For the first time since the first of July, the Boston Red Sox are gonna lose a series. Ryan Yarbrough pitched five solid innings Saturday as Tampa Bay had three starters with two hits each, rallying past the visitors from Boston 5-1 at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg.
After a 10-3 pounding by the Rays Friday night, Mitch Moreland grounded into a double play in the second inning allowing JD Martinez to score from third base to break Boston on top 1-0. That however was the only offense the visitors could muster. A two out RBI single by Brandon Lowe off Sox starter Rick Porcello evened things 1-1 in the fourth. Tampa Bay (69-61) took the lead for good when Boston reliever Ryan Brasier unleashed a wild pitch allowing Kevin Kiermaier to score to make it 2-1 in the sixth. Joey Wendle added an RBI sacrifice fly in the same inning to up the lead to 3-1, with all runs charged to Porcello (15-7) who took the loss. Brandon Workman allowed a solo homer to Tommy Pham in the seventh, and Tyler Thornburg was touched up by Ji-Man Choi for an RBI triple in the eighth to finish the scoring.
Kiermaier, Matt Duffy, and Wendle all had two hits a piece as the Rays won their seventh straight game and third in a row over the Sox overall. Boston (90-41) got a pair of doubles by Martinez, who is now leading the league in average over teammate Mookie Betts at .337. Eduardo Nunez also had a pair of hits. Overall the Sox have lost five of their last seven games, seeing the A.L. East lead shrink to seven games over the Yankees who swept a doubleheader at Baltimore Saturday.
Porcello went 5.0 innings, allowing three runs, six hits, two walks, with eight strikeouts. Yarbrough got a no decision allowing just one runs on five hits. Ryan Stanek (2-3) earned the win in relief. Stanek, Chaz Roe, Jose Alvarado, and Sergio Romo each threw an inning of scoreless and hitless relief. Roe and Alvarado earned a hold each, their 24th and 26th of the season respectively.
Boston will try to avoid their first three game sweep of the season when they try to salvage a game on Sunday at 1:10. Will be a tough challenge as the Sox send Nathan Eovaldi to the hill to face 15 game winner Blake Snell (15-5).
