The Boston Red Sox once again held a lead, this time at 4-1 Tuesday night, but again couldn’t hold it as the Tampa Bay Rays scored four times in the ninth inning for an 8-4 win at Fenway Park.
Rafael Devers and Brandon Lowe swapped solo homeruns in the second and third innings, before Hunter Renfoe hit a three-run homer into the centerfield bleachers in the fourth to make it 4-1 Boston. Tampa Bay (69-44) rallied back and would tie it when pinch hitter Ji Man Choi slapped a two-run double off the monster in left in the seventh. In the ninth against Matt Barnes, Francisco Mejia came through with two outs and the bases loaded with a two-run double down the line in right. Renfoe misplayed the ball allowing a third run to score, and Lowe finished off a four run frame for the Rays with an RBI single as they now move five games ahead of Boston (65-50) in the A.L. East.
Eduardo Rodriguez got a no-decision and pitched well for Boston allowing two runs on four hits with just one walk and eight strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Barnes (6-5) lost for a second straight outing and was charged with four runs in just 2/3 of an inning. Renfoe, Jarren Duran, and Xander Bogaerts had two hits each. Lowe had three hits to lead Tampa Bay, and Andrew Kittredge (8-1) pitched 2.0 innings with five strikeouts to earn the win in relief of starter Luis Patino. The Sox and Rays go at it Wednesday night in game two of the series. The pitching matchup is Nathan Eovaldi (9-7, 4.07 ERA) for Boston against Josh Fleming (9-5, 4.12) for Tampa.
