Rays 17, Red Sox 8: How sweep it is

Instead of a traditional point by point recap, I’m going to do things a little differently today, so my apologies if you wanted the usual overview, but friends, this was not a usual game.

First, let’s briefly touch on Tyler Glasnow, who once again looked less than stellar in a start. He went 4 innings and was responsible for all five of the Red Sox runs, with a final line for the day of 8H, 5R, 5ER, 2BB, and a not too shabby 8K. (Red Sox starter Kyle Hart allowed 5ER and 7R total in his two innings of work, so we can safely say pitching was not its best to start this game).

Runs though, there were plenty of those, but hold on we’re not quite there yet.

Three things to talk about before I mention the boggling number of runs the Rays scored in this game.

1. If you are watching the Fox Sun broadcasts, they have been such a treat. Brian and DeWayne are doing something not a lot of other broadcasters are doing, and that’s treating their viewers with some respect. They share the usual banter and crack jokes, but instead of oversimplifying the broadcast, they are providing some actual intelligent insights into the game. I almost passed out when Brian talked about the 12 to 6 motion on Glasnow’s breaking ball. If you’ve ever suffered through Sunday Night Baseball, you know how stifling a bad broadcast can be, and Rays fans really are very lucky.
2. DRONE. Yup, it was the Rays turn for a drone break in the game, as an over-enthusiastic fan (I assume it was not spies) hovered a drone over Fenway for a better look at things.

3. Kevin Pillar did not get hit by that pitch and replay reviews are a sham.

All right, now that that’s off my chest, here’s an inning-by-inning breakdown of every single run scored by the Rays in this game:

First inning: Let’s just get this started early, shall we? How about a Yandy Diaz single to score Brosseau? You like that? Me too. Why not add an Adames single to score Martinez? Rays 2-0. Boston did NOT like this, though, and Verdugo scored on a Devers single, then Martinez and Devers score on a Plawecki double. Red Sox 3-2.

Second inning: Nada.

Third inning: Two-run blast for Renfroe? You betcha. Solo homer for Lowe? We like those. Tsutsugo single to score Adames? Love to see it. Zunino groundout to score Margot. Yup, we’ll take it. Rays 7-3. (For the Red Sox Arauz doubled to score Martinez, score 7-4).

Fourth inning: Lowe singled to score Diaz, and then oh boy, let me break this one down... Margot was able to reach on infield single to third, allowing Renfroe to score on an error, Margot was safe at second on throwing error by third baseman Devers, Lowe safe at third on error. Yikes. Then Tsutsugo singled to score Lowe. Rays 10-4. (In the bottom of the inning Martinez doubled to score Peraza, score 10-5.)

Fifth inning: Nothing, deep breaths.

Sixth inning: Another home run for Renfroe. An Adames triple to score Lowe. A Margot single to score Adames. Then Zunino hit a home run to score himself, Tsutsugo, and Margot. Rays 16-5.

Seventh and Eighth: Not a darned thing, but some solid relief pitching all around from the Rays relievers Beeks and Banda.

Ninth inning: A Lowe lineout scored Diaz, Rays 17-5. That amounts to 42 runs scored by the Rays over the four-game series, a new club record (if I’m not mistaken). In the bottom of the inning Kevin Pillar doubled to score Chavis and Devers and then to basically ruin my day, Pillar scored on a Plawecki single. But the comeback stopped there.

Rays win 17-8, sweep the 4-game series.