The floodgates might have opened on Wednesday night when the Sox dropped 20 runs on the Rays, but Boston was unable to replicate even a fraction of that proficiency at the plate on Thursday — with Tampa limiting Boston to just two hits in what was ultimately an 8-1 loss at Fenway Park.
With the loss, the Sox drop two of their three games in their home series against the Rays and fall five games back of Tampa in the AL East standings.
Rafael Devers drove in the lone run for Boston with an RBI double in the fourth inning, while Tanner Houck was tagged for four runs (three earned) over five innings of work. Boston’s bullpen once again labored, coughing up four runs after Houck was removed from the contest in the sixth.
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WHO: Red Sox (66-50) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (69-45)
WHEN: 4:10 p.m
WHERE: Fenway Park
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: 5-6
SERIES TO DATE: TB 2-1
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Tanner Houck (0-2, 2.45) vs. RHP Drew Rasmussen (1-1, 4.15)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI-FM 93.7
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Hernandez 2B
Duran CF
Bogaerts SS
Devers 3B
Martinez DH
Renfroe RF
Plawecki C
Gonzalez 1B
Cordero LF
RAYS
Lowe 2B
Franco SS
Cruz DH
Meadows LF
Wendle 3B
Diaz 1B
Phillips RF
Kiermaier RF
Zunino C
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
TOP 8th: Mike Zunino with a three-run shot against Yacksel Rios. 8-1 Rays.
BOT 7th: With the heart of the order up, the Sox
TOP 6th: Franco drills a two-run homer, Cruz follows it up with a double — and Houck's night is done. Robles then balks in a run — and it's 4-1 Tampa. Not great.
BOT 5th: Plawecki gets on base with a single, but Gonzalez and Cordero don't do him any favors. Two strikeouts close out the inning.
TOP 5th: Houck continues to deal. 5 innings, three hits, one unearned run and eight strikeouts.
BOT 4th: Boston finally solves Rasmussen in the next go through. Hernandez walks — and Devers drives him in with a double out to the triangle.
BOT 3rd: No hits for the Sox through their first nine at-bats against Rasmussen.
TOP 3rd: Rays open the scoring with an unearned run. Lowe with a sac fly after Kiermaier tags up from third. Tampa was gifted with an error from Plawecki that helped Kiermaier advance from 1st to 3rd on a steal attempt.
TOP 2nd: Houck surrenders a bloop hit to Diaz, but fans Phillips to get out of the inning.
BOT 1st: Kiké leads off with a walk, but Duran fans and Bogaerts grounds into a double play.
TOP 1st: A tidy 13-pitch inning for Houck to open things.
NOTES
The Red Sox will look to get out of the weeks-long tailspin they’ve found themselves in by taking two of three from the Rays on Thursday afternoon. Boston trails Tampa Bay by four games in the AL East.
Tanner Houck will be making his first career start against Tampa Bay on Thursday. He has allowed two earned runs over 15.1 IP in his last four appearances — holding opponents to a .148 batting average during that stretch.
Houck will look to continue Boston’s encouraging trend of quality performances by their starters. In their last five games, Sox starters have allowed seven earned runs in 27.1 IP (2.30 ERA).
Even with limited reps (seven games, five starts) up with Boston this season, Houck leads all Sox starters in n SO/9.0 IP (12.62), K% (34.3%), and HR/9.0 IP (0.35), and is 2nd in SO/BB (5.14) and BB/9.0 IP (2.45) (min. 20.0 IP).
Kyle Schwarber (right hamstring strain) will begin his rehab assignment tonight with Triple-A Worcester — and could be back with the MLB club within the next couple of days if all goes well.