All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox’ 8-4 loss to the Rays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
When it rains …
The setting might have changed, but the Red Sox followed the same frustrating script that has plummeted the club for weeks on Tuesday night — with missed opportunities at the plate and a crumbling bullpen leading to a frustrating 8-4 loss to the Rays.
With Eduardo Rodriguez dealing on the mound and Hunter Renfroe giving the Sox some life with a three-run bomb in the fourth — it looked as though the Sox were ready to exorcise some of the demons that have scuttled them in the AL East race and snap a stretch that saw Boston drop 9 out of its last 11 games.
But after failing to land a knockout punch in the fifth inning when J.D. Martinez flew out to deep center with the bases loaded, things completely unraveled.
Given new life after escaping that bases-loaded jam, Tampa knocked Rodriguez out of the game in the top of the sixth having thrown just 82 pitches — with an RBI single from Wander Franco making it a 4-2 game.
Hirokazu Sawamura managed to get out of the jam in the sixth, but one of the few beacons of hope over the last few weeks in Garrett Whitlock labored in the following frame — giving up two runs in 1.2 innings of work as Tampa Bay knotted things up at 4-4.
And in the ninth, Matt Barnes failed to correct the issues that doomed him twice in a pair of frustrating, late-inning losses to the Blue Jays over the weekend — loading the bases before coughing up a bases-clearing single to Francisco Mejia that put Tampa Bay ahead for good.
Just a few hours ago, it sure seemed like the Sox were in the process of finally turning the page from this sordid stretch of play. And now, Boston finds itself back at square one — struggling to tread water against a Rays team that’s looking to bury one rival further down in the standings.
TURNING POINT
After Renfroe’s three-run bomb with two out in the fourth gave Boston some breathing room, it looked as though some of Boston’s struggles with runners in scoring position were ready to finally dissipate.
Hunter Renfroe's showing off the power. pic.twitter.com/oZqJ9m9e9T
— MLB (@MLB) August 11, 2021
Well, such optimism lasted for an inning at least. Boston was primed to add to their lead in the bottom of the fifth after Franchy Cordero singled to left, Kike Hernandez walked and a Jarren Duran groundout put runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out.
Unfortunately, Boston could not cash in, with Xander Bogaerts flying out to shallow left field — keeping Cordero at third. After Rafael Devers was intentionally walked to load the bases, Martinez flied out to center field to cap off an inning filled with missed opportunities.
ONE UP
Hunter Renfroe: It was a good night at the plate for Renfroe (2-for-4, 3 RBI), with his three-run shot in the fourth inning appearing to break the game open at the time for Boston. Ultimately, even a player with some positive contributions on the diamond like Renfroe wasn’t without fault — as a miscue in the right field allowed Meija’s ninth-inning single to clear the bases.
THREE DOWN
Middle of the order: After an encouraging performance at the plate on Sunday (8-for-14, six runs scored, four RBI), the Sox’ big guns in the middle of the lineup (Martinez/Bogaerts/Devers) struggled to string together another strong performance — leaving 10 total men on base in the loss. Devers might have opened the scoring in the second with a solo shot into the Rays’ bullpen, but that trio ultimately failed to land the knockout punch that Boston desperately needed later in the game.
Matt Barnes: Cora noted postgame that it’s been a “grind” for Barnes over the last couple of weeks, and that might be putting it lightly. After surrendering a pair of late-inning, game-winning homers to the Blue Jays on Saturday and Sunday, Barnes once again let a lead slip away on Tuesday — coughing up four runs (all earned) in the ninth inning.
Garrett Whitlock: Whitlock sure picked a bad time to finally turn mortal on the mound. After failing to relinquish a run for nine straight outings (14 total innings), the Rays finally managed to get to the Sox reliever in the seventh — scoring a pair of runs off of him to knot the game up at 4-4 at the time.
QUOTE OF NOTE:
Question: “Can it get any worse than this?”
Alex Cora: “I hope not.”
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
In total, 12 of Renfroe’s last 15 hits have gone for extra bases (six doubles, six home runs).
After winning their first four games of the 2021 season against the Rays, Boston has dropped six straight to Tampa. In total, the Sox are 14-25 against the Rays since the start of 2019.
In each of the last 11 meetings between the Sox and Rays at Fenway Park, the two teams have combined to score at least 10 runs (11, 13, 13, 15, 10, 14, 25, 13, 11, 11, 12).
Entering tonight, the Sox were 45-3 (.938) since the beginning of 2017 when giving Rodriguez 4+ runs of support, including 10-1 when doing so this season.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will continue their three-game series against the Rays on Wednesday night in what should be a scorcher at Fenway Park. Nathan Eovaldi (9-7, 4.07) will get the start for Boston against TBA.