After a three game sweep in Detroit against the Tigers, the Boston Red Sox ran into baseballs hottest team in the early season the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night. Brandon Lowe had the only hit that mattered with a one out solo homerun in the bottom of the eighth inning as Tampa won the opener of the four game series 1-0 at Tropicana Field.
Nick Pivetta had a very good outing to give his team a chance. Pivetta didn’t allow any runs on three hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 5.0 innings, but didn’t factor into the decision. Josh Winckowski also pitched 2.0 innings scoreless, while Lowe got the game winner off Chris Martin (0-1). Boston (5-5) had their best chance to get on the board in the top of the eighth inning loading the bases with two outs, but Rafael Devers struckout looking to end the threat. Lowe had the homerun off Martin on the 10th pitch of the at bat, a high towering shot that cleared the fence in right center field. Pete Fairbanks picked up the save when he retired the Red Sox in order in the ninth, improving the Rays record to 10-0. This is the first time on the young season that Tampa Bay didn’t win a game by four or more runs.
Masataka Yoshida, Christian Arroyo, and pinch hitter Bobby Dalbec had the only hits for Boston in the loss. Colin Poche (1-0) got the pitching win for Tampa, as they used five different arms to record their third straight shutout. The save for Fairbanks was his first. Garrett Whitlock makes his season debut on the mound on Tuesday night at 6:40 in game two of the four game set, to be opposed by Rays ace Shane McClanahan.
Story by Chris Lessner
