Where it went wrong for Red Sox against Rays

When Tanner Houck took the mound for the sixth inning with already 95 pitches under his belt, it seemed like a pivotal moment in the game.

Despite Houck’s struggles with command, walking three batters, a departure from his usual form of issuing just eight walks over the entire season, he managed to keep the Boston Red Sox in the game with a 2-1 lead after five innings. He even started the sixth inning strong by striking out the first batter. However, after allowing back-to-back singles, Houck struck out Ben Rortvedt before manager Alex Cora opted to bring in reliever Greg Weissert.

Unfortunately, Weissert couldn’t hold off the Tampa Bay Rays’ offense, allowing a game-tying single to Jose Siri. A pivotal moment came when Yandy Díaz stepped up to bat, and the Rays attempted a double steal with Jose Caballero taking off for third. While catcher Connor Wong’s throw reached on time, Rafael Devers couldn’t handle it, allowing Caballero to advance safely. This put both runners in scoring position, and Díaz capitalized with a single to left, driving in both runners.

Weissert expressed disappointment in himself for not capitalizing on Houck’s strong performance, acknowledging that the team had high expectations for the game.

The Red Sox’s defensive woes continued, with two errors on the night, including one from first baseman Garrett Cooper in the fourth inning.

Cora highlighted the importance of improving their defense, particularly in handling the running game, where they missed an opportunity to prevent the double steal.

On the offensive side, Jarren Duran’s leadoff double in the first inning sparked early momentum for the Red Sox, culminating in a run scored on a sacrifice fly by Wong.

However, the Rays managed to tie the game in the fourth inning. A leadoff walk issued by Houck proved costly, compounded by defensive lapses. An infield single slipped under Devers’ glove and was deemed a hit. Additionally, Cooper committed an error at first base, mishandling a ball that ultimately scored a run.

Reflecting on his error, Cooper admitted he should have been more aggressive in charging the ball, attributing the mishap to a late hop that threw him off.

Despite the defensive setbacks, the Red Sox responded with a solo home run from Wilyer Abreu, narrowing the gap to 2-1. Abreu, who had been struggling with a .212 batting average and .697 OPS for the month, provided a much-needed offensive spark.

However, the Rays extended their lead to 4-2 in the sixth inning, largely due to Devers’ error. Although Devers redeemed himself with a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth, it wasn’t enough to salvage the game for the Red Sox.

Houck’s performance was a mixed bag, allowing three runs, only one earned, on five hits and three walks while striking out seven over 5 2/3 innings. Despite pitching six or more innings in his previous five starts, Cora was cautious with Houck’s pitch count, recognizing the need to balance performance with player health.

Cora explained that they had planned to give Houck an extra day of rest before his next start, influencing their decision to extend his outing.

Despite opportunities, the Red Sox offense struggled, striking out nine times and going hitless in five at-bats with runners in scoring position. Cooper acknowledged the team’s difficulties with runners in scoring position but remained optimistic about bouncing back in the following games.