ALDS Game 3 - Rays 4, Red Sox 6 - I don’t like Rule 5.05(a)(8)

The American League Division Series is even at one game apiece after the Red Sox victory Friday night. Drew Rasmussen is on the mound for the Rays against Nate Eovaldi for Boston.

Wander Fracno was able to get on base in the top of the first with a single after Brandon Lowe struck out. Austin Meadows was up, swinging at the first pitch to him and giving the Rays a 2-0 lead with a two-run home run. Leaving his bat at 106 mph, the ball went 406 feet into the right field bullpen.

Nelson Cruz and Ji-Man Choi both struck out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the first, Kyle Schwarber hit a 390-foot home run to cut the Rays lead down to one. Rasmussen allowed a single after the home run, but used the next 15 pitches to get out of the inning without allowing any additional baserunners.

The Rays went down in the top of the second with three more strikeouts, although Kevin Kiermaier did draw a one-out walk. Rasmussen allowed a single on his first pitch of the second, but needed only four pitches to get the first out and a double play to end the inning.

Brandon Lowe was able to reach base in the top of the third, but the Rays were set down 1-2-3 to send this one to the bottom of the third. In the bottom of the third, Boston took the lead. Christian Arroyo hit a leadoff single, Schwarber followed with a single of his own, Kiké Hernandez followed with an RBI single, and Rasmussen’s day was done after the lead was lost.

Josh Fleming was brought in to try and get a grounder, and that’s exactly what he allowed. Unfortunately, the grounder went up the middle for an RBI single, giving Boston a 3-2 lead. Fleming was able to strike out Bogaerts and get a groundout, handing the ball over to Andrew Kittredge to close out the inning. Kitt struck out JD Martinez to keep the deficit at one.

Eovaldi pitched another hitless inning, and Kitt worked a scoreless inning despite allowing two singles, with a double play and strikeout to send the game into the fifth.

Joey Wendle doubled with one out, but Brandon Lowe and Wander left him stranded to move this one into the bottom of the fifth. Pete Fairbanks was brought in to pitch, and he allowed a leadoff home run to Kiké Hernandez, 4-2 Red Sox. He got out of the inning with two strikeouts and a lineout from JD Martinez.

Eovaldi’s day was finally done after five strong innings of work. Nelson Cruz hit a one-out single against new pitcher Josh Taylor, and Yandy Diaz was brought in to face him, replacing Choi. Diaz popped out, and that signaled the end of Taylor’s appearance, with Ryan Braiser entering to face Randy. Randy grounded out to end the inning.

JP Feyereisen took over in the bottom of the sixth, replacing Fairbanks. Feyereisen allowed a single but got three outs on only seven pitches.

The top of the seventh looked like many of the innings prior, with the Rays going down fairly easily. Pinch-hitter Jordan Luplow replaced Joey Wendle and drew a walk, but he was stranded after Brandon Lowe lined out to end the inning. Matt Wisler was brought in after a less-than-ideal outing Friday night, but he worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning, throwing only six pitches.

Hansel Robles entered the game to pitch for the Red Sox, and Wander Franco was excited about that. He ripped a 3-1 pitch over the Green Monster to cut Boston’s lead down to one. Austin Meadows followed Wander’s homer with a double to center field, and Manuel Margot was brought in to pinch-run with one out in the inning.

Yandy Diaz struck out after an eight-pitch at-bat, and Randy Arozarena thanked him for working Robles’ arm, as he ripped a double to plate Margot and tie this game up at 4-4. It should have been a triple for Randy, as Schwarber was standing in the way while he rounded first, but he stayed there and was stranded there after Garrett Whitlock was brought in to pitch.

Wisler stayed in to work the eighth, and he got Verdugo out on only one pitch, thanks in part to a terrific sliding grab by Kevin Kiermaier. JT Chargois was brought in after the lineout, so Wisler only stayed in for the matchup against Verdugo. Chargois allowed a two-out walk, but worked a scoreless inning to send this tied game into the ninth.

Whitlock stayed in for the Red Sox, and he struck Jordan Luplow out to leadoff the inning. Brandon Lowe was the next to go down, also striking out. Wander Franco grounded out, so this game goes to the bottom of the ninth.

Chargois also stayed in to pitch, getting Christian Arroyo to ground out on only one pitch. Kyle Schwarber took the next pitch Chargois threw and singled. Bobby Dalbec entered the game to pinch-run for Schwarber, but was stranded on second after Kiké Hernandez struck out and Devers grounded out. To extra innings we go...

Nick Pivetta was brought in to pitch for the Red Sox, eliminating the chance of him starting in Game 4 tomorrow night. Manuel Margot singled, and after two outs, tried stealing second base, but was thrown out by Christian Vazquez after sliding off of the bag, ending the inning.

Kevin Cash turned to David Robertson to work the bottom of the 10th. Bogaerts grounded out for the first out, and Alex Verdugo singled to put one on for JD Martinez. JD Martinez hit a loud flyout, but it was an out, so out number two. Hunter Renfroe popped out to end the inning, sending this one to the 11th.

Randy was up in the last inning when Margot was thrown out, so he leads off the top of the 11th for the Rays. Pivetta walked him, bringing Kevin Kiermaier up. Despite striking out, Kiermaier worked an 11-pitch at bat with four pickoff attempts in-between, and Arozarena stole second on the strikeout pitch. Mike Zunino entered the box, but he struck out swinging. Jordan Luplow struck out looking to end the inning.

David Robertson stayed in to work the bottom of the 11th, and got Christian Vazquez out on a lineout. Christian Arroyo hit a double down the third base line to put the winning on for the Red Sox. Kyle Snyder came out of the dugout to talk to Robertson, and that conversation worked, as Robertson struck out Dalbec and got a groundout from Hernandez to move this game onto the 12th. Wander Franco made a terrific play on the grounder and Luplow made a terrific scoop to keep this game tied.

The top of the 12th saw Brandon Lowe leading off and striking out. Wander flew out for the second out, bringing Manuel Margot up. Margot struck out. Nick Pivetta was absolutely dealing the more innings he pitched, and the 12th was a perfect example of that.

Luis Patiño entered the game to pitch the bottom of the 12th. Rafael Devers grounded out to the pitcher after three pitches for the first out. Bogaerts popped out for the inning’s second out. Verdugo flew out to center on a ball with decent contact, moving this game on to the 13th inning.

Pivetta stayed in for Boston, and he struck out Nelson Cruz, making him the seventh-straight Rays batter to be set down. Yandy Diaz ended that streak with a single to right field, bringing Randy up. Randy flew out to left for the second out. Kevin Kiermaier broke the MLB rulebook with what was ruled a ground-rule double over the right field wall, halting Diaz at third. Replay review determined that it was exactly that, and it led to absolute confusion. Mike Zunino struck out to strand them both.

Patiño stayed in to work the bottom of the 13th, getting JD Martinez to fly out for the first out. Hunter Renfroe drew a walk, and Christian Vazquez hit a two-run home run to win this one for the Red Sox.

The Rays battled, but couldn’t bring home the go-ahead run after tying it up in the eighth, resulting in them needing to win two in a row to stay alive in the Postseason. Game 4 takes place tomorrow night at Fenway Park, with first pitch scheduled for 7:07 pm. Neither team’s starters are announced yet.