with 20 or more appearances and a sub-3.50 ERA. Josh Taylor has made 19 consecutive scoreless appearances (15.0 IP), the longest active streak in MLB and the longest streak by an AL pitcher in 2021. Among AL closers, Matt Barnes ranks first in strikeout % (48.2), FIP (1.67), WHIP (0.78), opponent OPS (.480), and FanGraphs’ WAR (1.5)....Eduardo Rodriguez went 5-0 with a 3.82 ERA and .260 opponent AVG over his first 6 starts (33.0 IP, 33-for-127, 14 ER), but is 0-4 with an 8.55 ERA and .331 opponent AVG over his last seven outings (33.2 IP, 47-for-142, 32 ER). The Sox have won his last three starts (3 no-decisions). Rodriguez is winless over his last seven starts, the third-longest streak of his career. Yandy Diaz is 4-for-7 lifetime against Rodriguez while Brandon Lowe is 3-for-6 with two homers....Bobby Dalbec has hit safely in four straight games (8-for-16, 3B, HR) and in his last nine games is 13-for-34 (.382),with three HR, two triples and a double...Has 26 RBI in his last 32 games and in June, leads the Sox in SLG (.554) and is tied for the team lead in HR (four), ranking second in OPS (.854)....J.D. Martinez has hit in 10 straight (12-for-42, double, two triples, two homers and a walk) He owns the longest active hitting streak in the AL..This is his longest hitting streak this season, longest since a 12-gamer in August 2019. His streak is tied for the longest by a Sox player this season (Renfroe, 5/26-6/6). Martinez is 3-for-8 in his career against Kittredge while Bogaerts is 2-for-8 with a homer.
NEWS:
* The Red Sox placed catcher Kevin Plawecki (hamstring) on the 10-day IL and recalled C Connor Wong. Manager Alex Cora said Wong will make his first start Sunday against the Yankees. "I do believe the people who saw him last year and the people who were working with him this year are very comfortable (with him at the major league level); I'm very comfortable. There's a calm behind the plate. He's a good athlete. He controlled the strike zone in his at-bats in spring training. We're very pleased with his progress. We like the player. We know what he can do.''
* INF Christian Arroyo, who suffered a bone contusion below his knee in Sunday's loss in Kansas City, is day-to-day. The Red Sox will not use him Tuesday night. With Wong having some infield experience in his pro career, he could see some duty there in the next day or two if the Sox need help off the bench. "Hopefully, he'll be available (Wednesday),'' said Cora of Arroyo. "He'll get treatment the whole day and we'll see how he is.''
* Cora believes Eduardo Rodriguez "stuff-wise, is in a better place now'' compared to the first month and needs "to make in-game adjustments -- when to use the fastball, when to go to the changeup, recognize the adjustment of the opponent. That's something we haven't been able to do.''
* Cora believes the inspections currently taking place with pitchers will curb the foreign substance problem. "I don't think you're going to put yourself in a situation to get suspended - now, next week, in a month or August or September. I don't think pitchers are going to do that. They're just going to pitch, make adjustments if they have to make adjustments, and keep moving forward.''