Boston third baseman Rafael Devers (11) talks with shortstop Xander Bogaerts in between innings of a game at Fenway earlier this season. Devers extended his hitting streak Wednesday in another Sox loss to Tampa Bay. Photo courtesy of Delaney Gardner
On a day the Boston Red Sox didn’t make any moves to bolster the pitching staff ahead of the MLB trade deadline, starting pitcher Rick Porcello struggled early as the visiting Tampa Bay Rays built a sizeable lead and went on for an 8-5 win at Fenway Park Wednesday night.
Travis d’Arnaud singled in a first inning run for Tampa Bay (62-48), before Kevin Kiermaier tripled in another and Austin Meadows hit a three run homer both in the second inning to make it 5-0. Rafael Devers hit a sacrifice fly for an RBI in the third to put Boston on the board, and JD Martinez launched a solo homer to right center in the fourth to cut it to 5-2. Porcello had made into the sixth inning, and had settled in nearly making it through the sixth with two outs before Willy Adames hit a long solo homer over the monster in left to end the night for the Sox starter. Kiermaier tripled a run in for the second time in the game in the seventh inning, and Matt Duffy singled him in and it looked as if the Rays were in complete control up 8-2.
Boston (59-50) however did make it interesting in the bottom of the seventh. With one out Michael Chavis hit a solo homer his 17th of the season. After Jackie Bradley Jr. struck out for out number two, Mookie Betta doubled, Devers singled to score Betts, Xander Bogaerts singled, and then Martinez singled to score Devers. The scorching bat of Andrew Benintendi was next up representing the tying run at the plate, but Tampa reliever Colin Poche struck him out to end the threat. Benintendi came up with two outs and two on again in the ninth as the tying run, but for the second consecutive time was struck out this time to end the ballgame by Chaz Roe.
Porcello (9-8) allowed six runs on nine hits, with one walk and seven strikeouts in 5.2 innings in taking the loss. Darwinzon Hernandez, Josh Taylor, and Marcus Walden did combine for 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. Heath Hembree allowed a pair of runs in the seventh. Betts and Martinez had three hits each, while Sam Travis and Chavis each added a pair. Devers extended his hitting streak to 11 games. He is also now second on the all time Red Sox list for most RBI by a player younger than 23 in the first 109 games of a season (84), and is second only to Ted Williams who had 102 in 1939. Kiermaier, d’Arnaud, Adames, and Ji-Man Choi all had two hits for Tampa Bay. Ryan Yarborough (10-3) got the win in relief in a bullpen game for the Rays going 4.1 innings allowing four runs on six hits, with no walks and three strikeouts. Despite allowing two runners to reach base and having the tying run come to the plate, Roe earned his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning.
Boston will look to avoid a three game sweep and end their three game losing streak on Thursday night at 7:10 p.m. Andrew Cashner will take the ball for the Sox, to be opposed by Brendan McKay for the Rays.
