Rays: 8, Red Sox: 6 - Lowe’s Well That Ends Well

After losing the past 3 of 4 games, Rays will look to keep pace with Baltimore and their 2nd win in the month of September. Here’s how both teams stack up.

Rays scored first in the bottom of the 2nd inning, after a Vidal Brujan walk, Jonathan Aranda tripled (a career first) and although it looked like an error on the Red Sox outfield, it hit one of the Trops rings. Kevin Cash tried to challenge for an extra run, but it was not overturned.

It ended up not mattering as Rene Pinto launched a 2 run HR to score Aranda.

103.4 MPH, 419 ft HR for Pinto. Rays lead 3-0 after 2 innings.

Lead didn’t last long, because Zach Eflin hit leadoff Red Sox hitter Connor Wong, then Enamuel Valdez launched a 2 run HR to bring the Red Sox within 1.

Eflin got out of the inning, but damage was done.

In the bottom of the 3rd, Randy Arozarena hit a ball to LF Masataka Yoshida that was originally ruled an out. Upon Bally’s replay, you could see a ripple from the outfield wall, showing that it hit the wall before landing in Yoshida’s glove.

The Rays had already used their challenge in the 2nd and lost, so couldn’t challenge again, and despite Kevin Cash strongly pleading with the umpires, could not get an umpire review either.

In the bottom of the 4th inning, Jose Siri opened it up with a ground rule double, and two walks and two outs later, we had the bases loaded with two outs and Brandon Lowe against LHP Joe Jacques.

Rays lead 4-2. Isaac Parades ALSO got hit by a pitch for an additional run.

Randy ended the inning with a line out on a 107.8 MPH scorcher. Just right at a Red Sox defender.

Things started unraveling a bit in the top of the 6th inning, where Zach Eflin allowed a leadoff single, then a double to put Red Sox runners on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out. Justin Turner was the next batter, and although Vidal Brujan hustled to get to the ball, forced the throw and Yandy Diaz couldn’t pick it out for the out.

Rays still lead 5-3, but Kevin Cash had seen enough and went to Colin Poche to try and stop the bleeding. Poche walked the next batter to load the bases with nobody out, but then got two back to back strikeouts. Kevin Kelly was the next man up and got the last out, a flyout to Jose Siri

Zach Eflin final line: 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 1 BB, 7 Ks on 89 pitches.

Things continued to unravel for the Rays in the top 7th inning, with Shawn Armstrong on the mound for the Rays. He got the first out, but then allowed a single to put a runner on with 1 out. An error by Brandon Lowe put two runners on with 1 out, and 1 out later, Justin Turner hits a groundball to Vidal Brujan, who can’t corral it for the last out.

Shawn Armstrong got Tristan Casas to hit a pop fly to left field, but a collision by Vidal Brujan and Isaac Parades caused the ball to drop and the tying Red Sox score to come in.

Tie game.

Rays had an opportunity in the 8th inning, with a Jonathan Aranda walk and Yandy Diaz single with only 1 out, but Aranda got doubled up off 2nd base easily to end the inning.

We would go into extra innings with the game tied at 5.

Rays had bases loaded with only 1 out in the bottom of the 10th inning, but couldn’t score as Josh Lowe was nabbed trying to go home on the shallow sac fly by Bethancourt.

I don’t hate the call to send Josh Lowe there, but I can see why other people would be upset by it.

Still tied after 10 innings.

The bullpen, for what its worth had held its own with a combination of Colin Poche, Kevin Kelly, Shawn Armstrong, Jake Diekman AND CHRIS DEVENSKI going 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, and 7 Ks. Erasmo Ramirez was brought in for the 11th inning, and after a wild pitch to move the ghost runner over to 3rd base with one out, gave up a single to give the Red Sox the lead.

Tough play for Brandon, who nearly had the out.

Christian Bethancourt nailed Trevor Story trying to steal 2nd base for the 2nd out, and Ramirez got Rafael Devers to ground out.

Red Sox lead 5-4 going to the bottom of the 11th inning facing off against Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen.

Yandy Diaz was able to work a walk to put two runners on with nobody out, and Brandon Lowe to the plate.

I’ll just let Neil Solondz tell the rest:

Despite all of the errors, and bad baserunning, and uncharacteristic bad defense from the Rays tonight, it is all forgiven, as the Rays walk off the Red Sox, 8-6 on Brandon Lowe’s 110.7 MPH 3-run HR.

FINAL: Rays - 8, Red Sox - 6.

An ugly win, but as Kevin Cash said in tonight’s post-game conference:

“If we can keep winning like that in September, I’ll be very happy”

Rays will look for a series win in tomorrow’s rubber match at 6:40 PM EST. Boston’s Nick Pivetta takes on the Rays’ Tyler Glasnow.