All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' loss to the Rays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
This time, blame the offense: In each of the three previous losses, most of the blame could be placed on the pitching staff as the starters gave up at least six runs in all three defeats. Nick Pivetta wasn't faultless Sunday night, but in allowing three runs in 4.2 innings, he at least kept the Sox in the game and gave the team a chance. That's more than can be said for the offense, which stranded 10 baserunners and didn't produce a single base hit with a runner on base until the ninth inning, with a stretch of futility that ran to 0-for-16 before their fortunes changed in the ninth. The Sox fought to the end, with the tying run at third and the potential go-ahead run at first with two outs in the ninth. But J.D. Martinez, who had a brutal series at the plate, took an off-balance swing and flied out to right for the final out, stranding both runners. That continued a series-long pattern, where the Sox went just 3-for-18 with RISP and stranded a total of 26 baserunners in the three losses at the Trop.
Free swinging approach costly: The Red Sox chase more pitches out of the strike zone than any other team in the game. It doesn't always hurt them, as they're among the handful of best offensive clubs in the game. But on Sunday night, it crushed them. The Sox routinely went out of the strike zone, playing right into the hands of Rays starter Shane McClanahan, whose approach centers on getting hitters to swing at pitches that aren't strikes. In all, the Sox swung and missed at 15 pitches out of the zone, too often putting themselves in 0-and-2 counts. Also, in nine innings, the Red Sox worked exactly one walk, continuing another season-long pattern which had them ranked ninth in the American League in that category. Alex Cora noted postgame that the Red Sox have to do a better job of controlling the strike zone. Then again, he's harped on that message for most of the season, to little effect. Most nights, the Sox are good enough that it doesn't matter,. On Sunday night, it very much mattered.
Defense stands out: One thing that did improve for the Sox was their defense. On Saturday, two costly errors by Jonathan Arauz contributed to an unearned run. On Sunday, by contrast, the team's glovework was stellar, especially in the eighth inning. First, Rafael Devers picked up a slow roller and threw to first nab Brendan Lowe, with Bobby Dalbec making a nice pick of a low throw. Next, Martinez raced to the left field line and slid to make a backhand catch on a sinking liner by Austin Meadows. Finally, after Nelson Cruz singled into the right field corner, he foolishly tried to stretch it to a double, only to be thrown out by a strong throw from Hunter Renfroe.
TURNING POINT
In the the third inning, Nick Pivetta recorded two quick outs. But he then issued a four-pitch walk to free-swinging catcher Mike Zunino, the Rays' No. 9 hitter. Pivetta then compounded things by hanging a two-strike slider to Brendan Lowe, who had demonstrated during the at-bat that he couldn't catch up to Pivetta's fastball. Those two runs represented most of the offense for the Tampa Bay lineup and they happened in a hurry when it seemed like Pivetta should have gotten himself out of the inning.
TWO UP
Garrett Whitlock: As the Sox have come to expect, Whitlock provided two scoreless innings in relief and lowed his ERA for the season to microscopic 1.21.
Rafael Devers: Devers chipped in with two hits and is now 9-for-19 as part of his current five-game hitting streak.
ONE DOWN
Kevin Plawecki: Given an opportunity to contribute from the DH spot, Plawecki instead was hitless in four trips to the plate.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"I don't think there's room for panic right now.'' Nick Pivetta.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The sweep was the first suffered in a series for the Sox since the first series of the season.
* After the Red Sox won the first four head-to-head meetings with the Rays this year, Tampa Bay has now won the last five.
* Garrett Whitlock recorded his 19th scoreless appearance of the season of more than an inning.
* J.D. Martinez finished the series with one hit in 14 at-bats.
UP NEXT: The Red Sox are off Monday before resuming their road trip Tuesday in Detroit at 7:10 p.m. It will be RHP Garrett Richards (6-6, 5.15) vs. RHP Willy Peralta (3-2, 3.64)