Rays 4, Red Sox 3: Luke Maile and Evan Longoria power Rays over Red Sox

Drew Pomeranz and Jake Odorizzi continued their pitching duel from last Thursday, but this time at Fenway Park. The Rays looked to avenge their loss from Monday evening.

Inning 1: Rays strike first. Rays 1-0.

In the top of the first the Rays took advantage of some weak defense by Boston. Kevin Kiermaier hit a fly ball to left field that landed just short of the monster, but Brock Holt got caught drifting and ended up jumping on a play a major league outfielder should make. He came up just short and the ball bounced out of the top of the glove. Kiermaier got credit for the double. Brad Miller smashed a single past a diving Dustin Pedroia to put the Rays up 1-0.

Dustin Pedroia started the bottom of a first with a single he poked into the outfield. Jake Odorizzi came up with a strike em out throw em out double play on a probable hit and run.

Innings 2-4: Nothing much happens. Rays 1-0.

Pomeranz and Odorizzi got into a groove and worked three quiet innings. The only real threat was by the Rays in the top of the fourth when Brad Miller led off with a single. Tim Beckham added a one out walk to put two runners on, but Steven Souza, Jr. and Corey Dickerson couldn’t push either run across the plate.

Innings 5-6: Hanley with a cheap homer and more. Red Sox 3-1.

Jake Odorizzi was cruising until Hanley Ramirez hit a deep fly ball that barely got around the Pesky Pole to tie the game at one. This is the only park in which something hit 300 feet isn’t a likely out.

In the sixth the Red Sox got to Odorizzi. After Odorizzi struck out Jackie Bradley, Jr., he issued his first walk of the evening to Pedroia. Xander Bogaerts followed with a well struck liner down the left field line for a double putting runners on second and third with one out for David Ortiz. Ortiz absolutely smoked a full count pitch, but Souza came in with a diving catch. Ortiz was robbed of a hit but still brought home a run on the sac fly. Hanley Ramirez followed to short right field that falls perfectly, from the Red Sox viewpoint, into no man’s land.

Both Souza and Miller were heavily criticized for allowing that bloop to drop, but given where the players were starting it was not an easy play. In the end Odorizzi likely came out ahead as the Ortiz ball that was absolutely scorched was caught, and the Ramirez bloop somehow dropped in for a hit.

Innings 7-9: Maile and Longoria send monster shots over the monster. Rays 4-3.

Tim Beckham led off the top of the seventh with a single up the middle. After two outs, Luke Maile crushed a 420 foot bomb over the monster to tie the game.

Enny Romero put up an impressive inning for the Rays. He struck out Chris Young and Jackie Bradley, Jr. sandwiched around a groundball by Bryan Holaday.

Clay Buchholz came in relief in the top of the eighth. Kiermaier started the frame off with a well struck grounder that Pedroia somehow turned into an out. Evan Longoria followed with a 434 foot bomb and his 31st homer of the season to put the Rays up 4-3.

Erasmo Ramirez worked a clean eighth. Pedroia grounded out to third. Bogaerts got caught looking. Ortiz grounded to Miller to end the frame with the Rays up one run.

Craig Kimbrel entered in a non save situation in the ninth inning. Beckham singled off the monster. Corey Dickerson almost made it a three run lead, but hit it to the wrong part of the field as right field quickly gets pretty deep after the pole. Beckham took advantage of Mookie Betts’ weak arm and get to second. Luke Maile seemed to end the inning on a ground ball, but after review he was ruled safe. Logan Forsythe failed to put insurance runs on the board.

In the bottom of the ninth Alex Colome came in to shut down the game. Betts grounded out to second. Hanley Ramirez singled on a grounder to right field. Colome got Travis Shaw to strike out swinging. With two outs Hanley Ramirez advanced on a ball that got between Maile’s legs. Chris Young followed with a walk. Switch hitting catcher Sandy Leon pinch hit for Bryan Holaday. Colome quickly went up 0-2 before getting him looking at a high breaking ball to end the game.

Final Thoughts:

Jake Odorizzi looked very good in having to face an opponent two times in a row. 6 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K is a pretty solid line and what the Rays needed.

That Luke Maile shot was impressive. He went down and got a curve ball and absolutely demolished it.

What more can be said about Evan Longoria. He came up with a huge hit to put the winning run on the board off of Clay Buchholz. Buchholz has been one of the pitchers Longoria has struggled with over his career.

Enny Romero was really effective. 1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K. When he was on the DL it’s been said the Rays altered his mechanics some. It will be something to keep an eye on as the season winds down.

Alex Colome picked up his 29th save of the season. He made it interesting after allowing a single and a walk, but picked up two big strikeouts.